Kim Van Syoc is a Board member with Veterinarians Without Borders North America/Vétérinaires Sans Frontières Amérique du Nord U.S.
Kim Van Syoc is the executive director of the Banfield Foundation and VCA Charites, the charitable arms of Banfield Pet Hospital and VCA Animal Hospital, two of the largest veterinary practices in the world. Under Kim’s leadership, the Banfield Foundation and VCA Charites have collectively awarded more than $16 million in grants and improved the health, safety and wellbeing of more than 7 million pets in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and Guam. Kim also helped launch, and currently serves as president of, the Better Together Fund, a separate public charity which empowers Banfield, BluePearl and VCA Animal Hospital Associates to support one another with critical financial assistance in the event of natural and manmade disasters or domestic violence.
Kim joined Banfield Pet Hospital in 2009 after spending more than 12 years working in public relations. Prior to her role at the Banfield Foundation, Kim served as Banfield’s director of external communications, overseeing public relations, crisis communications, stakeholder engagement and Corporate Social Responsibility. Kim’s achievements include the creation and management of the annual State of Pet Health Report, the largest report of its kind as well as Banfield’s Corporate Social Responsibility platform and the creation of the Banfield Foundation.
Kim serves on the Board of Trustees for the Oregon Zoo Foundation and the Advisory Council for Greater Good Charities – further demonstrating her love of animals, big and small. Kim lives in Lake Oswego, Oregon along with her husband, daughter and 3-year-old Standard Schnauzer, Pippa.
#VETSVolunteerVoices brings you inspiring stories from the field, showcasing the impactful work of our dedicated VETS program volunteers. Meet Dr. Riley Bauman (DVM), an Animal Health Advisor who spent two months in Kenya (April–June 2025), working alongside smallholder dairy farmers and Meru Dairy staff to promote animal health, gender equity, and sustainable livelihoods.
This article explores the persistent threat of anthrax and the critical need for community-led surveillance in preventing zoonotic outbreaks. It highlights how VWB’s One Health approach—through the COHERS program, CAHW training, and gender-responsive outreach—strengthens local capacity to detect and manage neglected diseases, protecting both human and animal health in vulnerable communities.
#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.
