06/18/2026
We can't think of a better time than National Veterinary Appreciation Day to introduce our new conservation veterinarian, Dr. Leah Owens, who will expand the Aquarium’s tradition of pioneering veterinary care to improve the success of our freshwater conservation programs.
While she will work alongside longtime Aquarium veterinarian and Director of Animal Health Dr. Chris Keller to care for our animal collection, her primary role will involve researching and developing initiatives to integrate veterinary medicine into the work of the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute. There, she will lead research on how environmental changes affect disease in wild fish populations and examine how those diseases affect endangered aquatic species such as the Laurel Dace.
Dr. Owens arrives spectacularly well-equipped for the role with a B.A. from Washington University, an M.S. from Princeton, a PhD and DVM from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an extensive background in epidemiology, disease ecology, and parasitology.
Welcome, Dr. Owens! 🎉 🥳
