Congratulations to Dr. John Adaska (DVM, MPVM, Ph.D., DACVP), recipient of the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians’ (AAVLD) E. P. Pope Award. The Pope Award is the highest honor given by the association in recognition of an individual who has made noteworthy and significant contributions to advance the recognition of the specialty of veterinary diagnostic laboratory medicine.

Adaska was honored at the AAVLD’s President’s Dinner Ceremony this fall for his contributions as “a consummate diagnostician, a scientist, a teacher, an advocate, a trainer and mentor, and a huge supporter of the AAVLD.” He was recognized for: service oriented approach; thoughtful, professional, and effective advocate activities in support of the AAVLD; instrumental oversight of the association’s finances during a time of significant change and leadership transitions; and his successful advocacy efforts related to an initiative for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network. Adaska has also served on a number of AAVLD committees, most recently as the Secretary/Treasurer on the Association’s Executive Committee. 

As newly appointed chief of the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System’s (CAHFS) Tulare Branch, Adaska has served veterinarians, dairy farmers, and animal health stakeholders for more than 20 years. The Tulare facility is one of four laboratories within CAHFS, headquartered at UC Davis and operated for the state by the School of Veterinary Medicine to protect animal health and performance, and safeguard public health and the food supply.