Patricia Maruschak is on the board of directors for Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord Canada.
Patricia is a senior executive with extensive experience developing and implementing complex human-rights-based international projects. She has applied her strategic planning, policy development and relationship-building skills in her work with key organizations in the Canadian international development and humanitarian assistance area and possesses a deep understanding of current issues in the sector.
She is currently the Director of Engagement and Learning at Manitoba Council for International Cooperation. Patricia has also held senior positions with Canadian Lutheran World Relief and Canadian International Development Agency. She has a Master of Arts, Public Administration, and International Development, and brings to the board her extensive skills and experience working with non-profits dedicated to humanitarian assistance and international development.
#VETSVolunteerVoices aims to bring you the stories of our passionate VETS program volunteers from the field. Meet Ian Parfitt, a GIS Mapping Advisor who spent three months in Cambodia (January–April 2025) supporting organic agriculture and digital transformation with our local partner, AVSF Cambodia.
Megan Sylka, Senior Program Officer at VWB, shares how her recent visit to Kenya revealed the powerful ripple effects of the VETS program—highlighting how Community One Health Champion Shelmith Mwai is transforming her dairy farm, her family dynamics, and her community through knowledge, leadership, and collaboration.
This article examines how a One Health approach can transform food safety systems by addressing the interconnected health of people, animals, and the environment—highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration, innovations like Canada’s CFSIN, and global strategies to mitigate risks such as antimicrobial resistance, climate change, and zoonotic disease.
