Dr. Michael J. Blackwell is the director of the Program for Pet Health Equity at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where he works to improve access to veterinary care for low income families and their pets. Blackwell’s background includes working in animal shelters as a board chair and administrator.
While he is no longer in clinical practice, he owns and operates practices in Oklahoma and Maryland that specialize in companion animals and livestock.
He also served as the chief of staff for the Office of the Surgeon General of the United States; deputy director of the Center for Veterinary Medicine for the FDA; and the chief veterinary officer for the U.S. Public Health Service.