Janine Mitchell is the Executive Director of Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord.
Janine Mitchell joined Veterinarians Without Borders North America as Executive Director in August 2025, bringing more than two decades of experience in global health, One Health, and health systems strengthening in over 30 countries. She has lived and worked extensively across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, leading programs in disease surveillance, pandemic preparedness, antimicrobial resistance, and disaster response.
Before joining VWB/VSF, Janine held senior positions with DAI, Mott MacDonald, and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), where she managed complex multi-country portfolios and collaborated with governments, academic institutions, and major global donors such as USAID, UK-FCDO, and the Hewlett Foundation. Her career reflects a consistent focus on building resilient, locally led systems that address the interconnected health of people, animals, and the environment.
Janine is also an Extraordinary Lecturer at the University of Pretoria’s School of Health Systems and Public Health in South Africa and supported the development of the Africa Evidence Network (AEN) to strengthen regional communities of practice in evidence-informed policymaking. She holds a Master of Science in Epidemiology from the University of Pretoria and is a passionate advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusive development that centers the voices and leadership of local communities.
Register now for our upcoming World Rabies Day webinar which explores how One Health approaches are driving change, shares practical insights from the frontlines of rabies prevention, and highlights how local efforts are contributing to the global goal of ending human rabies deaths by 2030.
#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you stories of our passionate volunteers from the field. Meet Dayo Olaniyan, a Gender Advisor who spent three months in Ghana (May–August 2025) with our local partner, GAPNET, strengthening gender equity in livestock production and empowering rural communities.
In this edition of Ask an Expert, we connected with Dr. Richard Rusk, a public health physician and clinician who grew up in South Africa and is now based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. With expertise in the epidemiology of infectious and vector-borne diseases, he brings both human and animal clinical experience, along with a systems-level perspective, to addressing challenges facing communities in Canada and around the world.
