Valli Fraser-Celin is the Companion Animal Manager with Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord.
Valli joined the VWB team in July 2024. She brings a decade of experience in human-animal relationships, with a focus on companion animals and wildlife. She holds a PhD from the University of Guelph in Geography where she conducted research on human-African wild dog conflict and conservation. Following her PhD, she conducted postdoctoral studies in Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary where she focused on dogs in Indigenous communities, One Health, Reconciliation, and equitable access to veterinary care.
Prior to joining VWB, Valli worked for the Ontario Veterinary College on an access to veterinary care project focused on alternative economies and previously for the Winnipeg Humane Society where she planned veterinary clinics in remote communities across Manitoba. Valli currently lives in Winnipeg (Treaty 1 Territory and the homeland of the Métis Nation), runs a pet food pantry in her spare time, and is passionate about humane dog training.
#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.
