By Sim Khanuja
The University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) Alumni Association has recognized three outstanding graduates with 2026 Alumni Achievement Awards for their exceptional contributions to veterinary medicine, biomedical science, and the broader community. Launched in 2019 by the school’s Alumni Advisory Board, the awards program celebrates SVM alumni who have made significant contributions to society and whose accomplishments, affiliations, and careers honor the legacy of excellence at the school.
The Alumni Advisory Board has since grown into the UW SVM Alumni Association (SVMAA), established in July 2022 to support the school’s advancement through alumni engagement.
The 2026 SVMAA Alumni Achievement Award winners are:
2026 SVMAA Alumni Achievement Award (MS/PhD) — Dr. Mandi J. Lopez
At the intersection of veterinary innovation and human medicine, Dr. Mandi J. Lopez (MS’97 PhD’01) has built a transformative career in regenerative orthopedics and scientific leadership. A board-certified large animal surgeon and National Academy of Inventors Fellow, she serves as a professor of Veterinary Surgery at Louisiana State University (LSU) and director of the Laboratory for Equine and Comparative Orthopedic Research (LECOR). Internationally recognized for her work in translational musculoskeletal and regenerative medicine, Dr. Lopez has expertise spanning stem cell therapies, tissue engineering, biomechanics, and equine health. Her research continuously advances innovative therapies across species to improve outcomes for both animals and humans.
Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. Lopez has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and reviews, secured millions of dollars in research funding, and developed multiple patented medical technologies. A passionate mentor, she has guided dozens of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and research trainees. Her academic leadership extends to serving as president of the LSU Faculty Senate, and her contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the LSU Distinguished Scholar Award and the Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence.
For Dr. Lopez, receiving this recognition from her peers evokes profound gratitude for the institution that started her career. “This amazing recognition by my fellow alumni and my beloved former community means the world to me,” says Dr. Lopez. “When I received word about the award, I had to reread the email multiple times because of the overwhelming effect it had on me. I have always been impressed by the compassion and kindness of the SVM community members, past and present. It feels beyond amazing to know that friends and colleagues are proud of me.”
Reflecting on her time at UW-Madison, Dr. Lopez remains grateful for the supportive environment, enduring friendships, and extensive preparation that opened doors to a fulfilling career.
“My education made it possible for me to pursue a career in which not a single day feels like ‘work’,” says Dr. Lopez. “My years at UW-Madison created the foundation for a career in which I continuously seek new challenges and grow to meet them. A career in higher education made possible by my SVM education lets me share the joy and promise of discovery with upcoming explorers and leaders. Overall, my SVM education made possible everything I and my trainees accomplished over the last two decades.”
2026 SVMAA Alumni Achievement Award (DVM) — Dr. Linda Kidd
Dr. Linda Kidd’s (’87 DVM’91) deep connection to the University of Wisconsin began when she attended pre-school on campus at the age of four. She later returned to earn a BS in bacteriology from the UW College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, followed by her DVM and Small Animal Internal Medicine residency training from the SVM, where she then served as a clinical instructor at the teaching hospital until 2003, when she left the Badger State to earn a PhD in Immunology at the Vector Borne Disease Diagnostic Laboratory at North Carolina State University. She then completed a post-doctoral research fellowship studying mechanisms of thrombosis in pro-inflammatory states at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.
Internationally recognized for her contributions in immune-mediated and vector-borne diseases, mechanisms of thrombosis, and teaching clinical reasoning, she co-chaired the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine consensus statements on the diagnosis of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia and immune thrombocytopenia in dogs and cats.
Dr. Kidd has authored and co-authored numerous research publications, served as editor of veterinary books and textbooks, and acts as associate editor of infectious disease for the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine. Over a 15-year tenure on the faculty at Western University of Health Sciences, she developed, directed, and taught core curricula and formed research collaborations between academia and private specialty practices. Her career achievements have been honored with the Pfizer Award for Teaching Excellence, the Monica Menard Award for Pathobiological Research, the Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence, and the Western University of Health Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine Dean’s Trailblazer Award.
For Dr. Kidd, receiving this award from her peers brings her career full circle. “To win an award like this from the SVM and to be included in the group of previous recipients is incredibly humbling,” says Dr. Kidd. “It reminds me of when I was a clinical instructor at the SVM. I would be driving to work in the morning thinking, ‘I can’t believe I get to work here and do what I am doing!’”
Reflecting on her journey, Dr. Kidd remains deeply grateful for the community and education that launched her career.
“UW and the SVM provided the substantive foundational knowledge, values, and skills that allowed me to pursue an amazingly enjoyable and rewarding career,” says Dr. Kidd. “Whenever I think of UW, my heart gets a little burst of joy. I am genuinely grateful I spent my most formative years there. No matter where life takes me, UW-Madison is home.”
2026 SVMAA Young Alumni Achievement Award — Dr. Kevin Snyder
From the coast to the tops of glaciers, Dr. Kevin Snyder (DVM’16 MS’18) has built a remarkable veterinary medical practice expanding specialized veterinary care across Alaska’s vast frontier. A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ACVO), he owns Polar Eyes Veterinary Ophthalmology, partnering with host clinics to serve patients statewide. Dr. Snyder earned his DVM from the SVM before returning to complete a four-year residency in comparative ophthalmology as well as earn his MS in the Comparative Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program. His unique practice takes him from treating sled dogs in the Juneau Icefield to caring for rescued animals at the Alaska SeaLife Center and Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
A recognized leader in his field, Dr. Snyder served as President of the Alaska Veterinary Medical Association, served on the Alaska VMA Board, was a four-year term member on the ACVO Genetics Committee. He currently serves as the Chair of Health and Genetics Committee for the Siberian Husky Club of America.
As an affiliate faculty member at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks, he lectures and leads hands-on eye examination labs for students in the UAF-Colorado State University 2+2 program. Dr. Snyder has authored research articles published in Veterinary Ophthalmology and translational animal-human research journals. He has remained committed to academia and lifelong learning, lecturing nationally at the American Veterinary Medical Association annual conference, the Alaska Veterinary Medical Association conference, and multiple times at the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists conference. Outside of veterinary medicine, Dr. Snyder can be found with his wife, two daughters, and a kennel of Siberian Huskies as they explore Alaska by foot in the summer and dogsled in the winter.
Reflecting on where he has landed in his career, Dr. Snyder is most proud of the little, impactful moments in patient care.
“I especially live for the small moments during my clinical practice when the owners are happy their animals are pain-free and have better quality of life – like when a dog can see again after cataract surgery or when an animal stops squinting in pain after months of discomfort,” says Dr. Snyder. “Small moments of accomplishment with a smile of gratitude from the owners are what keeps me going.”
Dr. Snyder credits the knowledge and skills gained through his time at UW-Madison with giving him a sense of responsibility to share that expertise in ways that benefit his local community and state.
“Many years of training at the SVM instilled in me a foundation of practicing compassionate medicine with scientific rigor,” says Dr. Snyder. “Similar to the Wisconsin Idea, my career has shaped itself into improving animals and people’s lives through not only clinical practice, but also community outreach, teaching, and professional leadership. I strive to practice evidence-based medicine with empathy that allows me to deliver specialty medicine in Alaska to animals and owners in underserved areas.”