Katie Seeley ’07, DVM ’11, PhD, DACZM knew from a young age that she wanted to be a veterinarian. “Growing up in New York State, Cornell University was always the gold standard for me,” she recalls. While earning her undergraduate degree in communication from Cornell, she completed the prerequisites for veterinary school and later graduated from the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2011.

Although Seeley always dreamed of becoming a zoo veterinarian, she kept her ambitions quiet during veterinary school. “I was a little introverted and anxious about saying it out loud because I’d heard how competitive it was,” she admits. “So, I just focused on the work.” By graduation, however, her passion was impossible to miss. “I joke that when I got the Isidor I. Sprecker Wildlife Medicine Award, people were surprised—like, ‘Wait, you want to be a zoo vet?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, the whole time!’”

Seeley credits Cornell with providing a strong foundation for her career, blending rigorous academics, exceptional mentorship, and international field opportunities through the Expanding Horizons International Education Program. “I worked with Dr. Robin Radcliffe on disease surveillance for Indonesia’s endangered rhinos,” she says. “It was my first real fieldwork experience, and it taught me so much about problem-solving, cultural sensitivity, and patience.” She also spent time in South Africa working with a game reserve veterinarian, which deepened her interest in wildlife and conservation.

After graduating from Cornell with her DVM, Seeley completed a small animal internship in New Jersey and internships at the National Aquarium in Maryland and the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Washington State. She pursued a residency in Ecosystem Health and Conservation Medicine—a joint program between The Ohio State University, the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and The Wilds. Early career experiences gave her a chance to live and work in different environments, from the Pacific Northwest to Cameroon to Madagascar, and to build lasting relationships with mentors. “I lived in places I never imagined moving to and had the chance to see the world and explore conservation efforts on a global scale,” she recalls. “These experiences were invaluable.”

Today, Seeley is a senior veterinarian at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, managing the health and welfare of a diverse animal collection that includes over 600 species from around the world. “My biggest responsibility is day-to-day animal health management,” she says, which includes both preventive and reactive clinical care.

“I love that no two days are ever the same. The variety keeps me engaged and constantly learning.”

Her role extends beyond clinical work and includes overseeing student programs, managing processes around animals being brought into or transferred out of the zoo, and contributing to animal well-being initiatives, such as assessing environmental impacts on health and welfare. “I love that no two days are ever the same,” Seeley says. “The variety keeps me engaged and constantly learning.”

Her current work at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium includes studying the effects of after-hours events on animal well-being. "We are exposing animals to novel stimuli, varying light cycles, and varying opening cycles. How are those impacting wellbeing?" she explains. Understanding how the special events affect the animals’ wellness helps program managers integrate animal welfare directly into their planning.

Seeley also holds a master’s degree and a PhD in ecosystem health and conservation medicine. Her PhD work focused on adapting human stress measurement techniques to assess stress in lemurs, with applications for conservation efforts.

Looking ahead, Seeley hopes to focus more on conservation science and animal welfare research. "Conservation science and welfare science are tightly linked," she says. "My dream is to develop a program where we apply principles and new ideas about well-being in the context of both managed and wild populations."

Passionate about mentoring future veterinarians, Seeley encourages students to explore diverse career paths and highlights the many ways to engage in exotic animal and zoological medicine. “As zoo veterinarians, we work with many specialists who contribute significantly, even if they aren’t directly working with the animals daily.” She also advises aspiring zoo veterinarians to be resilient, adaptable, and flexible.

Seeley credits Cornell’s exceptional faculty and the camaraderie within her graduating class for providing a solid foundation for her career. “Regardless of the species, I approach every case in a similar way, and the critical thinking and clinical approach came from Cornell,” she says. “The level of mentorship and teaching was phenomenal, and we all felt that we were in it together. Ultimately, I learned that persistence is key, and to enjoy every step along the way.”

Written by Caroline Stamm '24

Photos provided by Dr. Katie Seeley.