Dr. Molly McAllister ’98 graduated from Lewis & Clark College with a BA in biology and participated in the first overseas program to Oaxaca, Mexico. She went on to receive her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from Oregon State University College of Veterinary Medicine and a Master of Public Health from the University of Minnesota.
Dr. McAllister is a veterinarian and the chief medical officer at Banfield Pet Hospital, a national veterinary practice headquartered in Vancouver, WA. She began her veterinary career with the completion of a medical and surgical equine internship before transitioning to small animal practice in the Portland, OR, area. Inspired by field work done as part of her biology major, she also spent significant time supporting conservation efforts with the Audubon Society of Portland through public education and wildlife rehabilitation services.
In 2009, Dr. McAllister began lecturing national and internationally on veterinary topics and population health. In 2012, she joined Banfield Pet Hospital to lead medical education programs before transitioning to lead the veterinary science efforts and drive research from Banfield’s extensive electronic medical records database, the largest in North America. She became Chief Medical Officer in June, 2019. As CMO, she represents and supports Banfield’s nearly 4,000 veterinarians. She promotes health and well-being and inclusion and diversity for veterinary professionals, the evolving role of pets in society and the value of accessible quality veterinary care to promote public health. Her contributions to Banfield include several peer-reviewed publications, launching the Veterinary Emerging Topics (VET) report to drive population health through research and knowledge, and founding the Diversify Veterinary Medicine Coalition – a cross-business nonprofit organization with a mission of increasing representation of BIPOC in the veterinary industry. She serves on the boards of the Human Animal Bond Association and Pet Peace of Mind, an organization that educates hospice, home health, hospital and palliative care organizations about the importance of pets in the lives of their patients and helps support those pets in practical ways.
Dr. McAllister lives with her family in Camas, Washington, where she enjoys sharing her love of the outdoors with her husband and two young children while herding two dogs and two cats.