Dr. Marty Vanier is director of operations for Kansas State University's National Agricultural Biosecurity Center.
She directs activities for the center, including coordination of research teams, development and management of several Center projects, monitoring legislative and federal agency activities, representing KSU and NABC on a variety of state and Federal working groups, task forces, and project panels, and directing activities in support of development of incident response training materials and exercises.
Vanier first joined K-State in 1989 as a research assistant for the Food Safety Consortium in the department of animal sciences and industry. From 1992 to 1999, she also served as executive director for the Kansas Agricultural Alliance, a coalition of statewide agricultural commodity and agribusiness organizations. She moved to her current position in 2003.
Vanier was raised on a central Kansas ranch that bred both registered and commercial horned Hereford cattle. As a youth, she participated in all aspects of ranch operations. She received her bachelor's in animal science from K-State in 1979 and her doctor of veterinary medicine degree in 1981.
Vanier began her career in veterinary pharmaceutical and food safety policy. She first joined the Animal Health Institute as science coordinator. She was responsible for staffing and coordinating work of the institute's committees and task forces on regulatory, legislative and scientific problems. She served as spokesperson for the animal pharmaceutical industry at allied industry meetings, as the animal health industry consultant to committees of these organizations, tracked and reported on activities of government agencies that impact the animal pharmaceutical industry and coordinated research projects sponsored cooperatively by Animal Health Institute member companies.
In 1987, Vanier became deputy director for information and legislative affairs in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service. The office was responsible for legislative liaison in the Food Safety and Inspection Service by responding to Congressional inquiries and coordinating preparation of Congressional testimony, legislative reports and briefing books.
She was named 2009 Kansas Veterinarian of the Year by the Kansas Veterinary Medical Association. In 2002, Vanier received the President's Award from the association.
Vanier can be contacted at 785-532-6193 or by e-mail at mvanier@k-state.edu