Veterinary Community Mourns the Loss of Dr. Joan Arnoldi

Dr. Joan Arnoldi, a leader in veterinary medicine, passed away on May 10 at the age of 87. Arnoldi served as the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's (APHIS) first female female Deputy Administrator and Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) of the United States, as well as APHIS Associate Administrator, paving the way for and inspiring women across APHIS and the veterinary field.

After joining APHIS in 1988 to lead the Regulatory Enforcement and Animal Care (REAC) program, the predecessor to APHIS' Investigative and Enforcement Services and Animal Care programs, Arnoldi went on to lead the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, for three years. She later went on to become the Associate VS Deputy Administrator for a short time before she became the VS Deputy Administrator and CVO.  She then went onto join the Administrator’s Office as an Associate Administrator, where she remained until she retired from APHIS.

"Throughout her long and decorated career, Dr. Arnoldi was a champion for women’s rights.  She was a pioneer and visionary in veterinary medicine and public service who made long-lasting and significant contributions to the field and to APHIS," APHIS said in a release. "We offer our deepest condolences to her family and friends."

She was a mentor to many. A memorial has been established in her name to the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians Foundation, P.O. Box 6396, Visalia, CA, 93290.