In this episode, 2026 AAEP President Sarah Reuss, VMD, DACVIM, discussed her goals for her term and what she believes are the biggest challenges facing the profession.
The three priorities in the AAEP’s 2026-2028 strategic plan, said Reuss, are education, the profession, and the horse. To advance education, the organization is expanding its wet lab offerings in the AAEP Experimental (XP) series, covering new topics and featuring new locations. For the “profession” pillar, Reuss said her “greatest joy is in bringing people together” and creating community, so in 2026 she will be working to increase member engagement. To help the horse, the AAEP has created a new Director of Equine Welfare & Advocacy position, which is filled by Ashley Morgan, DVM, CAE, who has ample experience in this arena.
Reuss said equine veterinarian recruitment and retention efforts are ongoing, as is advocacy to support social license to operate for equine sport. In addition, she highlighted the importance of maintaining a valid Veterinarian Client Patient Relationship (VCPR) in practice and the exciting advances that artificial intelligence (AI) is bringing to efficiency, medical records, and gait analysis.
“AAEP is simply the best!” Reuss said, and she celebrated the phenomenal volunteers who have produced successful and robust resources for members. She reminded listeners that the AAEP is “not an insular club,” but a place where hundreds of members serve on committees and task forces that provide outstanding output. She also listed a number of programs that are not well-known, such as the Vet Direct Safety Net, the Member Assistance program, and the Veterinary Club.
In closing, Reuss said her position as AAEP president is “a huge honor and still a little terrifying.” She spoke about her passion for hearing from members about their challenges and successes, and she urged fellow practitioners to reach out.
About Dr. Sarah Reuss
Sarah Reuss, VMD, DACVIM, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2005, after which she did an internship at the Equine Medical Center of Ocala. She completed her residency in Large Animal Internal Medicine at Texas A&M University and attained board certification. After working in private practice for a time, she moved to academia. Reuss spent six years on faculty at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine as a clinical assistant professor and chief of the large animal medicine service. She transitioned to industry practice in 2016 and is currently equine technical manager with Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health. She lives in Littleton, Colorado.
In her free time, she enjoys hiking and traveling with her husband and showing her very handsome horse.
Related Reading
- The Business of Practice: 2025 AAEP Convention Highlights
- The Business of Practice: Updates from AAEP President Dr. Tracy Turner
- The Business of Practice: Catching Up With 2025 AAEP President Dr. Tracy Turner
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