A veterinarian with expertise in cardiovascular physiology and equine medicine will become the first woman to lead Colorado State University’s (CSU) veterinary school starting in July.

Melinda Frye, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences who has taught graduate-level physiology for seven years, will become associate dean of Professional Veterinary Medicine in the CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. She will replace Dean Hendrickson, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, who has led the program for two years and is returning to full-time teaching and equine surgery.

Frye, who began her career in human medicine, has wide-ranging experience, including veterinary teaching; research supported by the National Institutes of Health into the links among dietary fat, obesity, and heart disease; veterinary practice, with an emphasis on horse health, in both private and university settings; and service on curriculum and steering committees for the CSU vet school.

“I’m very pleased that Dr. Frye is accepting this vital leadership role in our college and for the veterinary industry nationwide,” said Mark Stetter, DVM, Dipl. ACZM, dean of the CSU College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. “Beyond her admirable credentials in teaching, research, and clinical service, it’s wonderful to have an accomplished woman in a role that so visibly demonstrates what our students can do in science, medicine, and the veterinary industry