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A timely message from our CEO

Our mission is to protect the health of our ocean through our work with marine mammals. We have done this for 50 years, and you can count on us to continue to do so for the next 50 and beyond.
The results of this week’s election raise significant concerns about a federal resolve to protect ocean health.
If these concerns resonate with you, please know you are not powerless. Caring people like you coming together to find creative, sustainable solutions has led to countless conservation success stories – and will lead to countless more.
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Northern fur seal Lilypad
Dominic Travis

Dominic Travis, DVM, M.S.

Chief Programs Officer

Dominic Travis, DVM, M.S. is a wildlife veterinary epidemiologist and Chief Programs Officer at The Marine Mammal Center. In his current role, he builds and guides the Center’s impact in marine mammal stranding response, rehabilitation and release, and the integration of research and education activities to support the organization’s mission of advancing ocean health. 

Dr. Travis brings more than 25 years of experience in designing and implementing the concept of One Health as a solution to complex challenges crossing human, animal and environmental health. He earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees in marine biology and aquatic animal health risk analysis.

Working across Africa, Southeast Asia, and North and South America, Dr. Travis has built One Health collaborations, education programs, and conducted research characterizing and mitigating effects of infectious diseases, toxins and pollutants on shared ecosystem health. 

He was recently a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine working group on countering zoonotic spillover of high consequence pathogens, a partnership between scientists in the United States, Europe and Asia. 

Dominic is a well-respected and active participant on several U.S. government advisory committees – including those at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, U.S. Geological Survey, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy – with a focus on the area of human-animal disease and threats from wildlife to public health. He has been quoted and appeared in top-tier media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Nature, 60 Minutes, ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX national newscasts, National Geographic Television and PBS, and more.

Before joining the Center, Dr. Travis was Research Scientist and Vice President of Conservation and Science at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago and Associate Professor of Ecosystem Health at University of Minnesota. He enjoys all things nature, philosophy and “uber driving” three kids to a constant flow of activities.

 

Areas of Expertise

  • Veterinary Medicine and Aquatic Animal Health
  • Human-Animal Disease and Threats to Public Health
  • Developing and Building Educational Programs
  • Biological and Environmental Security
  • Emerging Diseases



Talk to Our Experts

Our experts are available to comment on a variety of marine mammal and ocean health issues. Please contact our PR team at media@tmmc.org to schedule an interview. 

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