Celebrating 10 Years of Service

Helping Animals, Helping People

About IVO

International Veterinary Outreach (IVO) provides high-quality veterinary care and training programs in economically-disadvantaged communities worldwide.

IVO believes, if given the tools and resources, communities can develop sustainable solutions that improve the health and welfare of animals and the people who are connected to them.

Our Beginning

While traveling throughout Latin America, Eric Eisenman volunteered for animal welfare organizations in Chile, Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. During these travels, he recognized a significant need for adequate veterinary care in many economically disadvantaged communities. While in Granada, Nicaragua, he dreamed of organizing a group of veterinary professionals that would be able to provide quality and sustainable veterinary service in underserved communities abroad.

During his first year of veterinary school at UC Davis, Eric realized that the school lacked opportunities for students to participate in international animal welfare work. With help from classmates, International Veterinary Outreach (IVO) was founded as a student club. IVO was able to launch its first trip to rural communities in northwestern Nicaragua in December 2011 with the help of Dr. Eric Davis, and it soon thereafter became a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit organization in 2012.

Since its inception, IVO has evolved into a nonprofit organization run by veterinarians and professionals that provides training and support to veterinary professionals abroad. We work together to end animal suffering and improve community health.

How We Do It

Through community-based work, IVO empowers veterinary professionals to bring their expertise and knowledge to under-resourced communities.  Unlike other organizations which offer temporary solutions, IVO’s projects are focused on sustainability and longevity through customized training and education programs.

IVO secures long-term access to equipment, supplies, and medications for these communities, ensuring each community can responsibly treat their animals and prevent unnecessary, and oftentimes avoidable, disease, injury, and suffering.

IVO supports the One Health Initiative, a worldwide strategy for expanding interdisciplinary collaboration and communication in all aspects of health care for humans, animals, and the environment with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes.

IVO has adopted a fourfold strategy to achieve its mission:

1

Provide direct access to expert veterinary care

Veterinary medical care is provided to under-resourced communities including exams, vaccinations, anti-parasitic medications, surgeries, and other treatments to ensure that animals have freedom from pain, injury, and disease.

2

Provide education and training

IVO develops community-wide education initiatives to raise awareness about the importance of basic animal health and its implication for public health. IVO’s highly trained team of veterinarians work with local professionals to train on current procedures, best practices, and newest technologies

3

Provide sustainable solutions

Collaboration with local community members and local veterinary professionals is critical in creating long-term solutions to improve the quality of life for animals.  Along with ongoing training and education, IVO helps secure continued access to equipment, supplies, and medications.

4

Conduct research

With a One Health approach, IVO provides the opportunity for researchers to study animal health problems and find long-term solutions. By directly improving the health of animals, IVO can indirectly alleviate poverty by enhancing food security, strengthening the local economy, and decreasing

The Team Behind IVO

Eric Eisenman, DVM, MPVM

Founder & CEO

Dr. Eric recognized the need for veterinary professionals to be engaged in projects that increase access to veterinary care at a global level, then founded IVO as a veterinary student at UC Davis in 2011.

He graduated with his DVM in 2014, then received a Master's in Preventive Veterinary Medicine (MPVM) at UC Davis, before being awarded the prestigious NIH Fogarty Global Health Fellowship.

He has a strong interest in animal welfare, one health, conservation, and education, and is currently pursuing his diplomacy at the American College of Animal Welfare.

Board Members

  • In addition to being with IVO, Dr. Mike Bohl is the Director of Scientific & Medical Content at a stealth biotech startup, a Medical Advisor at Hims & Hers, and a Medical Expert Board Member at Eat This, Not That! He obtained his Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Medicine from Brown University, his Master of Public Health from Columbia University, his Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies—Journalism from Harvard University, and he is completing a Master of Business Administration and Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership at Cornell University. Mike trained in internal medicine with a focus on community health at NYU Langone Health before transitioning to a career focused on health journalism and patient education. He also participates in humanitarian medical aid projects worldwide.

    Mike’s hobbies include biking, resistance training, sailing, scuba diving, skiing, tennis, and traveling. He is a vegetarian, has a unique interest in dinosaurs, and loves hanging out with his dog, cat, and bearded dragon.

