Kristen Obbink DVM, MPH

Dr. Kristen Obbink is a public health veterinarian dedicated to the promotion of human, animal, and environmental health. She holds her BS (Zoology) and DVM from Iowa State University, her MPH from the University of Minnesota, and is a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine. In addition to working in private practice, she previously served as the State of Iowa’s enteric disease epidemiologist and coordinator for food/feed emergencies. In 2015, Dr. Obbink began her employment with Iowa State University where she has served in multiple roles including as a clinical and surgical educator, Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center Canine Rehabilitation Supervisor, and as the Associate Director for the National Institute of Antimicrobial Resistance Research and Education (NIAMRRE). In her current role, she serves as a Lead Public Health Veterinarian with the Center for Food Security and Public Health at the ISU College of Veterinary Medicine where she researches and develops resources to aide in the recognition, prevention, and containment of foreign, emerging, zoonotic, and reportable animal diseases and public health threats. Since July 2020, she has been serving as the Acting COVID-19 Public Health Coordinator for Iowa State University. Dr. Obbink also serves as an Executive Board member and Public Health Committee Chair to the Iowa Veterinary Medical Association and Delegate to the American Veterinary Medical Association representing the American Association of Food Safety and Public Health Veterinarians.