Professor Michael Day with new BSAVA president Katie McConnell.

Michael Day hands over BSAVA presidency at congress 

BSAVA Congress saw the sad farewell of president Michael Day as his one-year term came to an end. Katie McConnell was welcomed as the association's new president.

The theme of Professor Day's presidential year was "global outlook". Part of this involved strengthening the BSAVA's ties with colleagues around the world, as well as in the UK.

Mrs McConnell says she hopes to "engage" with BSAVA members and volunteers both in the UK and overseas.

"I cannot believe it is nearly 30 years since I first joined the BSAVA," she says. "It is true that this association has seemed like my family. I am looking forward to finding out what the association means to the new generation of members and I hope I am able to encourage others to get more involved in the BSAVA."

Graduating from Cambridge Veterinary School in 1988, she worked in small animal practice before returning to the vet school to work in a series of academic roles.

Mrs McConnell then moved on to veterinary publishing and was editor of the Journal of Small Animal Practice (JSAP) for five years. She currently works as a freelance medical writer and copy editor, as well as being a co-director at AVDIS, a teleradiology company.

She has worked in a number of BSAVA roles, including regional officer (secretary, treasurer and chair of the East Anglia region), chair of JSAP management committee and honorary treasurer.

Based in Cheshire, Mrs McConnell has two daughters, Freya and Charlotte, and is married to Fraser McConnell, head of diagnostic imaging at Liverpool Veterinary School. 

Commenting on the coming year, she said: "I am looking forward to it immensely; but already I have a sense of their being so much to do and so little time…

"This association has been with me longer than my children, family and most of my friends. So I would like to thank all those who have been involved in getting me to this point and I hope that I will repay your faith in me over the coming year. 

 © Steve Burden Photography