Twenty-five faculty members from across five colleges were honored with recent appointments to an endowed professorship or chair during UF Health’s 10th annual Celebrating Distinction ceremony held last month.
“This is a special moment to celebrate UF Health faculty members and the gift of philanthropy with the donors, families and organizations that support us in recruiting and retaining our top faculty,” said David R. Nelson, M.D. senior vice president for health affairs at UF and president of UF Health.
An appointment to a professorship or chair is one of the highest honors a college can bestow on a faculty member and is reserved for scholars of national and international acclaim. One such honor is the C. Sue and Louis C. Murray, M.D. Professorship in Family Medicine Fund, which was awarded to David B. Feller, M.D., a clinical associate professor in the department of community health and family medicine. Sue and Louis Murray established the professorship in 2012. Sue was a UF alumna who earned her Master of Science in microbiology and cell science in 1948. Family members John V. Murray, Jr. (M.D. ’04) and John V. Murray (M.D. ’81) were in attendance and recognized at the event for their support.
“The essential work of clinicians, such as Dr. Feller, is encouraged and supported, empowering them as leaders and innovators in providing exemplary care to as many patients as possible,” said Dr. John V. Murray, Jr., grandson of the benefactors. “My grandparents dedicated their lives to caring for others. Through the professorship, this legacy can continue in perpetuity.”
These honors would not be possible without the generosity of donors like the Murrays who choose to invest in our faculty and their programs. We are eternally grateful to them, and we salute their vision for a better tomorrow.
As the Southeast’s most comprehensive academic health center, UF Health is nationally unique for our diverse health colleges, centers and institutes. Endowments play a crucial role in our goal of improving individual and community health by helping us attract and retain proven leaders who advance research excellence at UF.
Congratulations to the faculty members honored in this year’s installation of endowed professorships and chairs.
College of dentistry

Cesar A. Migliorati, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D.
Academy One Hundred Eminent Scholar Chair
Cesar A. Migliorati is a tenured professor in the department of oral & maxillofacial diagnostic sciences division of oral medicine and served as the College of Dentistry’s associate dean for clinical affairs and quality from 2017 to 2021. He collaborates with oncology groups around the world and focus in the areas of supportive care in cancer and oral complications of cancer therapy. He has over 130 peer-reviewed publications.
Read more about Dr. Migliorati
About this gift
The College of Dentistry Academy One Hundred Eminent Scholar was created in 1984 and was funded from an initial contribution from the Academy One Hundred and smaller contributions from more than 500 individual donors, most of whom are or were practicing dentists who intended that an active clinician-scientist and educator be appointed to this endowed position. Criteria for the chair include that the recipient have an outstanding professional reputation and an outstanding contribution of scholarly activities.
college of medicine

Benjamin K. Canales, M.D., M.P.H.
David A. Cofrin Endowed Chair in Endurology
Benjamin K. Canales is a professor in the department of urology and director of urologic research. Dr. Canales has received numerous honors from the American Urological Association for his leadership and research, including the Gold Cystoscope Award and the Endourology Society Arthur Smith Award. In 2022, he served on the American Urological Association’s International Academic Fellowship Committee, the Endourological Society Research Committee and the UF College of Medicine’s Scientific Review Committee.
About this gift
David A. Cofrin established the fund in 2007 to support a distinguished faculty member in the department of urology at the UF College of Medicine. Dr. Cofrin, who served as a U.S. Air Force surgeon before setting up practice in Gainesville, was called a “quiet philanthropist” following his death in 2009. He and his wife, Mary Ann, and their children, demonstrated great commitment to the community and to UF, focusing their philanthropic efforts on the arts, education, nature preservation and health care.

David B. Feller, M.D.
C. Sue and Louis C. Murray, M.D. Professorship in Family Medicine
David B. Feller is a clinical associate professor in the department of community health and family medicine. He is board-certified in family medicine and practices at UF Health Family Medicine – Main. Dr. Feller has earned multiple awards and accolades, including the Castle Connolly Regional Top Doctor in 2022, the Clinical Science Teacher of the Year from UF College of Medicine in 2019 and the American Registry Most Honored Professionals in 2019. He is a member of the American Botanical Council, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
About this gift
This fund was established in 2012 to support an endowed professorship in family medicine. Sue Murray graduated from UF in 1948 with a master’s degree in microbiology. She passed away in 2004. Louis Murray received a doctoral degree from Hahnemann University. During his more than 50 years as a physician, he held many appointments, including member of the board of directors for UF Health Shands Hospital (then Shands at UF), president of the Orange County Medical Society and president of the Florida Medical Association. He passed away in 2011.

