Fellow

2025 Winner- Fellow

Dr Julia Crawford

Dr Crawford is a highly respected leader in Australian veterinary medicine, with a distinguished career spanning over 4 decades. Appointed to the Board of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) in 2014 as the Australian Small Animal Veterinarians (ASAV) nominee, Julia has since held numerous influential roles, including President of the AVA NSW Division, Chair of the National Industry Advisory Group for Veterinary Nurses, Chair of Policy Council, and membership on both the Nomination and Remuneration, and Risk and Audit committees.

In 2019, Julia was elected President of the AVA, marking a significant milestone in her ongoing commitment to the profession. She has also served as Deputy Chair of the Animal Care and Management Industry Reference Committee.

A small animal general practitioner, Julia is a director of the Bondi Junction Veterinary Hospital, where she continues to provide exemplary care and leadership. Her passion for all aspects of small animal general practice, veterinary wellness, and the history of the profession is matched by her unwavering dedication to service. Julia’s willingness to volunteer, from her local community to the highest levels of professional leadership, is truly remarkable.

Throughout her career, Julia has accumulated a wealth of skills and knowledge, continually striving for excellence and ongoing professional development. Her achievements are all the more impressive given her ability to balance the demands of raising a family with running a busy and successful metropolitan veterinary practice. Julia’s legacy is one of service, leadership, and a deep commitment to advancing veterinary medicine in Australia.

2025 Winner- Fellow

Dr Stephen Page

Dr Stephen Page has been a dedicated member of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) since 1984, with a career spanning clinical practice, academia, industry, and international advocacy. After graduating from the University of Sydney in 1979, Dr Page began as a clinical tutor in Camden, where he developed a strong interest in clinical pharmacology and the responsible use of veterinary medicines.
As Chair of the AVA Therapeutics Advisory Committee (1988–1991), Dr Page helped develop antibiotic guidelines and established Australia’s first veterinary pharmacovigilance program. He contributed to the AVA Antimicrobial Resistance Working Group (2000–2010) and currently serves on the AVA Antibiotic Guidelines Steering Committee. Dr Page has also participated in AVA working groups on permethrin toxicity in cats and pet food intoxications.

He has represented the NSW Division of AVA on the NSW Ministry of Health Poisons Advisory Committee since 2014 and served on the editorial advisory panel of the Australian Veterinary Journal for over 2 decades. Dr Page was AVI President from 2021 to 2024 and has held key roles in international groups such as the WVA and WSAVA.

Dr Page has represented the AVA on missions in Lao PDR, Japan, Nepal, and Thailand, and has been an invited speaker at conferences in China, Canada, the Netherlands, and Korea. A regular speaker at AVA conferences since 1988, he continues to shape veterinary medicine in Australia and internationally through his leadership and expertise.

2024 Winner- Fellow

Dr Diane Ryan

Dr Diane Ryan has had a distinguished career spanning several decades, with a significant and sustained impact on the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA), particularly within the NSW Division. Dr Ryan held numerous leadership roles within the AVA, including serving on the Executive Committee since 2017 and as President of AVA NSW from 2019 to 2023, a term cut short due to ill health. Her extensive experience in leadership and government relations has made her an invaluable advocate for animal welfare, particularly in crisis response situations and policy development.
Her leadership was pivotal during the 2023 Northern Rivers flooding crisis, where her strong advocacy for animal welfare played a critical role in coordinating veterinary efforts. Additionally, her leadership of the AVA NSW response to the proposed NSW Medical Gases Bill in 2020 directly prevented the potential closure of numerous veterinary hospitals across the state, an event that would have had devastating consequences for veterinary services in NSW. Her role in leading this response underscores her exceptional ability to navigate complex regulatory and legislative issues, ensuring the protection of veterinary practices and the welfare of animals.

Dr Ryan has also made significant contributions to animal welfare and veterinary science through her extensive government service. She has worked in various capacities with the Department of Primary Industries (DPI), including in dairy cattle medicine and nutrition, as well as in goat medicine as Senior Veterinary Officer. Her expertise in biosecurity, legislation, and government processes has been instrumental in shaping policies that affect animal welfare standards in areas such as standardbred horse training and racing.

Her ongoing commitment to the AVA, particularly her volunteer work with the NSW Division’s Executive Committee, exemplifies the dedication, leadership, and expertise that makes her an exemplary winner of the Fellow Award.

2023 Winner- Fellow

Dr William (Bill) Howey OAM

Dr William (Bill) Howey OAM was born in Northumberland, England. Graduating in veterinary science from the Royal Dick School at the University of Edinburgh in 1965 and moved to Australia in 1967 to commence his life of service, dedication and contribution to veterinary science, being recognised with an Order of Australia (OAM). After working with the Scone Equine Group as a veterinary practitioner for 30 years, Dr Howey became an educator in the field, joining the NSW TAFE system and university sector as a lecturer at the University of Sydney and through his involvement in the Post Graduate Foundation in Veterinary Science. A life member of a number of national organisations, including the Australian Veterinary Association, Equine veterinarians Australia and the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists, an honorary member of the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW and is a Scone Horse Festival VIP. In addition to the OAM, Dr Howey has been awarded the Hunter Valley Thoroughbred Breeders Association President’s Award for ‘Contribution to Industry, the 1995 Hunter McLoughlin Citizen of the Year, the Scone Shire Council Service to Sport Award, President of the Scone Race Club from 1978 to 1984, the Equine Veterinarians Australia Literary Award and the prestigious EVA Award of Excellence in Equine Veterinary Field. Dr Howey is the author of numerous published books in the field of equine veterinary science, including History of Veterinary Practice in Scone and A History of Thoroughbred Breeding in the Upper Hunter Valley and a RIRDC Equine Research & Development: ‘Education & Training in the Horse Industry in Australia.’ He has also written two family histories, a memoir and published countless articles. Dr Howey is dedicated to his wife Sarah, his two children, Kirsty and Hugh and his three grandchildren. 

