Marty Vanier

Dr. Marty Vanier was raised on a central Kansas ranch that bred both registered and commercial horned Hereford cattle. As a youth she participated in all aspects of ranch operations.

She attended Kansas State University, receiving her B.S. in Agriculture (Animal Science) in 1979 and her D.V.M. in 1981.

After graduation Dr. Vanier moved to the Washington, DC area and began her career in veterinary pharmaceutical and food safety policy. She first joined the Animal Health Institute as Science Coordinator. The Animal Health Institute is the trade association representing the veterinary pharmaceutical industry. As Science Coordinator she was responsible for staffing and coordinating work of the Institute’s Committees and Task Forces on regulatory, legislative, and scientific problems. She served as spokesperson for the animal pharmaceutical industry at allied industry meetings, as the animal health industry consultant to committees of these organizations, tracked and reported on activities of government agencies that impact the animal pharmaceutical industry and coordinated research projects sponsored cooperatively by AHI member companies.

In 1987 Dr. Vanier became Deputy Director for Information and Legislative Affairs in the Food Safety and Inspection Service. The office was responsible for all legislative liaison in FSIS by responding to Congressional inquiries, and coordinating preparation of Congressional testimony, legislative reports and briefing books.

Dr. Vanier moved back to Kansas State University in 1989 to become a Research Assistant for the Food Safety Consortium in the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry. She provided administrative support for the Consortium and served as liaison between KSU Consortium personnel and USDA/CSREES officials and the staffs of the Kansas Congressional delegation. From 1992 to 1999 she also served as Executive Director of the Kansas Agricultural Alliance, a coalition of state-wide agricultural commodity and agribusiness organizations. She was awarded the 2002 President’s Award and the 2009 Veterinarian of the Year Award from the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association.

In June of 2003 Dr. Vanier moved from the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry to the KSU National Agricultural Biosecurity Center and serves as Director of Operations. She serves as Principal Investigator for several Center projects and directs activities of the Center including coordination of research teams, monitoring legislative and Federal agency activities, and directing activities in support of development of relationships between NABC and state and federal agencies, industry groups, emergency management, law enforcement and the intelligence community.