C. Parker Gibbs, M.D.
William F. Enneking, William E. Anspach and Orthopaedic Alumni Chair
C. Parker Gibbs is a professor and chair of the department of orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine. Dr. Gibbs is one of fewer than 200 surgeons nationwide considered an expert in limb salvage surgery for children and adults with bone and soft tissue sarcomas of the pelvis and extremities. He has been a National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute-funded primary investigator and has published over 80 scientific papers. He has also served on the editorial board of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery and is a member of various professional organizations, including the American Orthopaedic Society and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
About this gift
Orthopaedic surgeon and entrepreneur William E. Anspach Jr., M.D., wanted to honor the legacy of the two physicians who inspired him most — his father William E. Anspach, M.D., and his mentor, William F. Enneking, M.D. Completing his orthopaedic residency at UF in 1969, Dr. Anspach Jr., went on to a successful career as a surgeon and later developed highly specialized medical and surgical instruments critical to orthopaedic surgical practice. Orthopeadic resident alumni and colleagues also donated funds toward the endowed chair.

Michelle L. Gumz, Ph.D.
J. Robert and Mary Cade Professor of Physiology
Michelle L. Gumz is a professor in the department of physiology and aging and the co-director of the Center for Integrative Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases. Dr. Gumz has had a long-time interest in the molecular control of renal function, with her research focusing on the role of the circadian clock in the kidney and how it contributes to the regulation of renal function and blood pressure control, with the goal of contributing to the development of new therapies for kidney disease and hypertension.
About this gift
This fund was established in 1999 by Robert and Mary Cade to support the teaching and research of a professorship in physiology. Robert Cade, M.D., graduated from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and completed a fellowship at Cornell University Medical College (now Weill Cornell Medical College) before becoming UF’s first nephrologist in 1961. His research on fluids for electrolyte replacement led to the development of Gatorade, which spawned the sports beverage industry. Dr. Cade, a member of the UF faculty for 38 years, was an equally capable clinician, researcher and teacher, as well as a devoted violinist who would play for his patients. Mary Strasburger Cade received a bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1951. The Cades raised six children and helped raise 20 grandchildren. Robert Cade died in Gainesville in 2007.

Shuhong Han, Ph.D.
Alfred A. McKethan Professorship in Arthritis Research
Shuhong Han is a research assistant professor in the division of rheumatology and clinical immunology. Her research interests now include pathogenesis and treatment of autoimmune disease, particularly systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE. Dr. Han’s work focusing on the role of transcription factors that regulate monocytes and macrophages in lupus has led to the discovery of a subset of these cells that can be harnessed to develop future treatments for the disease.
About this gift
A native Floridian, Alfred A. McKethan distinguished himself in his profession and service to the state of Florida. He graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1931. McKethan maintained close ties as an alumnus. In 1981, it was McKethan who became the first eminent scholar under a new law that provided matching funds from the state to create chairs at Florida universities. He was honored in 1994 by Gov. Lawton Chiles and the Cabinet for a life of service to the state. McKethan passed away in 2002 at age 93.

Jennifer Hunt, M.D.
Chandler Stetson Professorship in Experimental Pathology
Jennifer L. Hunt is the chair of the department of pathology, immunology and laboratory medicine. She has also held elected positions in various pathology organizations, including the Association for Molecular Pathology and the CAP Foundation. An internationally recognized expert in head and neck pathology, Dr. Hunt is board-certified in anatomic and molecular genetic pathology and has authored over 160 scientific papers and numerous book chapters and books.
About this gift
Chandler Alton Stetson, M.D., was a former dean of the University of Florida College of Medicine and served as vice president of health affairs for three years. His career in the laboratory was devoted to questions concerning disease mechanisms, with a central interest in the structural and functional origins of disease. In 1977, Dr. Stetson died suddenly while in office at the age of 55. In February 1978, the Medical Sciences Building was renamed The Chandler A. Stetson Medical Sciences Hall.

