2026 HBVC Officers

Dr. Garett Slater is a Postdoctoral Fellow for the USDA. He obtained his PhD from Purdue University in 2022 where his thesis work focused on applying modern genetic tools to honey bee breeding. Prior to taking on a PhD, he completed a MS on nutrition and queen quality at North Dakota State University. Applying genomic tools to beekeeping opens up many additional opportunities for beekeepers one of which is that with proper genetic selection, honey bees can develop natural defenses toward Varroa, pathogens, and other diseases which have historically proven difficult and time consuming for beekeepers. Garett has worked as a scientist and technician with the Bee Informed Partnership at the University of Minnesota for two years where he worked directly with 30 commercial beekeepers in ND. He has 12 years of beekeeping experience, including working for a large commercial beekeeper in North Dakota for 8 years.

Dr. Joerg Mayer grew up in Germany where he received his primary education. He went to Budapest / Hungary to study veterinary medicine shortly after the “iron curtain” fell. During his studies he was fortunate to be able to work with veterinarians in South Africa and Namibia for 6 months. He always had a strong interest in exotic animal medicine. After he received his doctoral degree from the University of Budapest/Hungary, he went to the USA for an internship in ‘Zoological Medicine and Surgery’ at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, RI. At the end of the internship he was part of a research team to study wild tree kangaroos in the rainforest of Papua New Guinea for 3 months. After this exciting experience, he went to the Royal veterinary College in London / England to study for his Masters of Science degree in wild animal health. The masters project which focused on lead toxicity in the common loon, brought him to the Tufts Wildlife Clinic in the USA. There he was hired to serve as a clinical associate professor and as the head of the clinical service for exotic animals. After 10 years at Tufts University he moved to Athens, Georgia in 2010. He currently is a Full Professor in Zoological Medicine at UGA.

He lectures regularly at large national and international conferences on all aspects of exotic animal medicine including Honey Bee Medicine. Dr. Mayer qualified with the first batch of specialists in Exotic Companion Mammals as a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, in addition he is also a Diplomate of the American and the European College of Zoological Medicine. He served as the president of the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians from 2010-2012. Since 2012 he is also an International Fulbright Specialist in Zoological Medicine.

Dr. Mayer published many scientific articles, book chapters some of which have been translated into French, Spanish and Portuguese. His latest book the “Veterinary Clinical advisor for birds and exotic pets” was published in early 2013 and contains over 750 page. In 2013 he received the exotic speaker of the year award by the NAVC. In 2016 he received the Oxbow/AEMV Exotic Mammal Health Award, an annual award to recognize excellence and innovation in the field of exotic mammal health.

Dr. Danalyn Dess, is a USDA accredited veterinarian with licenses in PA, WV, and OH. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine in 2002. She has been involved in various aspects of veterinary medicine including private practice, shelter medicine, research, and teaching. Dr. Dess was an adjunct instructor for 9 years for veterinary technician students. She is very passionate about education to improve the health of honey bees and pollinators. 

Dr. Dess has been studying honey bee medicine, pollinator health and research, and has been in involved in state and local beekeeping organizations. She wants to improve husbandry and management practices for honey bees at the local and commercial levels. Dr. Dess is also interested in working with government, state, utility companies, and large corporations for improving pollinator habitat for roadside, right-of-ways, farms, and other properties. She is studying to become a master gardener with a special interest in pollinator health and gardens, wildlife habitat management, and native plants.

Dr. Randy Lynn completed graduate training in Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology and graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine at the Ohio State University in 1983. In 1985, Dr. Lynn left full veterinary practice and moved to the corporate world. He has 33 years of experience in drug development, regulatory affairs and technical services at CIBAGEIGY, Novartis, Blue Ridge, IDEXX, Intervet Schering-Plough and now Merck Animal Health. He has worked with poultry, cattle, horses, dogs and cats.

Dr. Lynn was recently appointed as Adjunct Faculty at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics and a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology.  Dr. Lynn gained an early interest in beekeeping from his grandfather who lived near the AI Root, Co. He received formal training at The Ohio State University from Dr. Walter Rothenbuhler in 1975. He acquired his first colonies in 1990 and continues to manage his bees as a side-line business. Dr. Lynn wrote Raising Healthy Honey Bees for Christian Veterinary Missions and sometimes teaches beekeeping at The Masters Mission in Robbinsville, NC.  Outside of his corporate work, Dr. Lynn still sees veterinary patients once a month and is actively involved in veterinary missions work.