Dr. Andrea Ellis (DVM) is a Board member with Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord U.S.
Dr. Andrea Ellis (DVM) is a veterinary epidemiologist who has worked in foodborne, waterborne and zoonotic diseases for the past 30 years in the Canadian public service and at WHO. In Canada, she worked in Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada managing the outbreak response unit in what is currently called the Centre for Foodborne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. Dr. Ellis was seconded to WHO in Geneva from 2002-2004 to develop the epidemiology curriculum for the Global Foodborne Infections Network and worked on the response to SARS and avian influenza. She went back to WHO from 2009-2011 to lead the International Food Safety Authorities Network. Upon returning to Canada, she joined the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and spent 10 years as senior advisor to the Chief Veterinary Officer of Canada and WOAH Delegate for Canada before retiring from government in March 2023.
Dr. Ellis is currently an independent consultant and has been working with WOAH and WHO.
In recognition of International Day for Biological Diversity 2026, VWB reflects on how healthy rangelands, community-led animal health systems, and pastoralist knowledge help sustain resilience across working landscapes worldwide.
Based on field insights from Senegal, this blog examines how VWB’s COHERS program is helping drive early gender-transformative change at the household level — reshaping who decides, who acts, and how families respond to risks affecting both human and animal health.
#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. Meet Hiya Goyal, a Communications Advisor who spent five months in Laos (November 2025–March 2026) with our local partner, Health Poverty Action, strengthening communications and knowledge sharing while exploring how listening and storytelling can bridge gaps between policy, research, and community experience.
