Guest Blog–Leah Dorman Q&A

Can you tell me about your background growing up? What made you decide to become a vet?
- My career path began with a mission trip to Haiti as a teenager. To see the many hungry and malnourished people living in such poverty left a lasting impression and inspired my desire to play a role in providing safe and affordable food. This, coupled with a love for animals, led to a career in veterinary medicine with a focus on food production. My career has been dedicated to keeping animals healthy and making sure farmers have the ability to provide healthy, affordable food.
- 4-H was a major part of my life growing up and created some of my fondest memories. I mainly took cooking and sewing projects. Sewing and knitting with wool got me started showing my wool outfits while leading lambs. This eventually turned into raising and showing my own market lambs as an FFA project and training them to lead for “Guys and Gals Lead.”

“4-H Style Show participant Leah is pictured in her outfit that she made this year. Leah was one of the 10 State Fair participants and received Outstanding of the Day at the Ohio State Fair.”
*The Courier* newspaper in Findlay, OH, ~1986

Do you have your own practice or work for a company?
- I began my career with a few years of clinical practice with both companion animals and livestock as my patients. I eventually joined Phibro in 2015 as part of the company’s commitment to encourage and support open dialogue about producing safe food, promoting animal health and balancing the needs of people, animals, and our planet. Prior to joining Phibro, I worked in animal agriculture for the Ohio Department of Agriculture as a Veterinary Medical Officer and then later as Ohio’s Assistant State Veterinarian. From there I joined Ohio Farm Bureau Federation as Director of Food Programs, later Senior Director of Animal & Food Policy and then Senior Director of Policy Outreach.

Do you do any public speaking events?
- Yes! As I mentioned I joined Phibro as part of the company’s commitment to encourage and support open dialogue about producing safe food and promoting animal health. I’ve been fortunate enough to connect with others through speaking at events, such as, the NIAA Antibiotic Symposium, various veterinary medical colleges, state farm bureaus and a long list of US and global animal health and nutrition events. I’m happy to engage with consumer influencers, including participating in Operation Main Street for National Pork Board, and answer questions for media, most recently joining Max Armstrong on This Week in Agribusiness.

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