William J. Bamka is the Burlington County Agricultural Agent at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. He has worked extensively on the areas of forage quality, nutrient management, water quality and pasture management, the latter focusing on grazing practices that affect forage use, animal performance and natural resource protection.

The recipient of a master’s degree in agronomy from Pennsylvania State University, Mr. Bamka previously served as a soil scientist with both Coastal Environment Services of Princeton and Tectonic, Inc. of Doylestown, Pennsylvania; biosolids utilization manager for Delaware’s Kent County; and farm manager of the Plant Genetics Group at Long Island’s Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Mr. Bamka is the recipient of several honors from the National Association of County Agricultural Agents for his outreach efforts, notably a national award for Best Contributed Poster, “Survey of New Jersey Equine Owners on Pasture Management Practices” (2002); a State Excellence Award for “Using the Internet to Market Hay and Straw (2001); an AT&T Communications Award for his 2002 fact sheet, “Poisonous Weeds in Horse Pastures,” and an AT&T Communications National Award for his 1998 newsletter, “Equine Essentials.”

Amy Burk, Ph.D. serves as the coordinator for the undergraduate Equine Studies option and the graduate research program in equine nutrition within the Animal and Avian Sciences Department at the University of Maryland. She is responsible for teaching Horse Management, Equine Science, Advanced Topics in Equine Nutrition and many horse-related lectures and labs within the department’s 4-year curriculum. Major goals of her equine teaching program are to prepare students for careers in the equine industry and for entry into graduate equine research programs or veterinary school.
 

As an Extension Horse Specialist, Dr. Burk provides statewide educational leadership to the Maryland 4-H horse program in areas including curriculum development, rules and regulations, state horse contests and events, fundraising, and the 4-H horse volunteer advisory committee. She is also invited to give presentations on horse health and nutrition to members of the horse industry in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

In 2004, Dr. Burk and other equine faculty initiated a new graduate program which included the renovation of an old swine facility into the new Equine Research Unit that houses 16 mature Thoroughbreds. Dr. Burk's research interests lie mainly in the area of nutrient utilization of feeds and forages to improve the health and management of horses.

Dr. Burk completed her graduate work in Animal and Poultry Sciences as a Pratt Fellow in animal nutrition at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She specialized in equine nutrition, earning an M.S. in 1998, and a Ph.D. in 2001.

Bridgett McIntosh Byrd, Ph.D. is an Equine Specialist for Blue Seal Feeds, Inc. where she works directly with horse owners and territory sales managers to optimize equine nutrition and the application of feeding management for horses. She recently graduated with her Ph.D. (2006) from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Dr. Byrd  was awarded the John Lee Pratt Fellowship in Animal Nutrition to study carbohydrate profiles in feeds and forages and the avoidance of equine laminitis. She graduated with her M.S. (2003) in Equine Nutrition, also from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where she studied alkanes as markers to determine feed intake and digestibility in horses. Her B.A. in Biology was completed at Hollins College (1997) where she was a member of the I.H.S.A. team, and also showed hunter/jumpers in local and ‘A’ rated shows.
 

Dr. Byrd has been involved with several aspects of the horse industry. She grew up on a horse farm in upstate New York where she began showing ponies at age 7, and continued riding and training horses through college. She currently competes with her Trakehner mare in the hunters, and also foxhunts and exercises Thoroughbred racehorses. She enjoys judging both the hunter and equitation divisions for horse shows in New York and Virginia. Bridgett is also an active member of various professional organizations, including the Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society and the American Society of Animal Science.

Rick Doran, D.V.M., M.S., Diplomate ACVS is a New Jersey native who grew up showing Quarter Horses locally. He received a B.S. and M.S. from the University of Delaware prior to attending veterinary school at Cornell University. After graduating from Cornell University in 1983, Dr. Doran did an internship and surgery residency at the University of Georgia. Upon completion of his residency in 1987, Dr. Doran joined the Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center as the staff surgeon.

Dr. Doran was awarded Diplomate status by the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1989, and is a member of ACVS, AAEP, the Veterinary Orthopedic Society (VOS), NJAEP, and AVMA. He served as President of NJAEP from 1992 to 1994, and was elected New Jersey Practitioner of the Year in 1996.

Dr. Doran has published numerous journal articles and written three book chapters. He has spoken at numerous veterinary meetings across the country as well as locally to owners and trainers. For leisure time Dr. Doran enjoys golf. He continues to support his wife and daughter's horse habit.

