Meet Our Spice Isle Speakers
Dermatology and Parasitology
Robert Kennis DVM, MS, DACVD
“I earned my DVM degree at Michigan State University in 1989 and worked in private practice for
2 years. I then entered a 2-year dermatology residency program, also at Michigan State
University. We moved to Hawaii to work for a specialty private practice. Things changed when I
accepted an Assistant Professor position at Texas A&M University where I worked for 9 years.
During this time, I received 4 teaching awards including the Carl J. Norden Distinguished
Veterinary Teacher Award. I achieved diplomate status in the ACVD in 1996. I also earned a
master’s degree in microbiology and immunology under the guidance of Dr Ian Tizard. I then
moved to Auburn University in 2005 as an Associate Professor where I received 2 additional
teaching awards including the Pfizer Distinguished Veterinary Teacher Award in 2012. I was
promoted to Professor with tenure in 2014. I served as section chief of small animal medicine
from 2016-2023 and serve as service chief of dermatology since 2014. I served as interim co-
department head of Clinical Sciences (small animal) from January 2021-May 2021. Currently, I
am the Associate Department Head of Clinical Sciences with emphasis on faculty development
and leadership.
I have been first or collaborating author in 34 refereed publications and 33 book chapters. I
have contributed to the mentoring and training of 7 residents who achieved board certification; 1
is board eligible and 1 is in training. All are enrolled in master’s degree training where I serve as
committee chair or co-chair. I have served on 31 departmental committees, 14 as committee
chair, at Auburn University. I have chaired the Education Committee for the ACVD and was
president of the American Academy of Veterinary Dermatology. I have provided over 500 hours
of invited continuing education presentations at the international, national, and state levels.”
Ray M. Kaplan, DVM, PhD, DACVM, DEVPC
Dr. Ray M. Kaplan is the Senior Associate Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine and a Professor
in the Department of Pathobiology at St. George’s University. He earned his bachelor’s degree from
Virginia Tech and his DVM from the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Following
several years in mixed-animal private practice in Pennsylvania, he completed a PhD in Veterinary
Parasitology at the University of Florida. Dr. Kaplan went on to serve in the U.S. Army Veterinary
Corps at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, where he was Chief of Parasite Biology in the
Division of Experimental Therapeutics. He then spent 23 years at the University of Georgia College
of Veterinary Medicine, where he served as Professor of Veterinary Parasitology, engaging in
research, teaching, and service. His internationally recognized research program focuses on the
detection, understanding, and mitigation of drug resistance in helminth parasites. He is a Diplomate
of both the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists (Parasitology) and the European
Veterinary Parasitology College, and is a Past President of the American Association of Veterinary
Parasitologists. Dr. Kaplan’s contributions to the field have earned him numerous honors, including
the Pfizer Award for Research Excellence, the Charles N. Dobbins Award for Excellence in Service,
and the Dr. Fred C. Davison Award for Outstanding Service to Veterinary Medicine. In 2018, he was
awarded the AAVP–Boehringer Ingelheim Distinguished Veterinary Parasitologist Award, the highest
recognition in North American veterinary parasitology. With a current h-index of 58 ( Google Scholar
Profile ), Dr. Kaplan is ranked in the top 0.1% (#30) in the field of Parasitology/Mycology by the
World’s Top 2% Scientists website ( Top Researchers List ), with over 13,000 citations of his
published works.