NVA hires Jo Ann Morrison from Mars Veterinary Health for new VP role

"Some of the most important advances in veterinary medicine are gleaned from the real-world care delivered every day," said Dr. Jo Ann Morrison, who joins National Veterinary Associates as its newly created Vice President of Clinical Excellence & Patient Safety. NVA describes itself as a pet healthcare system of over 1,200 hospitals and pet resorts across North America.

Morrison most recently served as Global Director of Veterinary Science and Health Outcomes at Mars Veterinary Health. NVA said she will lead its work to advance evidence-based medicine and strengthen patient safety, bringing together clinical research, expertise from across the health system and data on patient outcomes.

Dr. Stacy Burdick, NVA's Chief Medical Officer, said Morrison "brings a rare combination of clinical expertise, scientific leadership, and experience translating research into meaningful improvements in patient care."

Morrison's career runs from Iowa State to Mars Veterinary Health

Morrison holds a DVM from Purdue University and a master's degree in veterinary clinical sciences from Iowa State, and she is a board-certified veterinary internist (DACVIM, SAIM). NVA said she spent five years in primary care and mixed-animal practice in the Midwest, then 11 years on the faculty of Iowa State's College of Veterinary Medicine.

She later served as director of veterinary science at Banfield Pet Hospital, where NVA said she worked on clinical data, research and medical quality. At Mars Veterinary Health, NVA said she led initiatives to advance veterinary science, measure health outcomes and translate clinical research into practical applications. Her work there included leading the Science Impact Reports, which NVA said highlighted contributions from veterinary professionals and research initiatives across the Mars network.

Morrison told NVA that joining gives her the opportunity "to learn from the collective expertise of all its veterinary teams and translate those data and insights into meaningful and measurable improvements in patient care."

Rival hospital groups publish science and add clinical expertise

Mars Veterinary Health runs a public veterinary science program. Its 2025 Science Impact Report cites more than 500 peer-reviewed publications by its clinician scientists, and it says its insights come from millions of pet visits each year across thousands of clinics. The page lists Banfield, AniCura, BluePearl, Linnaeus and VCA under science and research.

IVC Evidensia announced in January 2025 that it had added two clinical and veterinary leaders to its board. One was Dr Christopher J. Ott, Chief Medical Officer, Physician Services, at HCA Healthcare's Clinical Services Group. The other was Professor Stuart Reid, principal of the Royal Veterinary College.

NVA's site describes a network of 1,000 community hospitals in general practice plus more than 140 Ethos specialty and emergency hospitals. Per the company site, Ethos is focused on innovation, research, and learning and development. NVA named Burdick to a newly created company-wide chief medical officer role in August, which we covered in its leadership changes.

NVA says the goal is guidance for local hospitals

NVA said Morrison's job is to turn what the system learns from everyday care into insights that support its veterinary teams. The company said it aims to support local veterinary teams in making evidence-based decisions informed by their clinical judgment and each patient's needs.

For NVA's hospital medical teams, the company now has a named vice president for clinical guidance and patient safety work. For rival groups such as Mars Veterinary Health, the appointment moves one of its science leaders to a competing consolidator. For clinical researchers, the role's remit includes clinical research and data on patient outcomes, according to NVA.

NVA said the appointment reflects its continued investment in clinical learning, scientific collaboration and a deeper understanding of medical outcomes.

Source: National Veterinary Associates via PR Newswire