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Past Gorilla Doctors
Dr. Foster was the first Gorilla Doctor, serving as program director from 1986 until his death in Rwanda in 1997. He spent two years in Kinigi, Rwanda, building the Centre Veterinaire des Volcans, MGVP’s first clinic, and then returned to the U.S. where he divided his time between working in Rwanda and administering the project from his home in Washington state. Thanks to Dr. Foster’s leadership and advocacy, the project survived Rwanda’s conflict years during the 1990s. 
Dr. Suzanne worked as director of the Centre Veterinaire des Volcans from 1988 to 1989. In addition to performing gorilla health monitoring and interventions, Dr. Anderson worked with the Volcanoes National Park staff to develop preventative health measures for personnel and tourists. She now lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, and works in companion animal medicine and veterinary acupuncture.
Dr. Macfie served as director of the Centre Veterinaire des Volcans in Rwanda from 1989 to 1992. In May 2011 she joined the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Species Program in Nairobi, Kenya, working as their Gorilla Coordinator.
Dr. Richardson worked as a project veterinarian for seven months in 1992 and 1993 until he was evacuated due to the turmoil that preceded the 1994 genocide. Despite being in the region during a very dangerous time, he was able to perform several interventions to treat injured mountain gorillas. He currently works as a captive wild animal veterinary consultant.
From 1993 to 1995, Dr. Cooper served as director of the CVV while Mrs. Cooper oversaw the project’s accounts and management. The 1994 genocide forced the couple to flee, but they returned two months later. Now based the U.K., Dr. Cooper works as pathologist while Mrs. Cooper specializes in animal and conservation law. Both travel frequently to lecture at universities.
Dr. Sleeman worked for MGVP from 1995 to 1998, first as field director and then as interim project director after Dr. Foster passed away. Dr. Jonathan now directs the National Wildlife Health Center of the U.S. Geological Survey and teaches at the veterinary colleges of the University of Tennessee, Virginia Polytechnic, and Virginia State University.
Dr. Mudakikwa served MGVP as a regional field veterinarian from 1995 to 2003. MGVP continues to collaborate with Dr. Mudakikwa, who is now head veterinarian for the Rwanda Development Board, which manages Rwanda’s national parks and wildlife. He is also an MGOHP Science Advisor.
From 1992 to 2004, Dr. Hilsenroth was executive director of the Morris Animal Foundation, MGVP’s former parent organization, and still serves on the MGVP board today. Dr. Rob helped manage the organization in the U.S. and oversaw MGVP’s budgeting and fundraising. Today, he is the Executive Director of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians and remains on the MGVP Board.
Dr. Cameron worked as field director from 1997 to 1999, providing urgent health care and conducting important gorilla health research. He returned from 2005 to 2007 as part-time field veterinarian. He is now a field veterinarian for the Wildlife Conservation Society and coordinates U.S. AID’s PREDICT activities in the Republic of Congo. He is also a MGOHP Conservation Advisor.
Dr. Rwego worked as a regional field veterinarian with Drs. Whittier and Nutter between 2001 and 2005. Now based in Kampala, Uganda, he works as a technical advisor for the East Congo Basin USAID RESPOND project and is a lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences, Makerere University and an adjunct at School of Public Health and College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota.
Dr. Whittier worked with MGVP from 2001 to 2006, becoming regional field veterinarian in 2003. Dr. Whittier, along with his wife, Dr. Nutter, greatly expanded the program, notably hiring four new African veterinarians, guiding MGVP’s gorilla orphan care program, and establishing a health program for Grauer’s gorillas. He’s now a Veterinary Medical Officer and PREDICT Global Coordinator for the Smithsonian Institution.
From 2002 to 2006 Dr. Nutter worked for MGVP as a regional field veterinarian responsible for much of the project’s regional management. She oversaw MGVP’s domestic animal research, co-founded the orphan care program with Dr. Whittier, and helped start the employee health program. Currently, she is the Senior Technical Officer for the USAID RESPOND Project and a research professor at Tuft’s Veterinary School.
Dr. Spelman worked for MGVP between 2006 and 2009 as regional veterinary manager. She expanded the MGVP team, established in-country administrative procedures, and focused on collecting data about respiratory disease in mountain gorillas. She is now writing, teaching biology to art students at the Rhode Island School of Design, and working part-time as a clinical veterinarian. She is also a MGOHP Science Advisor.
From 2006 to 2007, Dr. Gardner worked as MGVP’s regional field veterinarian, responding to emergency cases in all three countries, training other staff members, and organizing the Gorilla Conservation Employee Health Program. Now based in based in South Lanarkshire in Scotland, Dr. David works as a partner at the ARMAC Veterinary Group.
Dr. Braum volunteered for MGVP in 2002 and returned from 2008 to 2011 as regional field veterinarian. She performed interventions on sick and injured gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda, and DRC, and had a particular interest in respiratory disease cases.
Dr. Ramer served as MGVP's regional veterinary manger for two-and-a-half years between 2009 and 2011. During her tenure, Dr. Ramer led dozens of health interventions, oversaw the treatment of seven new gorilla orphans, and helped facilitate the move of two mountain gorilla and six Grauer's gorilla orphans from Rwanda to DRC. She also invested a great deal of time in building capacity within the Africa-based staff. Dr. Ramer now lives in Indianapolis, Indiana, and works as an associate veterinary at the Indianapolis Zoo. Other Veterinarians Barclay Hastings 1988 Ute Eilenberger 2000 Jo Ann Garbe 2001 |
Dr. James Foster
Dr. Suzanne Anderson
Dr. Liz Macfie
Dr. Mel Richardson
Dr. John & Margaret Cooper
Dr. Jonathan Sleeman
Dr. Tony Mudakikwa
Dr. Rob Hilsenroth
Dr. Ken Cameron
Dr. Innocent Rwego
Dr. Chris Whittier
Dr. Felicia Nutter
Dr. Lucy Spelman
Dr. David G
Dr. Magdalena Braum
Dr. Jan Ramer