Biography

Dr. Hess is an assistant director in the AVMA’s Division of Animal and Public Health and also AVMA’s Disaster Coordinator.  He provides technical and scientific expertise to the Committee on Environmental Issues (CEI), the Aquatic Veterinary Medicine Committee (AqVMC), the Council on Veterinary Service (CoVS), and the Committee on Disaster and Emergency Issues (CDEI).

Dr. Hess graduated from Colorado State University in 1989.  He worked in small animal practice with an emphasis on birds and other exotic animals until 2004 when he began working for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) where he served as a field veterinarian, assistant state veterinarian and 18 months as acting state veterinarian.  Dr. Hess became involved early in his career with organized veterinary medicine and was elected president of the Utah Veterinary Medical Association (UVMA) in 2000.  Dr. Hess has led several state and national organizations including serving as president of the National Alliance of Animal and Agricultural Emergency Programs (NASAAEP).  Dr. Hess was voted Veterinarian of the Year in 2014 by the UVMA.  He was the recipient of the NASAAEP Service Award in 2017 and the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF) Paws Up Award in 2018.  He is married to his high school sweetheart (Lori), and together they have 5 children and 16 grandchildren.

Dr. Hess has enjoyed the companionship of horses, dogs, various birds, and marine fish.  He enjoys fishing and motorcycles and has completed a motorcycle trip from his home state of Utah to Alaska and back with his 87 year-old father in tow.

All sessions by Warren Hess