PRESS KIT & BIO
Meet Dr. Ernie Ward – Veterinarian, Educator, Advocate
Dr. Ernie Ward is an award-winning veterinarian, internationally recognized speaker, entrepreneur, author, columnist, and media personality. He is a co-founder and Chief Veterinary Officer of VerticalVet, a group purchasing organization with over 2,100 veterinary clinic members.
A 1992 graduate of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Ward has been honored as Speaker of the Year at both the VMX and WVC conferences. He’s the recipient of the 2018 Veterinary Journalist of the Year Award and the US National Veterinary Practice of Excellence Award, along with numerous other veterinary and civic recognitions.
He serves on several influential boards, including as Chair of the World Small Animal Veterinary Association’s (WSAVA) Strategic Advisory Committee and also serves on WSAVA’s Financial Advisory Committee, the Morris Animal Foundation’s Scientific and Animal Welfare Advisory Boards, the Grey Muzzle Organization, and the CATalyst Council. He’s also a member of the Southern European Veterinary Conference’s Scientific Committee, where he chairs Practice Management.
Dr. Ward founded the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) and the World Pet Obesity Association (WPOA) and is the editor of the upcoming textbook, Veterinary Clinical Obesity: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Causes, Consequences, and Interventions, to be published by Wiley. He is passionate about advancing veterinary standards, championing better health habits for pets and their people, and inspiring the next generation of veterinary leaders.
When he’s not with family or pet patients, he can be found contemplating solutions for both the veterinary profession and the planet during endurance athletics, meditation, and on his award-winning weekly podcast, the Veterinary Viewfinder, or his regular column, “Opening Shots,” in NAVC’s Today’s Veterinary Business.
