The 2012 Veterinary Responder of the Year Award for the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps has been given to CDR Renee Funk , DVM, MPH&TM, DACVPM, of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). CDR Funk was presented the award at the 61st Annual Epidemic Intelligence Service Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, in April, 2012. CDR Funk was nominated for her dedication to emergency preparedness and response. She has responded to emergencies of national significance, including most recently the Deepwater Horizon oil spill response and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, and has served as a critical planner, leader, and author. Her day-to-day work centers around developing a comprehensive program to detect, monitor, and control disaster-related health and safety hazards for the protection of the response workforce during each phase of a disaster.

CDR Funk has made consistent and important contributions to emergency planning and response by developing new and effective strategies that can better ensure emergency responder safety and health. With all of these attributes and contributions in mind, CDR Funk is well deserving of the award for Commissioned Corps Veterinary Responder of the Year.