28 Jan Update on the State Board of Veterinary Medicine
Many CVMA veterinarians have expressed concern over the past year about the comments and behavior of State Board of Veterinary Medicine member Ms. Ellen Kessler.
As background information, the governor appointed Ms. Kessler, a self-described animal rights activist with an active social media presence, to the open public-at-large position on the State Board of Veterinary Medicine in 2020. On January 19, 2022 Ms. Kessler made the news for comments made on social media regarding Colorado’s ranching community.
CVMA received news on January 24 that Ms. Kessler has resigned from the state board. In a letter to Governor Polis, Ms. Kessler released the following statement:
“I realize that some of my actions have caused anger and discomfort and that I was unprofessional in my judgment,” Kessler wrote to Governor Polis. “I apologize to you and the citizens of our great state and wish you the best of luck as you continue to make Colorado the best in the nation.”
Ms. Kessler’s resignation will be effective February 11.
Since Ms. Kessler’s appointment occurred, CVMA has attended every state board meeting to monitor Ms. Kessler’s contributions. CVMA always attends every public meeting of the board and remains prepared to take appropriate action to represent the interests of the veterinary profession.
Anyone is welcome to attend meetings of the state board – if you are interested in attending a board meeting, click here to visit the DORA website and look for the calendar widget in the righthand column to see upcoming meetings.
As always, CVMA will continue monitoring regulatory and legislative issues that impact veterinarians in Colorado, and will share updates with members to keep them informed.