2022 Winner- Fellow

Dr Patricia Ellis

Dr Patricia Ellis was the first woman president of the Australian Equine Veterinary Association in 1992 and her pioneering work as a woman in a male dominated part of the profession was recognised in 2006 with the award of a Belle Bruce Reid Medal for Outstanding Women Veterinary Science Graduates. The veterinary profession has recognised her achievements by awarding her an AVA Meritorious Service Award, the AEVA Award for Veterinary Excellence, the Equine Veterinarians Australia Award for Services to the Horse Industry. In 2009 Patricia delivered the Pascoe Oration to the annual Equine Veterinary Conference to a standing ovation. Patricia’s contribution to the Australian horse industry and the Australian veterinary profession were rewarded in the 2013 Queen’s Birthday Honours with the award of the Order of Australia for significant service to veterinary science, particularly through the development of quarantine and biosecurity protocols in the equine industry.
She graduated with First Class Honours in Veterinary Science from the University of Melbourne in 1968 with the Australian Veterinary Association – Victorian Division Prize for best aggregate score in all years of the course and since then has been a trail blazer in the profession and an inspiration to many of her colleagues. Since graduation, Patricia’s career has been a fine blend of academic achievement, successful private practice in Australia, Ireland and the Middle East, and a long influential stint of public practice. Time spent in practice in Ireland and in the United Arab Emirates gave her an understanding of the political machinations behind international movement of animals and her keen interest in equine medicine soon saw her applying her skills and scientific knowledge in the area of international movement of horses to ensure that while the horses could move, their diseases did not.

She has been heavily involved in the horse industry both as a participant and as an equine veterinarian for many years and has been recognised for her service with numerous awards. She was recognised by the Wakeful Club in 2004 when she received the Jo Miller Award for outstanding contribution to the equine industry and by Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria as the recipient of their Industry Contribution Award in the 2005/6 season. Patricia has been a leader in the veterinary profession and a cherished mentor for many veterinarians over the course of her career.

She has served on many working parties and advisory committees, and she taught undergraduate veterinarians about the horse industry for many years.

2022 Winner- Fellow

Dr Ken Jacobs

Dr Ken Jacobs is an outstanding veterinarian and an excellent member and ambassador of the AVA, who more than adequately meets the three criteria for AVA Fellowship, viz: a) Dr Jacobs has provided many years of service to the AVA and a number of its Special Interest Groups. He was a Director of the AVA Board. Ken has mentored numerous young veterinarians who have gone on to stellar careers and been active members of the AVA.
b) Dr Jacobs was an Executive Committee Member of Equine Veterinarians Australia (EVA) completing that service as the President of EVA. An executive committee member of VERA.

c) Dr Jacobs has served with excellence at both the local and Australian community level with both senior Board roles and at the volunteer level.

Dr Jacobs grew up in a rural environment and was determined to become a veterinarian. After graduating with Honours in Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney in 1976, Ken joined the AVA. He worked in mixed practice in Tasmania before commencing an internship in Large Animal Medicine and Surgery at Murdoch University, then tutoring in veterinary science at the University of Queensland, which led to a Medical & Surgical Residency at Saskatoon in Canada.

Returning to Australia, Dr Jacobs worked in mixed practice, before working in partnership to design and establish the Canberra Veterinary Hospital in 1986, where he worked till 2009. The call to academia returned where Dr Jacobs helped design the equine and large animal hospital facilities at Charles Sturt University, where he continued to work as an Associate Professor where he continues to work. During this period, Ken also established a successful private practice, with expert consulting in equine lameness and thoroughbred yearling pre-purchase radiological consulting.

Dr Jacobs was an executive member and office bearer, including Policy Councillor, of Equine Veterinarians Australia (EVA) from 2001-2009 and became President of EVA in 2008. With Ken’s academic and clinical experience, he made a solid positive contribution to AVA’s VERA Group, as an Executive Committee Member and Policy Councillor from 2011-16. Dr Jacobs currently serves the AVA as a foundation member of both the AVA Advocacy Advisory Committee and AVA Workforce Sustainability Working Group 2020-present.

With a career long passion and commitment to animal welfare, it is fitting that Dr Jacobs has served with distinction on pre-eminent animal welfare peak bodies; as a Committee Member of the Australian Livestock Exporters Corporation Conduct Committee from 2019- present and in a career highlight, an expert panel Working Group member of “The Napthine Inquiry”; Thoroughbred Breeders Australia Inquiry into Thoroughbred Aftercare Welfare from 2020-2021.

Understanding the value of mentorship in the demanding life of a young veterinarian, Dr Jacobs has successfully mentored many veterinarians and continues with this vitally important role.

This nomination is endorsed by the AVA NSW Division. We unreservedly commend Dr Jacob’s nomination to the Board to become a Fellow of the AVA.