Equine Faculty Veterinarians
Philip Johnson, BVSc, MS, MRCVS, DACVIM-Large Animal Internal Medicine, DECEIM
Professor, Equine – Internal Medicine
A graduate of The University of Bristol (BVSc[Hons], MRCVS/veterinary degrees) and the University of Illinois (MS), Philip Johnson completed specialty training at the University of Illinois. He joined the MU faculty in 1991. His research interests include equine endocrinology, gastroenterology and laminitis. His clinical interests are equine endocrinology, gastroenterology and neonatology.
Kevin Keegan, DVM, MS, DACVS
Professor, Equine – Surgery
A graduate of the University of Missouri (BS, DVM) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (MS), Kevin G. Keegan completed residency training at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He joined the MU faculty in 1990. His research interests are development of objective methods of lameness evaluation in horses and methods of wireless transmission of biological signals for health monitoring. His clinical interest is in equine lameness.
Joanne Kramer, DVM, DACVS
Associate Teaching Professor, Equine – Surgery
A graduate of the University of Minnesota (DVM) and the University of St. Catherine (BA), Joanne Kramer completed specialty training at the University of Missouri. She joined the MU faculty in 1997. Her research interests are in veterinary education, lameness and podiatry. Her clinical interests include equine surgery, podiatry and student education.
Alison LaCarrubba, DVM, DABVP-Equine
Associate Teaching Professor, Equine – Ambulatory Medicine
A graduate of Cornell University (BS) and the University of Missouri (DVM), Alison LaCarrubba completed specialty training at MU. She joined the MU faculty in 2003. LaCarrubba works both with the equine ambulatory and internal medicine services. Among her clinical interests are equine dentistry, both routine and referral.
Lynn M. Martin, DVM, MPH, DACVIM-Large Animal Internal Medicine
Assistant Teaching Professor, Equine – Internal Medicine
A graduate of North Dakota State University (BS) and the University of Missouri (DVM, MPH), Lynn Martin completed an equine private practice internship in San Antonio, Texas before returning to Mizzou for a residency in large animal internal medicine with an equine emphasis. Martin provides veterinary care on the equine internal medicine service and is completing a PhD. Research interests include comparative ophthalmology, equine microbiome and laminitis. Clinical interests include equine ophthalmology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and student education.
Megan McCracken, DVM, MS, DACVS-LA
Assistant Teaching Professor, Equine – Surgery
A graduate of Cornell University (DVM), the University of Florida (BS), and the University of Missouri, Megan McCracken completed residency training in equine surgery at the University of Missouri. She joined the MU faculty in 2019. Her clinical and research interests are in equine lameness and general equine surgery.
Martha Scharf, DVM, DABVP-Equine
Assistant Teaching Professor, Equine – Ambulatory Medicine
Martha Scharf is an equine ambulatory veterinarian at the MU Equine Hospital, traveling to provide routine and emergency veterinary care to the horses of mid-Missouri. She grew up in St. Louis, riding and training hunter-jumpers. Since moving to Columbia for college, she has continued to ride recreationally, with a mix of jumping, eventing and trail riding. She also serves as a faculty advisor for the vet college’s mascot mules, Tim and Terry, who have taught her the basics of driving and the intricacies of mules.
She graduated from the MU College of Veterinary Medicine in 2008 and completed a rotating equine internship during the following year. Since then, she has been working as one of the equine ambulatory veterinarians and instructors. In 2017, she achieved certification as a specialist in equine practice by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. She is completing a veterinary chiropractic course and is already working to provide alternative diagnostic and treatment options for our patients. She particularly enjoys the long-term relationships and the wide variety of disorders that our general practice offers, as well as teaching and learning from the students. In the future, she hopes to continue learning, teaching and practicing equine ambulatory medicine.
David Wilson, DVM, MS, DACVS
Adjunct Professor Emeritus
Veterinary Health Center Director
A graduate of Illinois State University (BS) and the University of Illinois (BS, DVM, MS), David A. Wilson completed specialty training at Illinois Equine Center and the University of Illinois. He joined the MU faculty in 1988. His research interests are in wound healing, biomechanics of fracture fixation and equine gait analysis. His clinical interests are orthopedic surgery, upper respiratory surgery and abdominal surgery.
Residents
Lyndsey Hayden grew up on a small farm in Wallingford, Connecticut. She attended the University of Vermont, where she received a bachelor’s degree in animal science. She then received her DVM in May 2017 from Auburn University. After graduation, she completed an equine surgery internship at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Kentucky. After completing her internship at HEMI, Hayden completed a rotating equine medicine, ambulatory and surgery internship at the University of Missouri. She is continuing her training at Mizzou through an equine surgical residency. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, cooking, and hiking with her dog.
Kelly Sandelin, DVMKelly Sandelin is from the small rural community of Waterloo, Illinois. She attended the University of Missouri where she received a bachelor’s degree in biology. She stayed at MU to attend the College of Veterinary Medicine and received her DVM in 2019. Sandelin continued her veterinary training with an rotating equine internship at the University of Missouri. After completing the internship, she was offered a residency position at Mizzou for specialty training and board certification in the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners – Equine. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her fiancé, Matt, and their two Australian shepherds.
Kile Townsend grew up on a small horse farm in Dover, New Hampshire, where she learned to ride and handle horses at a young age. Townsend attended the University of New Hampshire where she received a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science and a minor in music. She then received her DVM in May 2017 from the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada. While in Atlantic Canada, she learned a lot about the ins and outs of the standard bred racing industry. Townsend has a background in eventing and dressage and has always wanted to work with horses as a career. Following her equine rotating internship, she is staying on for a residency in equine internal medicine.
Interns
Alexandra Carlson, DVMAlexandra “Xan” Carlson grew up in Durham, North Carolina, as the middle child of five. She developed a passion for equine medicine at a young age through books and news stories. Carlson completed her undergraduate studies in animal science and history at North Carolina State University where she continued her schooling to graduate from NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 2019. Carlson completed a rotating equine internship at New England Equine Medical and Surgical Center. While she is fascinated with many aspects of equine medicine, she has particular interest in pain management and lameness evaluation. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her energetic mutt (a rescue through the Sato project), photography, drawing, baking and horseback riding with friends.
Kristen McCurdy, DVMKristen McCurdy grew up in Weatherford, Texas, and attended Stephens College, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology with an equine studies minor. She attended the University of Edinburgh in Scotland for veterinary school. While abroad, she traveled frequently and played on the women’s rugby team. She then completed an equine internship at Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery in Weatherford where she still keeps her Haflinger, Butters, nearby. McCurdy is still an avid rugby fan and also enjoys running, trail riding/hacking and gaming. McCurdy’s professional interests include equine surgery (especially orthopedics), sports medicine and regenerative therapeutics.
Kari Means, DVMKari Means is originally from Fort Myers, Florida, where she learned to ride both hunter/jumper and western performance horses. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in communication studies from the University of Florida. She attended veterinary school at Texas A&M University. After graduation in 2019, Means completed an equine internship at Oakridge Equine Hospital in Edmond, Oklahoma. She is interested in completing an equine surgical residency after her equine rotating internship at the University of Missouri. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family and riding her horse.
