The UF Shelter Medicine Program is proud to share that Dr. Julie Levy, the Fran Marino Professor of Shelter Medicine Education, has been awarded the American Association of Veterinary Clinicians (AAVC) Faculty Achievement Award in Teaching.
Presented to educators who have achieved national recognition for advancing veterinary education, the award highlights Dr. Levy’s sustained contributions to teaching, mentorship, and curriculum development in the field of Shelter Medicine.
Throughout her career, Dr. Levy has been a leader in both clinical education and program innovation. She co-founded the UF Shelter Medicine Program in 2008, helping shape a curriculum that includes classroom instruction, clinical clerkships, in-shelter externships, and fully online graduate programs.
Hundreds of veterinary students have earned the Professional Certificate in Shelter Medicine under her direction, and working professionals across the globe have benefited from the Distance Education Program, which offers graduate certificates and a master’s degree in Shelter Medicine.
In a letter of support for her nomination, Dr. Charles Vite, Chair of the Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, noted, “Dr. Levy’s career exemplifies the highest standards of leadership, advocacy, innovation, and service in veterinary medicine. Her tireless efforts to improve animal welfare, train future veterinarians, and advance Shelter Medicine make her an outstanding candidate for this recognition.”
Dr. Levy has played a pivotal role in developing shelter-focused coursework at UF and has mentored graduate students, interns, and residents whose work now contributes to Shelter Medicine across the U.S. and internationally.
Her accomplishments also extend beyond the classroom. Dr. Levy founded Operation Catnip, a Gainesville-based TNR program that has spayed, neutered, and vaccinated more than 90,000 cats since 1998. She co-founded the Million Cat Challenge, a campaign credited with saving the lives of over 5 million shelter cats in North America, and helped launch the Maddie’s Million Pet Challenge, a collaborative effort to imagine and create a world in which every single shelter is able to provide every animal at risk with the right care in the right place at the right time to the right outcome.
“As a leader and expert, she was inducted into the National Academies of Practice,” Dr. Vite wrote. “In the field of Shelter Medicine, Dr. Levy is among the most highly regarded leaders, researchers, and teachers.”
This most recent award joins an already distinguished list of accolades, including the Avanzino Leadership Award from Maddie’s Fund, the Carl J. Norden–Pfizer Distinguished Teacher Award, the Outstanding Woman Veterinarian of the Year Award, and the Meritorious Service Award from the Association of Shelter Veterinarians.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Levy on this well-deserved honor.