Brendan W. Furlong, M.V.B., M.R.C.V.S. was born and reared on a horse farm in Ireland. He graduated from the Veterinary College of Ireland with honors in 1976. He came to the United States for a two-year internship in 1977. Dr. Furlong then started his own equine veterinary practice, B. W. Furlong and Associates Equine Veterinarians, in 1980. The practice provides ambulatory and hospital care for more than 3,000 clients and 20,000 horses, with offices in Oldwick, NJ; Wellington, FL and Ocala, FL.

Dr. Furlong is involved exclusively with performance horses, and the practice now employs seven veterinarians. He also has served the United States Equestrian Team in various capacities over the last 15 years.

Mary Beth Gordon, Ph.D., received her doctorate in Equine Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Rutgers University in May 2005. Her research focused on the effects of exercise on the hormonal regulation of appetite in horses and her work was the first to characterize the appetite-stimulating hormone ghrelin in equines. Additionally, Dr. Gordon founded her own equine consulting company to help veterinarians and horse owners make better nutritional and management decisions for the horses under their care. Mary Beth joined Land O’Lakes Purina Feed in July 2005 and will be based in the Northeastern U.S. as a Regional Veterinary Nutritionist.

Paul D. Gottlieb, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics at Rutgers’ School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, with statewide responsibilities related to smart growth, land use policy and economic development in rural communities. He received his Ph.D. in public affairs from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School, where he concentrated in urban and regional development. Prior to entering Princeton, he served for three years as a researcher for the New Jersey Office of State Planning (now the Office of Smartgrowth). He authored numerous technical reports for the agency and has published articles on growth management in various journals. Previously at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Dr. Gottlieb joined Rutgers in 2002.

Betsy Greene, Ph.D. is the Extension Equine Specialist for the University of Vermont. Originally from Massachusetts, Dr. Greene spent seven years as the Equine Extension Specialist at Washington State University. She earned her Ph.D. at Kansas State University examining the effect of moderate exercise on muscle satellite cells in young, growing horses. She completed her M.S. at the University of Arizona and her undergraduate work at Morehead State University in Kentucky. Dr. Greene produced the video “Ground Handling Horses Safely” in collaboration with two other universities. She has published several scientific, educational, and popular press articles and developed horse/youth curricula.

Patricia A. Hogan, V.M.D. is a 1992 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. She performed an internship at the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and completed a residency in large animal surgery at Texas A&M University from 1993 to 1995. Following her residency program she joined the professional staff of the New Jersey Equine Clinic where she has practiced for the past 10 years. Dr. Hogan was certified as a Diplomat of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1998. Dr. Hogan has received international recognition for her work in the treatment of equine sports injuries, arthroscopy, and internal fixation of fractures.

Daniel P. Keenan, D.V.M. has been a general equine practitioner in New Jersey since graduating from the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University in 1984. He has owned his own practice since 1988. His main interests lie in general medicine, sports medicine, and reproduction.
 

Keenan McAlister Equine is a 100% ambulatory equine practice located in central New Jersey - serving areas of Mercer, Hunterdon, Monmouth, Ocean, Camden, Burlington and Middlesex Counties. The practice is equally divided among show horses, breeding stock and pleasure horses with an emphasis on sports medicine, lameness diagnosis and treatment, wellness care, preventative medicine and reproduction.

Dan Kluchinski serves as the Chair of the Department of Agricultural and Resource Management Agents and Assistant Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. His extension and research program focuses on agronomic crop production and sustainable agriculture. Specifically, this includes sound nutrient management, integrated pest and crop management, use of alternative inputs and production methods, marketing education and methods to help grain and forage growers reduce costs and increase profits.

Uta Krogmann, Ph.D. is Extension Specialist in Solid Waste Management at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. Her research and outreach projects focus on managing biodegradable organic waste, including composting and land application of organic wastes such as food processing residuals, manure and sewage sludges, and food and yard waste. Recent research and outreach involve analyses used in policy-making in solid waste management.

Dr. Krogmann holds a degree in civil engineering (bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and Licensed Civil Engineer combined) from the Rhenish Westphalian Technical University in Aachen, Germany, and a Ph.D. in civil engineering from the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg, Germany.

Dan Ludwig serves as a Grazing and Grassland Specialist in Southeastern Pennsylvania with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Mr. Ludwig’s role with the NRCS is to work with livestock and horse producers who wish to better utilize their pastures through grazing management. He provides assistance with designing and implementing rotational grazing systems. Prior to joining the staff at NRCS, Mr. Ludwig served as the Horse and Livestock Extension Educator with Maryland Cooperative Extension in Montgomery County for five years. He conducted applied research targeted at managed rotational grazing for horses as well as many other equine related educational outreach activities.

