Dr. Anna Mackay is on the board of directors for Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord Canada.
Dr. Anna MacKay earned her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) in 1985 and a master’s degree in veterinary science from the University of Montreal in 1995, specializing in Pathology and Microbiology. After seven years in small animal practice, she transitioned to the public sector, working with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), specializing in food safety and animal health. She served as Regional Veterinary Officer (RVO) and project manager for the National Animal Health Strategy (NAHS) framework at CFIA.
In 2015, she joined the agency's main headquarters in Ottawa as the National Manager and Project Director, where she developed and implemented a digital solution to automate risk calculation for the Establishment-based Risk Assessment (ERA) models in food and hatchery sectors. These models are designed to identify and target CFIA inspection activities at higher-risk establishments. Additionally, she initiated the development and implementation of ERA for the feed mills and renderers sectors. Until her retirement from CFIA's Science Branch in March 2024, she served as the National Manager and Project Director for the development and automation of the Work Tasking Logic Model (WTLM), an optimization tool for CFIA inspectors.
Anna joined the Veterinarians without Borders North America (VWBNA) board in 2017, contributing to fundraising efforts and serving on the Northern Program Advisory Group.
She is also actively committed in various veterinary organizations and community initiatives, such as the Association vétérinaire Québécoise de médecine de refuge (AVQMR) and the Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program in her neighborhood since 2012.
Anna's background in food inspection, animal health and One Health initiatives drives her interest in the interconnected health of humans, animals, and the environment.
#VETSVolunteerVoices aims to bring you stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. This blog was written by Guy Audet, a Business Development Advisor who supported our VETS program partner, WIPVaC-Apex, in Ghana from March to May 2025.
In Meru County, Kenya, Community One Health Champion Ann Kagwira is improving her farm’s productivity and herd health through ongoing collaboration with VETS volunteers and Meru Dairy — demonstrating how long-term support and continuous learning can drive lasting change for farmers and their communities.
As VWB’s Executive Director, Charmaine Brett, prepares to step down in September, she reflects on four years of transformative global work, celebrating milestones in animal care, community resilience, and One Health initiatives. With its bold 2025–2030 Strategic Plan, VWB remains committed to advancing its mission and recruiting new leadership to build on this momentum.