David Iglesias, M.D.
Nell Bryant Kibler Professorship in Ovarian Cancer Research
David Iglesias serves as the chief of the division of gynecologic oncology. He is double board-certified in both obstetrics and gynecologic oncology and an active member of prestigious medical societies. Iglesias is known for his compassionate approach to patient care, emphasizing open communication and personalized care. He is also a dedicated researcher, collaborating across disciplines to advance understanding of gynecologic cancers and improve access to clinical trials.
About this gift
D. Burke Kibler III established this fund in memory of his late wife and high school sweetheart, Nell Kibler, who passed away in 1996 from ovarian cancer. Kibler served in the U.S. Army during World War II and was awarded the Bronze Star and a Purple Heart. After the war, he enrolled at UF, where he earned his law degree in 1949. He made partner in the law firm of Holland, Bevis, Smith, Kibler and Hall in 1965, and four years later oversaw its expansion into Holland and Knight, now one of the nation’s largest leading law firms. He was awarded honorary degrees from four universities, and he received UF’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1991. He passed away in 2009.

Merry Jennifer Markham, M.D., FACP, FASCO
Robert E. and Roselee S. Wheeler Professor of Medicine
Merry Jennifer Markham, MD, FACP, FASCO, professor of medicine, is chief of the division of hematology and oncology within the department of medicine and serves as the associate director for medical affairs at the UF Health Cancer Center. She is the research lead for the UFHCC’s Gynecologic Cancers Disease Site Group. She is the principal investigator for all chemotherapeutic and investigational therapy trials for gynecologic cancers and is site PI for all Gynecologic Oncology Group/NRG Oncology gynecologic cancer trials.
About this gift
Robert E. and Rosalee S. Wheeler established this fund in 1990 to provide a salary supplement and support travel, including speaking engagements and research expenses and awards based on outstanding teaching, research and service. Former residents of Ocala, Robert passed away in 1992, and Roselee, a former member of Alexandria United Methodist Church and the Alexandria Chapter No. 337 Order of the Eastern Star, passed away in 2003.

Carol A. Mathews, M.D.
Donald R. Dizney Chair in Psychiatry
Carol Mathews is a professor and chair of the department of psychiatry. Dr. Mathews is a distinguished lifetime fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and serves as the director of UF’s Center for OCD, Anxiety and Related Disorders and the interim and founding director of the UF Health Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment. Her research and clinical interests center around identifying the causes and neural underpinnings of obsessive compulsive and anxiety spectrum disorders, with the goal of helping to refine diagnosis, prevention and intervention for these disorders. Dr. Mathews is also an active leader with several nonprofits, including the Tourette Association of America, the International OCD Foundation, and the Family Foundation for OCD Research.
About this gift
Established in 2006 by Donald and Irene Dizney, this fund supports a chair to be held by a professor and department chair of psychiatry in the UF College of Medicine. Donald Dizney serves as chairman of the board of United Medical Corp., which owns and operates San Jorge Children’s Hospital, the Caribbean’s largest freestanding children’s hospital. Founded in 1973, United Medical has also developed several chains of specialty hospitals and is a partner in joint venture affiliations with some of the nation’s largest nonprofit networks and proprietary public companies.

Borna Mehrad, M.D.
Ethel Smith Research Professorship
Borna Mehrad is a professor and chief of the division of pulmonary, critical care & sleep medicine. Dr. Mehrad’s clinical expertise focuses on lung disease and intensive care unit medicine, with a particular emphasis on interstitial lung diseases and sarcoidosis, a group of uncommon and complex illnesses that result in inflammation and scarring of the lungs. His research laboratory, which has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health, studies the mechanisms of lung injury and fibrosis. He has published more than 100 research papers, holds two patents and is a member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation, an honor society for physician-scientists.
About this gift
The Florida chapter of the Arthritis Foundation established the Ethel Smith Research Professorship in 2001 to support excellence in research at the University of Florida College of Medicine. For over 70 years, the Arthritis Foundation has led the fight to conquer arthritis for nearly 60 million adults and 300,000 children living with the disease in the U.S.

Gregory M. Pontone, M.D., M.H.S.
The Louis and Roberta Fixel Chair
Gregory M. Pontone is chief of the division of aging, behavioral and cognitive neurology. Dr. Pontone’s clinical interests surround caring for patients with Parkinson’s disease who also experience cognitive impairment and psychiatric disorders. He provides access to clinical trials and research that advances knowledge regarding the diagnosis, treatment and mechanistic causes of cognitive impairment and psychiatric disorders in Parkinson’s disease and remains dedicated to reducing the stigma associated with psychiatric diagnoses by providing education to combat misunderstanding.
About this gift
The Lee and Lauren Fixel Family Foundation made a significant gift to help build a new era in neuromedicine at UF Health through the establishment of the Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases at UF Health. Included in the gift provisions were several endowed professorships that have been instrumental in recruiting world-class researchers in movement disorders and other neurological conditions who are now part of the Fixel Institute.

