Meet the Avian Scientific Committee

Minh Huynh is the head of exotic department at Fregis hospital center (the biggest and oldest referral practice in France, located in the south of Paris) and part time consultant at the National Vetschool. He did his residency at Great Western Referrals in England under the supervision of Neil Forbes. He is boarded from the European College of Zoological Medicine in avian subspecialty since 2014 and currently supervising the first avian residency in France. He is also boarded from the American College of Zoological Medicine since 2017. He was one of the four co-organizers of ICARE in Paris in 2015.

RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Zoological Medicine. Qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 1990 and gained RCVS Certificate in Zoological Medicine in 2000

Co-Director of a small animal/ exotics practice in Andover, Hampshire with a 100% avian/ exotics/ small mammal caseload- referral and first opinion. Consultant to seven zoological collections, a commercial laboratory and the Great Bustard Reintroduction project

Co-editor of three texts on avian medicine, one on rabbit surgery and co-author of a textbook of tortoise medicine. Author of various book chapters and papers on a range of species

President of European Association of Avian Veterinarians 2015-17 and on editorial board of the Journal of Exotic Pet Medicine

President of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association 2017-18

Michael Lierz graduated in Hanover, Germany and earned his doctorate title by thesis from the Free University of Berlin, Germany working on diseases and rehabilitation of raptors. After being 4 years the director of the Abu Dhabi Falcon Research Hospital in the United Arab Emirates he returned to the Free University of Berlin in 2001, working as a scientific assistant. In 2009 he moved to the University of Giessen as the director of the Clinic for Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians and Fish. He holds the European Diplomate status of the European College of Zoological medicine, the European College of Poultry Veterinary Science, and the RCVS Diplomate status in Zoological Medicine (avian). In Germany he holds the specialist status in Poultry- and Avian Medicine, in Zoo- and Wildlife Medicine, in Microbiology, and in Species Conservation.

Tom is a lab animal vet and researcher who enjoys seeing exotic pets. He has held clinical appointments at Animal Medical Center in NY, Tufts Cummings Veterinary School and is a VIN Exotic Mammals Consultant. He is also co-editor of “Clinical veterinary advisor: Birds and exotic pets” and has published over 100 articles. He currently works at the French National Veterinary School in Paris where he is Research Professor and Co-service head of the exotic animal service.

Panayiotis (Panos) serves since 2015, as a raptor/avian and wildlife vet in Dubai Falcon Hospital & Wadi Al Safa Wildlife Center, Dubai, UAE. He graduated in 2006 from the Veterinary Faculty of Aristotle´s University in Thessaloniki. During his studies was actively involved in vulture/avian conservation projects in Greece as field ornithologist and rescuer/rehabilitator. After graduation followed a rotating internship in Small Animal Surgery/Exotics in the same University, while parallel working as freelance avian/exotic vet. He gained his doctoral thesis on surgical methods for avian stifle luxation from the Clinic for Exotic Pets, Zoo Animals and Wildlife, UZH, Vetsuisse Faculty. Furthermore, he practiced small animal/exotic medicine in private practice in Athens/Greece before moving in the Clinic for Birds & Reptiles, University of Leipzig, Germany for a 3- year residency. After successful examination in 2014, he was the first Greek to be awarded as Diplomate ECZM (Avian) /European Specialist in Avian Medicine. He is member of the ECZM Examination Committee, the AAV Wildlife Conservation Committee, the IUCN Wildlife Health Specialist Group, Vulture Specialist Group and Pelican Specialist Group, the Scientific Committee of the Hellenic Ornithological Society, the Board of the Hellenic Falconry Association while is consulting voluntarily different Greek rehab centers and wildlife NGOS. Additionally, he is frequent speaker in American and European Avian/Exotic Conferences and has published on avian medicine, exotic animal medicine and wildlife diseases. His current clinical focus are infectious diseases, ophthalmology and cardiology in falconry birds as well as diseases of wildlife.

Dr Delphine Laniesse graduated from the Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort in France in 2011. She then performed two internships in zoological medicine and exotic pets in St-Hyacinthe (Quebec), and in Paris. She did her residency in avian medicine in Guelph, Canada, where she also obtained her DVSc (Doctorate in veterinary Sciences). She then worked for several months in the wildlife clinic of the Ecole Nationale Veterinaire d’Alfort, where she also taught students about exotic pets. She is currently working in a private practice in Finland (Evidensia) as an exotic pet veterinarian. She is a diplomate of the ECZM and ABVP, avian practice.

Graduated in 1995, Deborah gained her Membership in Caged and Aviary Birds from the Australian New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in 1999.  She did an avian residency in England, passing her Certificate of Zoological Medicine along the way, and became dual-recognised as a specialist in Australia and Europe, passing her Diploma from European College of Zoological Medicine (Avian) and her Fellowship in Avian Medicine from the Australian New Zealand College Veterinary Scientists in 2006.  She has edited two books, and is Practice Principal of Brisbane Bird and Exotics Veterinary Service. 

Yvonne van Zeeland graduated with merit from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Utrecht University in 2004. Having worked briefly in private practice, she returned to Utrecht in 2005 to complete an internship in companion animal medicine, residency in avian medicine and PhD on feather damaging behavior in grey parrots. Aside from her recognition as a European Specialist in Avian Medicine, Yvonne became de facto recognized in Small Mammal Medicine, and certified as a parrot behavior consultant. Yvonne is currently employed at the Division of Zoological Medicine in Utrecht, where she devotes her time to teaching, research and patient care of birds and small mammals. She furthermore contributes actively to the international development and advancement of avian and exotic animal medicine through lectures, publications and membership of various professional organizations and committees, including serving as AAV's President for 2018-19.

Michelle O’Brien is the Veterinary and Wildlife Health Officer for the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) based at Slimbridge in Gloucestershire. After graduating from the Royal Veterinary College in 1999 she spent six and a half years in general and exotics referral practice, seeing a mix of small animal, zoo and exotic pet species. She gained the RCVS certificate in Zoological Medicine in 2005 and the ECZM Diploma in Zoo Health Management in 2017. She is now a European Veterinary Specialist in Zoo Health Management and an RCVS recognised Specialist in Zoological Medicine. Michelle has worked at WWT since 2006 and is part of the team that provides veterinary care at seven of the nine WWT centres in the UK and provides veterinary advice to a number of conservation programmes including the Great Crane Project and Spoon-billed sandpiper conservation breeding programmes.