NAVC names Jonathan Townsend 2026–2027 board president

NAVC has named Jonathan Townsend, DVM, PhD, DABVP, as president of its 2026–2027 Board of Directors, with the leadership handoff from outgoing president Sally Haddock, DVM, taking place during the organization’s annual business meeting at VMX 2026 in Orlando on January 20, 2026. Townsend has served on the NAVC board since 2019 and is currently a dairy technical services veterinarian at Merck Animal Health. In the announcement, NAVC CEO Gene O’Neill said Townsend had been “an integral part” of the board’s recent work, while Townsend said he plans to use his term to help expand NAVC’s impact across the profession and strengthen mentorship opportunities. (navc.com)

Why it matters: NAVC is one of the veterinary sector’s biggest continuing education and media organizations, with VMX, VetFolio, trade publications, and advocacy work reaching a broad cross-section of veterinarians, technicians, practice leaders, and industry stakeholders. A board president with a food-animal and dairy background also adds a slightly different lens to leadership at a time when the profession is balancing workforce strain, mentorship needs, and demand for practical CE across companion animal, large animal, and mixed practice settings. Townsend’s stated focus on mentorship could resonate with hospitals and veterinary teams trying to support early-career clinicians and retain talent. (navc.com)

What to watch: Watch for whether Townsend’s term brings visible new mentorship, workforce support, or CE initiatives ahead of VMX 2027 and across NAVC’s year-round education platform. (navc.com)