SMUSVM Blog Authors

Brendan Lee, DVM, MSc, MPH, PhD, DACVPM

Dr. Brendan Lee is the Executive Dean and a Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology at St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine. As a leader in international education and research, he has many years of experience and demonstrated expertise in the fields of zoonotic diseases, food safety and security, policy development, and epidemiology. He has published articles in journals such as Veterinary Sciences and the Journal of Tropical Disease & Health, and regularly presents at respected international health conferences.

Samantha Shields, DVM, MVetSci

Dr. Samantha Shields, Dean of the Veterinary School, has devoted her career to impactful education and Conservation Medicine. She co-founded and currently teaches in the MARVET (Marine Veterinary Medicine) program, an externship that offers veterinary students an introductory lecture and hands-on workshop in Marine Conservation Medicine. In addition to her teaching and administration responsibilities at St. Matthew’s University, Dr. Shields is also a member of the Blue Iguana Conservation (BIC) Steering Committee. Further, she was formerly President of the American Academy of Veterinary Nutrition (AAVN), and in 2025 was appointed to the Cayman Islands’ National Conservation Council (NCC).

Valarie Thomas, DVM, MSc

Dr. Valarie Thomas is a medical educator and administrator with over 16 years of student support experience. She is an innovative and competent leader with a strong commitment to collaboration for the access, retention and graduation of students from all backgrounds. In addition to her work in medical education, Dr. Thomas has worked in clinical veterinary medicine, small-animal surgery, herd health management, pandemic influenza mitigation
planning, and emerging infectious diseases in wildlife. She conducted research on the ecology and survival of Campylobacter spp. in food and the environment, and has worked on the diagnosis of the chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), which has caused global amphibian declines and extirpations, and Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans (Bsal), which has been infecting amphibians in Europe.