Dr. Elizabeth Strand is the Founding Director of Veterinary Social Work (VSW) at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She is a licensed clinical social worker, experienced family therapist, Grief Recovery Specialist, and a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Teacher. She also is trained as a Rule 31 Mediator, Child and Adult Anicare Animal Abuse Treatment counselor, a Compassion Fatigue Specialist and holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work. Dr. Strand's service-work centers around anti-animal abuse and anti-racism efforts. Her interest-areas include the link between human and animal violence, animals in family systems, the scholarly and practice development of veterinary social work as a sub-specialty of social work practice, communication skills, conflict resolution, and mediation and stress management techniques in animal welfare environments. Her professional mission is to encourage the humane treatment of both people and animals and to care for those professionals who care for animals.