History

The world-renowned Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine officially launched the Cornell Wildlife Health Center in 2020, with the twin goals of having transformational impact and projecting an innovative, broader vision for what it means to secure healthy wildlife and ecosystems.

In 2024, the College of Veterinary Medicine received a historic gift from philanthropist and Cornell University alumna Lisa Yang ‘74 to endow and rename the Cornell Wildlife Health Center as the Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Wildlife Health. This transformational gift greatly advances our mission to promote and facilitate multidisciplinary collaboration to address key challenges at the intersection of wildlife health, domestic animal health, human health and livelihoods and the environment that supports us all.

Today’s Cornell is very much about impact, teamwork, and engagement at a range of scales, from local to global. By drawing on Cornell’s diverse expertise to build multidisciplinary teams that recognize the needs of all stakeholder groups, we can craft innovative ‘win-win’ solutions for the benefit of wildlife, domestic animals, and local communities – the very people who are the frontline stewards of what remains of wild nature.

About Lisa Yang

Lisa Yang is a long-time supporter of Cornell, holding memberships in the Industrial and Labor Relations School Dean’s Advisory Council, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Administrative Board, and the K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics Advisory Council. She is also a current University Trustee and a life member of the Cornell University Council. As a visionary philanthropist, Lisa has emphasized that supporting and endowing the Center for Wildlife Health helps send a message that conserving our natural environment and abiding by more mindful economic practices are critical if we are to leave a viable planet for future generations.