Speaker Biography
Kathryn E. Reif
MSPH, PhD
Associate Professor and Bailey-Goodwin Endowed Chair in Parasitology, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine
Dr. Reif received her Master’s of Science in Public Health from the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University in 2005 and her PhD in pathobiology from the School of Veterinary Medicine at Louisiana State University in 2009. After her doctoral work, Dr. Reif completed two postdoctoral fellowships. Her first postdoctoral position was as a NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Veterinary Medicine and Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University and her second postdoctoral position was for the USDA-ARS Animal Disease Research Unit. In 2016, Dr. Reif accepted a tenure-track Assistant Professor faculty position in the Department of Diagnostic Medicine/Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Kansas State University. In 2021, Dr. Reif received tenure and promotion to Associate Professor. Dr. Reif is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medine at Auburn University and is the inaugural holder of the Bailey-Goodwin Endowed Professorship in Parasitology.
Lectures
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Thursday, October 29, 2026 8:00 - 8:50 a.m. Terrace
From Suspicion to Action: Recognition, Response, and Prevention of New World Screwworm in Companion Animals Emerging Topics
This presentation will prepare veterinarians to recognize clinical features and risk factors associated with New World screwworm myiasis in dogs, cats, and other companion animals and to distinguish a suspected infestation from more common wound-associated myiases. Attendees will learn appropriate diagnostic, treatment, containment, and reporting steps for a suspected case. This session will also introduce practical strategies for client education, wound management, and prevention in animals living in or traveling to areas where exposure may occur.
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Thursday, October 29, 2026 9:00 - 9:50 a.m. Terrace
The Tick Landscape is Changing: Emerging Threats from Pasture to Pet to Person Emerging Topics
This presentation will examine how changing tick distributions, seasonal activity, animal movement, environmental conditions, and emerging pathogens are reshaping tick-associated health concerns in the southeastern United States. Attendees will learn to recognize important established and emerging ticks, connect their veterinary and public health significance across companion animals, livestock, and people, and interpret tick and pathogen findings within the context of regional ecology and surveillance. The session will also identify practical opportunities for veterinarians to strengthen prevention, diagnostic testing, client education, surveillance, and One Health preparedness.