Rebecca McConnico, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, is a professor of Agricultural Sciences/Animal Science and veterinarian at Louisiana Tech University, Ruston. Her clinical interests include infectious diseases and biosecurity, equine and large animal internal medicine, disaster medicine, wellness/welfare, and integrative therapies. McConnico was the founding director of the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine's Veterinary Disaster Response and Training Program (2004-'17). McConnico is continuing this training program at her new post at Louisiana Tech University. She has coordinated trainings and presented at veterinary schools, local, state, national, and global conferences on disaster response, emphasizing the importance of collaboration between human and animal response. Conference presentations have included the World Association of Disaster and Emergency Medicine, National Alliance of State Animal and Agriculture Emergency Programs, America Association of Equine Practitioners, American Veterinary Medicine Assocaiton, National Disaster Medicine System, and others. McConnico believes that veterinarians play a vital role in building community risk reduction as it relates to all-hazards disaster response.