Mr. Ludwig has an animal science background as he grew up on a small farm in Gettysburg, PA where he and his family raised beef cattle, hogs, sheep, and laying hens. He earned a B.S. in Dairy and Animal Science from Penn State University. He is located at the NRCS Technical Center in Lebanon, PA.

Karyn Malinowski, Ph.D. is Director of Rutgers Equine Science Center at the Rutgers Cooperative Extension New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. She also serves as Director of Rutgers Cooperative Extension. Her equine research and extension programs concentrate on improving the well-being and quality of life of the equine athlete while ensuring the vitality and viability of the equine industry, both statewide and nationally. She has received numerous awards for her work, including a leadership award from the American Youth Horse Council, as well as the American Horse Council’s most prestigious national citation, the Van Ness Award, in 2001. She was named "Outstanding Equine Educator" by the Equine Nutrition and Physiology Society, also in 2001.
 

Dr. Malinowski grew up and still lives in Somerset County. She has been a “horse person” since she took her first pony ride as a toddler, and she has been involved in various horse disciplines and organizations throughout her career. She holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees from Rutgers.

David Marshall, V.M.D. grew up in central Pennsylvania, having an early passion for horses and science. He received his B.S. degree from Penn State University in 1971 and his V.M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1975.

Dr. Marshall spent his first five years in private practice emphasizing equine medicine and surgery. In 1980 he returned to the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center to not only teach, but to further his equine surgical skills.

After leaving New Bolton Center, Dr. Marshall started a veterinary practice in southeastern Pennsylvania specializing in equine medicine, surgery, and reproduction. Pursuing a personal desire to return to teaching, Dr. Marshall joined the Department of Animal Science faculty at the University of Delaware in spring of 2002. He serves as an assistant professor in equine animal science and an equine extension veterinarian with Delaware Cooperative Extension Service. At the University of Delaware, Dr. Marshall teaches four undergraduate courses in equine science, pregnancy and foal physiology, mare and stallion reproduction, and equine diseases and lameness. His extension responsibilities include providing equine continuing education to the greater Delaware area.

Sue McDonnell, Ph.D. is a native Pennsylvanian, raised in a dairy farming family in the anthracite coal regions north of Scranton. She holds a 1982 master’s degree in Psychology from West Chester University and a 1985 Ph.D. in Reproductive Physiology and Behavior from the University of Delaware. She completed post doctoral study in clinical veterinary reproduction at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center in 1987 and became board certified in Applied Animal Behavior in 1991. She is the founding head of the Equine Behavior Program at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, where her work includes clinical, research, and teaching activities focused on horse behavior.
 

Dr. McDonnell includes all types of behavior in her clinical case load, with stallion behavior as an area of particular interest and expertise. Dr. McDonnell’s research interests include several areas within equine physiology, behavior and welfare. She has also traveled to study equids throughout the world. In addition to laboratory and field studies, she maintains a semi-feral herd of ponies specifically for the study of their physiology and behavior under semi-natural conditions. This affords veterinary and animal behavior students the opportunity for long-term observation of equine social and developmental behavior and for first-hand comparison of horse behavior under free-running and traditional domestic conditions.

Dr. McDonnell is the author of the introductory-level book on horse behavior entitled Understanding Horse Behavior, published by The Blood Horse in their Horse Health Care Library Series, and the recently released catalog of horse behavior The Equid Ethogram, A Practical Field Guide to Horse Behavior, published by Eclipse Press.

Ken McKeever, Ph.D. is Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Rutgers’ School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. He has focused his basic research on comparative exercise and cardiovascular physiology with a particular interest in baroreceptor function and renal and neuroendocrine control of blood pressure, blood volume, and fluid and electrolyte balance. On an applied level, his research has focused on the effects of ergogenic (performance-enhancing) practices on the physiological responses of the equine athlete. Research in the lab is focused on basic physiology of the equine athlete. His mission is not to cure sick horses, but rather to enhance understanding of the equine athlete and the physiology to prevent problems before they occur. He has lectured on the many similarities between horses and humans and is using the horse as a model to study the effects of aging on a variety of physiological systems. Ultimately his goal is to provide information for horse owners around the world and to find new ways to make happier, healthier, horses.

Robert C. Mickel is the Hunterdon County Agricultural Agent in the department of Agricultural and Resource Management Agents with Rutgers Cooperative Extension at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. He earned his bachelor’s degree in animal husbandry from the Delaware Valley College of Science and Agriculture, Doylestown, PA, in 1970 and an M.E. in Education from Rutgers in 1989.

