Tanja Kisslinger is the Director of Communications at Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord.
Tanja is a cross-cultural storyteller and communications-for-development specialist. For more than 18 years, she has worked with international development and relief organizations (such as CARE International, Save the Children, Children in Crossfire, and Medair) to promote and protect human rights. Along the way, Tanja has lived, worked and volunteered in diverse places, including Tanzania, Zambia, India, Cambodia, Nepal, Mongolia, Romania, Peru, and Jordan.
Across countries and contexts, Tanja’s aim is consistent: to give voice and visibility to situations of injustice or vulnerability. This path began with a study of political prisoners in the USA (a graduate thesis) and has gone on to include work with street children in Tanzania, displaced families in post-earthquake Nepal, and food insecure communities in Southern Africa. Tanja recently worked with CARE Canada’s Global Health department, where she led and implemented the 3.5 year “Feed Her Future” engagement campaign (@FeedHerFuture). The campaign raised awareness of the social and gender norms that affect women’s and children’s access to nutrition in Malawi, Mozambique, and Zambia.
Tanja holds a Master’s degree in Criminology and an Honors degree in Psychology. She also holds professional certifications in communication across cultures and in emergencies.
This article explores the diverse and often underrecognized roles of veterinarians within a One Health framework, highlighting how their work in animal health, food safety, wildlife conservation, and climate adaptation strengthens communities, safeguards ecosystems, and supports global health resilience.
This article examines the vital role of veterinarians in immunization and disease prevention, highlighting how VWB’s One Health approach — through vaccination campaigns, CAHW training, and real-time disease surveillance — protects public health, supports farmer livelihoods, and strengthens animal health systems in vulnerable communities.
In remote areas, like the far North, dog bites are more prevalent. This Dog Bite Prevention Week, we're raising awareness about how reading dog body language and improving access to veterinary care can reduce bites—and prevent the spread of diseases like rabies.