Zhijian Qian, Ph.D.
Pierre Chagnon Professorship
Zhijian Qian is a professor in the department of medicine. Dr. Qian is a scholar of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and was awarded the Researcher of the Year in 2018. His research has been supported by multiple R01 grants from the National Institutes of Health and other private foundations.
About this gift
Established in 1997, this fund benefits research on stem cell biology and bone marrow transplantation within the University of Florida Health Cancer Center. The Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at UF Health was started in 1981 and is the state’s oldest established program of its kind. This interdisciplinary initiative connects clinicians to scientists who perform original research and conduct protocols to enhance strategies for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of cancer. Patients of the program are adults and children with diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and certain genetic disorders and immunodeficiency syndromes. Pierre Chagnon passed away in 1999 at the age of 62.

Ryan Roach, M.D., M.S.
Huizenga Professorship in Sports Medicine
Ryan Roach is an assistant professor within the department of orthopaedic surgery and sports medicine. Before joining UF, he completed a fellowship in sports medicine and arthroscopy at the American Sports Medicine Institute in Alabama under world-renowned sports surgeon Dr. James Andrews. He currently serves as team physician for the Florida Gators and is involved in regional, national and international associations.
About this gift
H. Wayne Huizenga has a long history of strong leadership and an unparalleled ability to build businesses. He is a self-made man who turned his first enterprise into a multimillion-dollar business. He was vice chairman of the board of Viacom Inc. and chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Blockbuster Entertainment Corp. He directed Blockbuster into a position of world leadership in its industry and sold it to Viacom in 1994. Within the business of sports, Huizenga has been an owner of the National Football League’s Miami Dolphins, Pro Player Stadium, the National Hockey League’s Florida Panthers and the Florida Marlins, the state’s first Major League Baseball franchise.

Elias Sayour, M.D., Ph.D.
Stop Children’s Cancer/Bonnie R. Freeman Professorship for Pediatric Oncology Research
Elias Sayour is an associate professor in the Lillian S. Wells Department of Neurosurgery and the department of pediatrics and a principal investigator of the RNA engineering laboratory at the Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy. An NIH-funded investigator, Dr. Sayour is working to develop new nanotech vaccines to reprogram the immune system against cancer cells. His work has been recognized by the FDA, the NIH and the U.S. Department of Defense. He has received numerous accolades, including the Hyundai Hope on Wheels Hope Award, the St. Baldrick’s Scholar Award and the American Brain Tumor Association Discovery Grant.
About this gift
Howard and Laurel Freeman, and their daughter Carolyne Freeman, founders of Stop Children’s Cancer Inc., have turned their daughter and sister’s dream into a reality. Still today, 40+ years after Bonnie Freeman shared her vision to end children’s cancer by raising funds and finding a cure, the nonprofit is steadily committed to the prevention and treatment of cancer in children. Since its founding in 1981, Stop Children’s Cancer has donated almost $6 million to pediatric cancer research — oftentimes providing the seed money needed to kick start new research initiatives and projects, and to apply for nationally sponsored grants.

Andre R. Spiguel, M.D.
E. L. Jewett Professorship in Orthopedics
Andre R. Spiguel is an associate professor in the department of orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. He is an esteemed member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and was inducted into the American Orthopaedic Association, reflecting his commitment to leadership, education and clinical care. Dr. Spiguel’s primary areas of focus encompass bone and soft tissue tumor management. He has lectured internationally and is a vital figure in the field of orthopedic oncology.
About this gift
Eugene L. Jewett, M.D., who opened his Orlando office in 1936, was known for loading up his car with a portable X-ray machine to care for crippled and injured children around the state. Founder of the Jewett Orthopedic Clinic in Winter Park, Dr. Jewett was an internationally known pioneer in orthopaedic care. Dr. Jewett and his wife, Ruth Jewett, M.D., founded the Jewett Foundation in 1954, which continues Dr. Jewett’s legacy of paving pathways to improve patient outcomes and maximize mobility.

