Symposium Speakers
Our speaker lineup is still growing. We are actively confirming additional experts and thought leaders from across the One Health community. This page will be updated regularly as new speakers and session information become available. Please check periodically for the most up-to-date speaker list.
Chance Armstrong
DVM, MS, DACT
Dr. Chance Armstrong is a native of southeast Alabama and Auburn University alumnus who earned his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and DVM degrees from Auburn. A Diplomate of the American College of Theriogenologists, he serves as Clinical Associate Professor in Auburn’s J.T. Vaughan Large Animal Teaching Hospital, specializing in livestock medicine and reproduction. Dr. Armstrong has extensive experience in veterinary disaster response, including deployments with the Louisiana State Animal Response Team following Hurricanes Harvey, Michael, Laura, and Ida. In 2023, he helped establish the Auburn Veterinary Emergency Response Team (AVERT) and serves as its director, leading Auburn’s multidisciplinary effort to provide veterinary emergency response and animal support during natural and human-caused disasters.
Victoria Ledford
PhD, MA
Dr. Victoria Ledford is an assistant professor of health communication in the School of Communication and Journalism at Auburn University. Her research investigates ways we can create persuasive health messages that avoid stigma and promote positive health beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors across a range of stigmatized contexts including opioids and autism stigma. She has also worked on applied and community-based research grants totaling nearly $2 million in external funding. At Auburn, she also runs the SHAPE lab which aims to shape better patient futures through the study of stigma, health, and patient experiences.
Christina Leyson
BS, MS, PhD
Dr. Christina Leyson a molecular virologist with special focus on respiratory viruses of poultry species. I have a special interest in viral pathogenesis, host adaptation, and evolution. My research program aims to design and implement evidence-based strategies to prevent and mitigate outbreaks using a blend of classical and cutting-edge virological techniques. My ultimate goal is to share my love for viruses to all and to create a positive impact on human and animal health using virological research.
Constantinos Kyriakis
DVM, PhD
Dr. Constantinos Kyriakis completed his DVM studies in the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece and PhD in Ghent University, Belgium. Following postdoctoral research fellowships in Emory University and the University of Georgia, he joined the Department of Pathobiology at Auburn University and is currently an Associate Professor of Virology and Infectious Diseases. His research focuses on influenza epidemiology, ecology and evolution, interspecies transmission and adaptation, and the development and testing novel vaccines in preclinical animal models. His laboratory is part of the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH/NIAID) Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Response (CEIRR), while he has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed publications and is actively engaged in teaching, mentorship, and scientific service.
Kathryn Reif
PhD, MSPH
Dr. Kathryn Reif is the Bailey-Goodwin Endowed Professor in Parasitology and an Associate Professor in the Department of Pathobiology at Auburn University. She serves as Vice President for the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists and on the board of the Companion Animal Parasite Council. Her research integrates vector biology, veterinary parasitology, and applied disease control, with emphasis on tick and mosquito feeding biology, pathogen transmission, and ectoparasiticide efficacy. Her work bridges fundamental vector biology with practical approaches to parasite and vector-borne disease prevention for veterinarians, animal owners, and the public.
Jessica Schwind
PhD, MPH, BS
Dr. Jessica Schwind is an epidemiologist and director of the Institute for Health Logistics & Analytics at Georgia Southern University. Her work centers on the human-animal-environment interface, with research and service rooted in disease surveillance, capacity building, and risk communication for preventing and responding to emerging health threats. As institute director, she leads the IHLA in optimizing community health and well-being through evidence-based practices and technology integration guided by a One Health approach. Through partnerships with local, national, and global organizations, the IHLA provides essential services on topics ranging from zoonotic disease prevention to opioid harm reduction. She holds a BS in Applied Biology from Georgia Tech, an MPH from New York Medical College, and a PhD in Infectious Disease Epidemiology from the University of California, Davis.
Erin M. Sorrell
PhD, MSc
Erin M. Sorrell, PhD, MSc is a Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She also serves as Director of the Elizabeth R. Griffin Program at the Center. Her research portfolio combines the disciplines of basic science, biosafety, and one health systems strengthening to develop and apply a variety of methodologies to map, assess, and address both the structure and function of one health systems in collaboration with partners across government, international organizations, and academia. Erin received her BS from Cornell University in animal science and her MSc and PhD in virology from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Wes Stubblefield
MD, MPH, FAAP
Dr. Wes Stubblefield is a district medical officer with the Alabama Department of Public Health covering the northern and northeastern districts. Originally trained as a pediatrician, Dr. Stubblefield practiced general pediatrics for over 14 years before joining ADPH. While practicing pediatrics, he held leadership positions at local, regional, state, and national levels. He completed his M.P.H. at UAB in 2018 and transitioned to a full-time public health role in 2021.