  • Irina comes to IVO with a solid background in business operations through serving Fortune 500 companies and start-ups alike. Her experience of 15+ years in product design and development, event management and coordination, partnerships and advisement have been essential to the formation of profitable programs, products and services on the edge of innovation.

    As an innovations consultant, Irina had the pleasure of leading and directing creative and strategic initiatives to onboard new programs seamlessly. Irina holds an MFA in Merchandising and Product Development from the Academy of Art University.

    In her free time, she loves to read, travel, attend art and music functions, and spend time with her French bulldog Peanut, a rescue, who is her inspiration for making the world a better place for animals

  • Dr. Jason Cherubini is a dynamic figure in the realms of business and academia, currently serving as an Executive-In-Residence at Loyola University Maryland and as the co-founder and CFO of Dawn's Light Media, a prominent media financing and production company known for its thriller and action feature films. With an impressive array of credentials, including a Doctor of Business Administration from the University of South Florida, Master’s degrees in both Business Administration and Accounting from Tulane University, and certifications as a CPA, CMA, and CGMA, Jason exemplifies a blend of academic rigor and practical expertise.

    Outside of his professional endeavors, Jason cherishes time with his two Dobermans, Mischa and Vincenzo, reflecting his personal passion for life beyond the office. His unique blend of academic knowledge, entrepreneurial success, and personal charm positions him as a distinguished figure in both the business and academic worlds.

  • Cheryl is a management consulting executive and CEO with a penchant for creating amazing teams and delivering for happy clients. Cheryl leverages her expertise in Design Thinking and Innovation to deliver highly complex transformation, strategy, analytics, and culture change work, and she is celebrated for overseeing successful solutions from ideation through execution.

    Cheryl has deep experience in the pharmaceutical, animal health, and medical device industries, and has advised Fortune 500 clients in many functional areas spanning Sales & Marketing, Patient Services, Supply Chain, Digital Strategy, Technology, and much more.

    Outside of work, Cheryl resides in Warren, NJ with her husband, Mark, and three beloved rescue cats - F. Cat Fitzgerald, Archer, and Scrappy. In her free time, she enjoys boating around the Jersey Shore, hiking, traveling, and engaging with the local community.

  • Julie graduated from the University of Minnesota – Waseca in 1985 with an Associates in Applied

    Science - Animal Health Technology. Within weeks of graduation, passed both the Minnesota State and

    Veterinary Technician National Exam earning the credentials of Certified Veterinary Technician (CVT).

    She has worked in many areas of the veterinary profession including small animal and exotic practices,

    research, education (instructor, program director, program coordinator, etc.), swine medicine and

    genetics, corporate medicine, leadership, management and consulting. She has held leadership roles

    over her career as Executive Director of Human Animal Bond Association, Winn Feline Foundation

    (EveryCat Health Foundation), and National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA).

    Julie founded Veterinary Technician Advancements and co-founded Veterinary Advancements and Vet

    Team Global Stream. She is now working as the Veterinary Education Coordinator for Edcetera.

    She has held volunteer board and committee positions throughout her career with organizations including NAVTA, MAVT, HABA, AAHA, AVMA-CVTEA, AVMA – CMPC, AVMA – MPA.

    Julie lives in Minnesota with her family which includes her husband Brent, 4 sons (Justin, Kaylan, Karson

    & Kamron), 5 dogs (Louie, Andee, Remi, Ruby & Ray) and 2 cats (Pickle & Olive).

Professional Advisory Council

  • As a volunteer for animal shelters and global animal welfare non-profits since 2003, Marissa knew she wanted to become a veterinarian to make an impact on a local and global scale. Marissa received a B.S. in Animal Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2010 and a DVM from the University of California, Davis in 2015. She is passionate about educating veterinary students and giving them the tools to help their communities. She joined IVO as a volunteer in 2012 and became involved in projects in Covelo and Nicaragua. She is the Tanzania medical programs director and heads our East Bay program. She works as a veterinarian at the San Francisco SPCA.