Li-Ming Su, M.D., FRCS
Pete and Carolyn Newsome Urologic Oncology Professorship
Li-Ming Su is chair of the UF College of Medicine department of urology and a proud Gainesville native helping to serve the community he grew up in. His clinical and research interests include minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgery for prostate cancer, kidney cancer, adrenal tumors, urothelial cancer of the kidney and exploring the applications of advanced imaging in urologic surgery. Dr. Su has earned many professional accolades in his career and is currently serving as secretary general of the Endourological Society.
About this gift
Pete and Carolyn Newsome established this fund in 2018 to support a professorship in the department of urology at the College of Medicine. Endowed professorships sustain excellence in research, provide incentives to facilitate hiring, assist in retaining outstanding faculty and provide resources for outstanding faculty. Newsome followed in his father’s footsteps beginning his career with the All American chain of food stores in 1942. Publix purchased the All American chain in 1945 and Newsome began a lifelong career in a variety of positions including purchasing, merchandising, real estate, construction, research and management. In 1984 he was named to the Board of Publix. Newsome retired as Vice President in 1992 marking his 50th Anniversary with the supermarket chain. Newsome passed away in 2021.

Ramon C. Sun, Ph.D.
Anne and Oscar Lackner Eminent Scholar Chair
Ramon C. Sun is an associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology. Dr. Sun also directs the newly established UF Center for Spatial Biomolecule Research. Dr. Sun is the leading expert in spatial metabolism, with his lab focusing on understanding the molecular events connecting cellular metabolism, signaling and physiology, with a strong emphasis on disease etiology of metabolic disorders. Dr. Sun’s recent contributions is his research on metabolic etiologies of pulmonary fibrosis Alzheimer’s disease and lung cancer. Through the application of his lab’s pioneering spatial metabolomics technologies, he provided foundational insights into how the metabolism and dysregulation of complex carbohydrates can drive the development of chronic disease.
About this gift
The estate of the late Adelaide Lackner established this fund to honor her parents and to support a professor of medicine in the College of Medicine who will complete research on life-threatening diseases. The Lackner family was originally from Wisconsin where Oscar was a doctor, and where his daughter, Adelaide, attended high school. Adelaide suffered from Epstein Barr, one of the most common human viruses, which can attack the heart or the central nervous system. She passed away in 2003.

Lawrence L. Yeung, M.D.
Rudolph Acosta Jr., M.D., Professorship in Urology
Lawrence Yeung is an associate professor and medical director for the department of urology. He specializes in reconstructive surgery for defects that result from trauma, cancer, infections and other causes and has a clinical interest in providing longitudinal medical and surgical care to patients. Dr. Yeung is a two-time recipient of the UF Health Customer Service is Key award and the UF College of Medicine Exemplary Teacher award.
About this gift
This fund was established in 1993 to support the division of urology in gratitude of the medical services of Dr. Rudolph Acosta Jr. In 1981, Acosta earned his medical degree from the UF College of Medicine and has been in private practice in Tampa since 1986. As a staff member at University Community Hospital Fletcher and at University Community Hospital Carrollwood, he specializes in female urology and voiding dysfunction, general adult urology, kidney stone disease, nonsurgical treatment of enlarged prostate, urinary control and urologic oncology. Acosta is fondly known for the personal care he offers to his patients, providing them with exceptional attention to help guide them in making the best treatment decisions for their care.

Maria Zajac-Kaye, Ph.D.
Haskel Hess Professorship in Anatomy and Cell Biology
Maria Zajac-Kaye is a professor and chair of the department of anatomy and cell biology. The Zajac-Kaye lab focuses on studying mechanisms of oncogenic transformation to develop new strategies for preclinical and clinical therapeutic applications. Her most recent accomplishments define a new role for thymidylate synthase (TYMS) in tumor progression. TYMS plays a central role in DNA synthesis/repair and high levels of TYMS correlate with drug resistance and poor prognostic outcome in patients with common adult tumors. The Zajac-Kaye lab has developed new mouse tumor models to study TYMS in tumor progression and has recently identified new TYMS inhibitory agents that bypass chemotherapy resistance and offer hope for improved cancer treatments.
Read more about Dr. Zajac-Kaye
About this gift
Haskel Hess established this fund in 1991 to advance the study of anatomy and cell biology at the College of Medicine. Hess held a deep belief and desire to help those in genuine need, and throughout his life he offered his wisdom and assistance to others. Born in New York City in 1910, he served in the Armed Forces and was in the construction business. The former Gainesville resident said he was always interested in medical research at the UF College of Medicine and in the growth of the school and Shands. Hess and his wife, Enid, lived in Miami, where he passed away in 1993.
COLLEGE OF MEDICINE – Jacksonville