Mr. Mickel serves as the Regional Livestock Agent for northern New Jersey. His extension program focuses primarily on livestock, dairy, equine, field crops, forages (hay and pastures), and topics related to maintaining the sustainability and viability of agriculture, including alternative livestock and marketing.
 

As a member of the Penn-Jersey Extension Partnership, Mr. Mickel has received numerous awards from the National Association of County Agricultural Agents for various posters, fact sheets, newsletters and programs. He has taught extensively on West Nile Virus, hay production, pasture management, livestock handling, lamb carcass evaluation and weed identification. The Penn-Jersey Extension Partnership also collaborates with Cornell University to produce the award-winning Northeast Small Farm and Rural Living Exposition and Trade Show, an annual two-day educational delivery event for small farm owners and managers.

Christopher Obropta, Ph.D. is Extension Specialist in Water Resources for Rutgers Cooperative Extension  at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. He joined Rutgers in 2002 after a 12-year career as an engineer and environmental consultant with TRC Omni Environmental Corporation in Princeton, NJ.
 

Dr. Obropta’s background includes work in water quality modeling, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, coastal engineering and watershed management. His specific experience includes watershed restoration, wasteload allocations and TMDL studies, stormwater management, wetland design, effluent dilution analyses, longshore sediment transport, computer-aided design and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). He has spent the past six years focusing on watershed management and has secured numerous grants to implement watershed restoration projects. These have included design of Best Management Practices (BMPs), including stormwater treatment wetlands, bioretention systems, in-line treatment systems and more, all of which involve working closely with various state agencies, grassroots organizations, local municipalities and state government.

Dr. Obropta is currently developing a Water Resources Program for the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences that will assist New Jersey stakeholders in addressing the state’s many environmental regulations. A graduate of the New Jersey Institute of Technology and the Stevens Institute of Technology, he holds Professional Engineer licenses for New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Scott E. Palmer, V.M.D. is a 1976 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. He has acquired international recognition for his studies in equine sports injuries, arthroscopy, laparoscopy and minimally invasive surgery using lasers. He is Hospital Director and a staff surgeon at the New Jersey Equine Clinic, where he has practiced for 30 years. His achievements and dedication to equine medicine have twice earned him the New Jersey Association of Equine Practitioners “Veterinarian of the Year” award. Dr. Palmer is a Diplomat of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, certified in Equine Practice first in 1989 and again in 1999.

Dr. Palmer has a long tradition of volunteer service to organized veterinary medicine. He was President of the New Jersey Association of Equine Practitioners, a board member of the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association and served as a trustee of the New Jersey Veterinary Education Foundation. He also served as a member of the Council of Regents and as President of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. He is currently Immediate Past President of the American Association of Equine Practitioners, an international association of more than 9,000 veterinarians and veterinary students in 57 countries world-wide. While serving as the 51st President of the AAEP in 2005, Dr. Palmer expanded the availability of AAEP continuing education to veterinarians around the world and presided over the first Unwanted Horse Summit in Washington, DC.

Dr. Palmer has published more than 25 scientific papers and written numerous book chapters in veterinary textbooks. He has presented scientific and educational topics at equine seminars worldwide. In 1996 Dr. Palmer presented the 14th Paatsma Honorary Lecture at the Annual Convention of the Scandinavian Association of Veterinary Practitioners in recognition and appreciation of his contributions to veterinary medicine. In 1997 he organized the surgical section of the Dubai International Equine Symposium held in the United Arab Emirates. In 2002 Dr. Palmer served as the guest editor for the inaugural edition of the veterinary journal “Clinical Techniques in Equine Practice,” focusing on the use of lasers in equine surgery. Recently, Dr. Palmer was appointed as a member of the editorial advisory committee of the international equine veterinary journal “Equine Veterinary Education.”

Dr. Palmer also plays a vital role in the “On Call” program of the American Association of Equine Practitioners. This program provides veterinary expertise for live media coverage of major equine sporting events. Dr. Palmer is most often “On Call” for Harness and Thoroughbred racing at the Meadowlands or at Monmouth Park Racetracks. He has served as a member of the broadcast team for CBS Sports, ESPN, The Fox Network and the Learning Channel.

Sarah L. Ralston, VMD, Ph.D., dACVN is Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at Rutgers’ School of Environmental and Biological Sciences specializing in equine nutrition. She has been a key faculty member with the Rutgers Equine Science Center since its inception.

