TDA names new State Veterinarian and Assistant Commissioner for Animal Health
Sep 16, 2019
Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. has announced the appointment of Samantha Beaty, D.V.M. as State Veterinarian and Assistant Commissioner for Animal Health.
With 18 years of veterinary medicine experience, Dr. Beaty will now be responsible for protecting and monitoring animal health throughout the state.
“Dr. Beaty has the knowledge base, work ethic, tenacity, passion for veterinary medicine, and the ability to get the job done,” Commissioner Hatcher said. “She has a strong commitment to serving the public and Tennessee agriculture. She will be a perfect fit in this new role as she partners with animal health leaders and enforces animal health standards.”
Beaty most recently served as the Interim Director for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) C.E. Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory. In that role, she led 21 lab staff members in providing timely diagnostic services to Tennessee animal owners and veterinarians.
“Animal agriculture is very important to me,” Dr. Beaty said. “I feel honored to have the opportunity to serve as State Veterinarian. I look forward to engaging with Tennessee’s livestock groups and producers to find ways to better serve and protect this important sector of agriculture.”
Beaty joined TDA as a staff veterinarian in 2016. In that role, she implemented and oversaw the department’s livestock welfare program. She assisted with regulatory disease response and was the case manager when high path avian influenza affected Tennessee in 2017. Beaty completed training at the National Veterinary Services Laboratory and is a Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician.
“I also want to thank Dr. Doug Balthaser for his service as Interim State Veterinarian,” Commissioner Hatcher said. “We appreciate his leadership and his commitment to our animal health team.”
Beaty began her work in veterinary medicine as a high school student in her hometown of Jamestown, Tenn. After graduating from vet school, Dr. Beaty worked in large and mixed animal practice for several years before transitioning to small animal practice.
Prior to joining TDA, Beaty was an associate veterinarian at Premier Vet Care i