Edward Clark, Jr.
President and FounderSince the late 1970s, Ed Clark has been a national leader in the field of conservation. His involvement has ranged from wilderness designation and public land management to pesticide regulation and endangered species protection. Raised in Flint Hill, Virginia, Ed received a B.A. in history and political science from Bridgewater College. He did graduate work in education at James Madison University and University of Virginia. His professional training includes environmental mediation, organization management, and strategic planning. In 2010, Ed was part of an interdisciplinary team of experts asked to visit the states impacted by the BP Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico and conduct an assessment of the potential damage, the adequacy of the government’s response, and the implications for future public policy. Following visits to Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, Ed published extensive reports on his findings, along with recommendations for strengthening a generally ineffective response effort. Ed remains active in discussions and policy debates on the subject.
Dr. Dave McRuer
Director of Veterinary ServicesDr. Dave is from the small rural community of East Gore, Nova Scotia Canada. He obtained a B.Sc. in biology at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick (1999), and then a M.Sc. in ecology and evolutionary biology from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario (2001). From 2001-2005, Dr. Dave attended the Atlantic Veterinary College and acquired his veterinary degree. After graduating, he went west to conduct an internship in zoological medicine, exotics, and wildlife at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (2005-2006). Dr. Dave then traveled east (August 2006) to become the veterinary resident in preventative medicine at the Wildlife Center of Virginia. Dr. Dave became a Diplomat in the American College of Veterinary Preventative Medicine in August 2009. Since 2008, Dr. Dave has served as the Center’s director of veterinary services, where he trains veterinarians and veterinary students in wildlife and conservation medicine. He is responsible for overseeing the teaching hospital, supervising the creation of an innovative software program designed to monitor trends in wildlife health (WILD-ONe), and treats and supervises treatment on native wildlife.
Leigh-Ann Horne, LVT
Hospital and WILD-ONe ManagerLeigh-Ann was born and raised in Texas. She graduated from Southwestern University in 2001 with a degree in animal behavior and moved to Virginia that same year. Leigh-Ann completed an animal-care preceptorship at the Wildlife Center in 2001 and then was hired to be the weekday front-desk coordinator. After a year-and-a-half she enrolled in the veterinary technology program at Blue Ridge Community College. During school she continued to work as the receptionist, as well as assisting the rehabilitation staff and the education department. Leigh-Ann earned her veterinary technology degree and became a licensed technician in 2005. She immediately transferred into the role of LVT at the Center. Her current job responsibilities include performing in-house diagnostics; teaching veterinary and vet tech students; working with the vet staff to complete daily patient treatments; supervising the diagnostic intern, vet tech students, and hospital volunteers; maintaining hospital inventory and seeking medical donations; and working with the veterinary director to develop WILD-ONe. Leigh-Ann served on the executive board of the Virginia Association of Licensed Veterinary Technicians in 2011-2012.