  • Prior to her veterinary career, Kate had the honor of working with devoted ophthalmologists Dr. Alan Crandall, Dr. Bob Hoffman, and others during their ophthalmology medical mission trip to

    Kumasi, Ghana. This experience in combination with work as a veterinary student with the Equitarian Initiative and Oregon IVSA’s Nicaraguan Veterinary Brigade Kate developed an enduring commitment to veterinary outreach. After graduating from the Oregon State University

    Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine in 2012, Kate completed an equine medicine and surgery internship at Comstock Equine Hospital in Reno, Nevada. From there, she practiced out of Mountain Point Equine Hospital in Bluffdale, Utah until joining the Rural Veterinary Practice service at Oregon State University. Kate believes that client connection through community engagement is as essential to global work as it is to local practice and emphasizes this message to fourth year veterinary students daily.

    Kate joined IVO as a volunteer in 2016 as part of the Taal Equine Project caring for working horses on Taal Island in the Philippines. Through her work with IVO and other non-profit partnerships, Kate seeks to improve equine welfare education and veterinary care to places with limited access to such resources. This includes continued participation with projects for working equids in the Philippines as well as in the Peten region of Guatemala. Additionally, Kate directs a project for the range and ranch horses on the Warm Springs Reservation and is working to improve veterinary education for disaster relief training and response in Oregon. Kate is forever grateful for the opportunity to be a part of organizations like IVO that provide sustainable hope and healing to animals all over the world!

  • Krupa brings over 14 years of marketing experience, specializing in building growth marketing programs from the ground up. She has strong expertise in digital marketing and is currently working at a Bay Area tech startup specializing in frontline recruiting software.

    She is passionate about animal welfare and enjoys spending timewith her adopted rabbit and dog. She has volunteered with various Bay Area animal shelters and currently is volunteering with Cat Town in Oakland.

  • Andy Lurie runs a small solo law practice focusing on general corporate law. He assists individuals and businesses in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating contracts and setting up companies, as well as providing strategic legal advice in a variety of subject matters. He previously spent ten years working on the legal team at The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International.

  • Megan is a marketing professional with 10 years of experience managing events and brand awareness campaigns for healthcare, technology and animal welfare organizations. She has a true appreciation for combining data, strategy and creativity to better businesses and communities, and has won several marketing awards for her campaign work.

    Megan holds an MBA from Northern Illinois University, a B.S. in International Marketing and a B.A. in International Studies from the University of Missouri.

    She lives in Chicago with her husband and is a proud dog mom to rescues Maclin and Rhea - the inspiration for her passion and commitment to helping animals. During her free time, she volunteers at local animal shelters and loves to read, travel, and try new food.

  • Leah brings over fifteen years of experience in fundraising, marketing and developing philanthropic relationships. She is also a lifelong advocate and enthusiastic volunteer for animals – caring for harbor seals in Sausalito, Asian elephants in Chiang Mai, as well as cats and dogs in northern California.

    Leah started her career as a fundraiser for Bay Area nonprofits – including Pets Unlimited, SF SPCA, and Marine Mammal Center – where she focused on crafting stories, writing grant proposals and developing partnerships that translated into sustaining support. Most recently, she stewarded the philanthropy of individuals and families as an advisor at Silicon Valley Community Foundation and focused on deepening engagement with peer funders through her role at the Peery Foundation. Currently, she leads the annual campaign for the SF Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund as their first-ever Director of Development and Marketing. Leah and her husband share their home with a toddler, rescue mutt, and senior cat.

  • Sarah Johnston brings over 25 years of experience in the Accounting and Finance field, including past roles as a financial analyst at a publicly traded company and as an accounting manager and chair of the firm’s Non-Profit Practice Group at a local CPA firm. Today as an independent financial consultant, she provides accounting services, audit support, cash flow management, budgeting, financial reporting and tax compliance services to small businesses and non-profits. She earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Pomona College and her master’s degree in accounting from San Jose State University.

    In her free time, Sarah enjoys cooking and spending time outdoors - running, mountain biking and camping. She and her husband live with their two kids, rescue dog and cat.