Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Administrator Kevin Shea announced this week the appointment of Dr. Jack Shere as acting USDA chief veterinary officer and deputy administrator for veterinary services. He will also oversee the veterinary services national and international reference laboratory network. Dr. Shere is replacing Dr. John Clifford, who is now the chief trade advisor for the veterinary services National Import Export Services, after serving for 12 years as deputy administrator.
Dr. Shere joined veterinary services in 1990 as a field veterinary medical officer in Nebraska and Wisconsin and has held many leadership positions since then, including associate western regional director from 2002 to 2005 and eastern regional director from 2005 to 2013. More recently, Dr. Shere served as associate deputy administrator of veterinary services since 2013.
Dr. Shere has extensive experience with animal disease outbreaks, including salmonella enteritidis, foot-and-mouth disease in England, low pathogenic avian influenza, Exotic Newcastle Disease, and highly pathogenic avian influenza. During the extensive 2002-2003 Exotic Newcastle Disease outbreak in California, Texas, New Mexico, and Utah, Dr. Shere served as the joint area commander and incident commander, leading a massive federal and state eradication effort for nine months until the disease was eradicated from the United States.
Dr. Shere received a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry in 1981, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1987, and a Master of Science in Education with a minor in Counseling in 1988–all from Iowa State University. He received PhD’s in Poultry Science and Microbiology in 2001 from the University of Wisconsin. He also practiced veterinary clinical medicine for three years in Georgia,