The recipient of a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1982, Dr. Ralston received her VMD degree from its School of Veterinary Medicine in 1980. She earned her board certification from the American College of Veterinary Nutrition in 1989 and has been active on its board of directors ever since.

She occupied the Mark Morris Chair of Clinical Nutrition in the Department of Clinical Sciences at Colorado State University's School of Veterinary Medicine prior to joining Rutgers. She is an adjunct professor in the Department of Large Animal Medicine at New Bolton Center and has served on several regional and national committees, including the American College of Veterinary Nutrition board of directors; American Board of Veterinary Specialties and New Jersey Veterinary Medical Education Advisory Committee. She is also on the advisory boards of The Horse, Equine Practice and Journal of Equine Veterinary Science and a frequent contributor to popular journals such as Equus, Dressage Today and Practical Horseman.

Dr. Ralston currently teaches undergraduate courses in Horse Management and Equine Nutrition and serves as an advisor to undergraduate students. In addition, Dr. Ralston is a regular guest lecturer on equine nutrition at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine and typically performs over 200 nutritional consults each year throughout the region and nationally. She frequently lectures on a variety of horse-related topics to horse groups and at scientific meetings, both nationally and internationally.

Dr. Ralston leads the Young Horse Teaching and Research Program. Her research is focused on glucose/insulin metabolism and developmental orthopedic disease in young horses with side interests in nutritional modulation of stress, metabonomics and pasture management. The teaching component culminates with the horses being shown in-hand as yearlings by their students at the annual Ag Field Day and then being sold at a private benefit auction at the Round House on campus the following day.

She has also served as consultant to many of the nation's leading producers of equine feeds, including Purina Mills, Inc., Nutrena and Blue Seal Feeds, and is currently on the equine advisory board of Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories, Inc.

William J. Sciarappa, Ph.D. is the Monmouth County Agricultural Agent with the Rutgers Cooperative Extension New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. He is responsible for the field production, marketing and informational needs of agricultural clients, primarily in the areas of commercial vegetable crops, field crops, small fruit, equine pasture and natural resources.

Based in the New Jersey county that boasts the largest number of horses in the state, Dr. Sciarappa has toured and surveyed more than 125 horse farms in central New Jersey. He has organized the Equine Pasture Management Seminar and Workshop for Rutgers Equine Science Center and has compiled and edited a 100-page Equine Pasture Management Manual.

Dr. Sciarappa received his bachelor’s degree in biological education from Montclair State University and holds a Permanent Teaching Certificate (K 7-12). He received his Ph.D. from Rutgers in 1983 in economic entomology and zoology.

Michael L. Westendorf, Ph.D. is Associate Extension Specialist in Animal Sciences for Rutgers Cooperative Extension at the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station. He conducts research, writes and lectures on subjects such as animal nutrition, use of food wastes as animal feed, animal health and manure waste and management. Design of new methods of processing waste to minimize environment contamination and developing new methods of animal manure disposal are primary research areas. Dr. Westendorf has provided leadership to the state’s livestock industries through his various statewide nutrient and waste management initiatives.

He is a member of several national committees and professional societies, including the American Society of Animal Science; American Dairy Science Association, and American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists. He holds both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in animal science/ruminant nutrition from the University of Kentucky and a bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Idaho.

An Idaho native, he has been with Rutgers since 1993.

Carey A. Williams, Ph.D. joined Rutgers Cooperative Extension in July 2003 as its new Equine Extension Specialist, taking an active role in teaching, conducting research and working with the equine and academic communities to ensure the viability of the horse industry in New Jersey.
 

A Wisconsin native, Dr. Williams earned her doctorate degree in animal and poultry sciences (with an emphasis on equine nutrition) in June 2003 from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She holds a master’s degree in equine nutrition, also from Virginia Tech, and a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University.

While at Virginia Tech she was a Pratt Fellow in Equine Nutrition. She designed and conducted various research projects dealing with equine nutrition and exercise physiology and assisted in the breeding, care and feeding of approximately 80 horses. Dr. Williams was a teaching assistant at both Colorado State and Virginia Tech, teaching courses ranging from equine behavior and training to animal anatomy.

A member of many associations, including the American Association of Veterinary Nutritionists, she is the recipient of Virginia Tech’s John Lee Pratt Fellowship in Animal Nutrition; Waltham Fellowship, and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Outstanding Graduate Student (2002). As a hobby she trains and competes with her Thoroughbred mare at various New Jersey dressage shows and horse trials.