Ramon E. Bautista, M.D., M.B.A.
Phyllis Sohn Endowed Chair in Neurosciences
Ramon Bautista is a professor and chair of the department of neurology. Dr. Bautista has been a faculty member at UF Jacksonville since 2000 where he is director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program. His research interests focus on clinical epilepsy, clinical electrophysiology, and the various psychosocial issues confronting individuals with epilepsy. Dr. Bautista developed a wellness program at UF Health Jacksonville that caters to the needs of epilepsy patients and their caregivers. Dr. Bautista and colleagues are currently developing a Neuro-translational Research Hub in UF Health Jacksonville.
About this gift
This endowment was created by the estate of Phyllis Sohn. Sohn had a degree in art and loved theatre and music and all things creative. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was generous to many. The endowment comes at a time when neuroscience research is making great strides at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville. Recent accomplishments include optimizing the use of telemedicine across various neurologic conditions, improving techniques to enhance stroke care in the acute phase, addressing women’s issues in epilepsy, and helping golfers with Parkinson’s disease continue to enjoy the sport they love. The future of neuroscience research in Jacksonville has never been brighter.
College of PUBLIC Health and health professions

Panagiotis Benos, Ph.D.
William Bushnell Presidential Chair
Takis Benos research is in Systems Biology and Machine Learning. His lab develops innovative causal inference and other machine learning methods to identify subtypes in COPD, investigate the molecular mechanisms of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and response to cancer vaccines, and identify biomarkers for survival of alcoholic hepatitis patients and development of liver fibrosis.
He has been continuously funded through his own NIH and NSF grants since 2003 and has a large number of collaborations. He has trained 11 postdoctoral fellows, 20 graduate students, and 40 undergraduate students.
About this gift
This endowment, named in honor of William P. Bushnell, supports a five-year term appointment by the president of the University of Florida. Bushnell studied engineering at the University of Florida in the 1920s and developed a number of successful ventures in the steel industry. William Bushnell made a substantial number of major gifts to UF during his lifetime and also funded charitable gift annuities.
COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

Simone Guerios, D.V.M, M.S., Ph.D.
Grevior Shelter Medicine Community Outreach Professorship
Simone Guerios, a clinical associate professor of shelter medicine at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine, coordinates the Veterinary Community Outreach Program clerkship. In her position, she focuses on training and educating students to prepare them for shelter medicine practice. Her clinical interests include medical and surgical diseases commonly found in animal shelters and high-quality, high-volume, spay-neuter techniques.
About this gift
The Grevior Shelter Medicine Community Outreach Professorship was created in September 2014 through a generous gift from Barbara and Arnold Grevior, Fort Lauderdale residents who have been longtime advocates for shelter medicine programs in their community and at UF.

Meredith Montgomery, D.V.M., M.S.
Nelson-Kujawski Professorship in Shelter Medicine
Meredith Montgomery is a clinical lecturer at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine and co-service chief of the Veterinary Community Outreach Program clerkship. Her clinical interests include high quality high volume spay neuter, shelter medicine, access to veterinary care, low stress animal handling and shelter animal behavioral welfare
Read more about Dr. Montgomery
About this gift
The Nelson-Kujawski Professorship in Shelter Medicine supports hands-on training of spay and neuter surgical skills to veterinary medical students. One of the most popular student electives, the program provides low-cost spays and neuters for animals in local shelters with a faculty member overseeing every surgery. This professorship allows the college to retain expert faculty necessary to train veterinary medical students in critical surgical skills and ensures the graduation of practice-ready veterinarians.

Adesola Odunayo, D.V.M., M.S., DACVECC
Michael Schaer Professorship in Small Animal Emergency & Critical Care Medicine
Adesola Odunayo, a clinical associate professor of emergency and critical care at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine, is the inaugural recipient of the Michael Schaer Professorship in Small Animal Medicine and Critical Care Medicine — the first endowed professorship established at the college in support of a clinical faculty member and the first to carry the name of a faculty member.
About this gift
The Michael Schaer Professorship in Small Animal Emergency & Critical Care Medicine provides perpetual support for a clinical faculty member associated with the department of small animal clinical sciences who works with the UF Small Animal Hospital’s emergency and critical care service. The professorship was created as a way of honoring Dr. Michael Schaer, a professor emeritus of small animal medicine at UF who specializes in emergency and critical care.