The Ralph (Veterinary Referral Centre)

A compassion- and ethical-practice focused independent small animal referral centre in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. Opened in February 2019.
https://theralph.vet/

Founder, CEO and Clinical Director

BradyCare

An animal welfare and veterinary education charity which is helping animals by empowering people.

Board Member

Independent

Self-employed Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care (ECC) Specialist working on several independent projects including providing online learning resources (http://www.veteccsmalltalk.com/learn-and-support/) and a free 'blogcast'.

Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care Specialist

Royal Veterinary College

Emergency and Critical Care clinician

Founder, CEO and Clinical Director at The Ralph (Veterinary Referral Centre)

Founder | CEO | Entrepreneur | Small animal veterinary surgeon (MA VetMB MRCVS DipACVECC)
Specialities: Veterinary Emergency & Critical Care

I am the Founder, CEO and Clinical Director of The Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre. This is a multidisciplinary small animal specialist referral hospital in the South East of England west of and near London. The Ralph has one of the UK's biggest 24-7-365 Emergency and Critical Services. Our compassion- and ethical practice-focused startup hospital opened in February 2019. It is now (October 2023) the UK's largest independent (non-corporate, non-university) referral centre with ~230 Ralphers. (http://theralph.vet/)

I set up the Veterinary ECC Small Talk project. This is now centred on a busy Facebook group with 54,000 members as of October 2023 (https://www.facebook.com/groups/veterinaryeccsmalltalk/). I also wrote a book and developed an app on Small Animal Emergency Medicine (https://www.kimbavetapps.com/).

I set up, personally fund and run The Ralph Site (http://www.theralphsite.com/), a non-profit pet loss support project including a website with information, resources and memorials, a blog, and a busy Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TheRalphSite/) and private group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/theralphsite). The group now has 12,000 members (October 2023).

I am a Co-founder of Ethical Globe (https://www.ethicalglobe.com/), a directory and community of vegan people, businesses, organisations and projects, and of Veterinary Vegan Network (https://www.facebook.com/groups/vetvegans/).

In 2023, I became a Board Member for BradyCare, an animal welfare and veterinary education charity (https://bradycare.org/).

Shailen Jasani

Mayhew

Board member for animal welfare charity which supports cats, dogs owners and wider communities both in North West London and selected international locations. Member of the Animal Welfare & Strategy committee and International committee.

Member Board of Trustees

Morris Animal Foundation

Any Morris Animal Foundation-funded study that involves animals, whether owned by clients or cared for by a study team, is evaluated thoroughly by our Animal Welfare Advisory Board to ensure the study meets the Foundation’s strict standards for health and well-being. The majority of our studies that include animals are pets in clinical trials in which new treatments, new diagnostic tools or surgical advances are being evaluated. Pets are enrolled in clinical trials by their owners with counsel and advice from their veterinarian and the clinical trials research team.

Animal Welfare Advisory Board member

British Veterinary Association (BVA)

The Policy Committee (PC) is a standing committee of BVA Council and exists to advise Council on all veterinary policy matters, including animal health and welfare, public health, and veterinary professional issues. PC sets up working groups on proactive policy work. PC receives advice from the Ethics and Welfare Advisory Panel (EWAP).

Member of Policy Committee

Dogs Trust

I grew and developed a large multi-disciplinary team of applied researchers and data scientists to deliver evidence which informed the strategy and operational work of a large UK charity (2022 annual income £124million).
Mixed methods, cross sectional and cohort studies were delivered alongside big data projects and use of data visualisation tools to answer priority questions, assess impact and facilitate external engagement. 
Outputs underpinned strategy development, intervention design, review and development of ongoing operational activities.   
In collaboration with operational teams, development of monitoring & evaluation systems for both UK and international work supported organisational learning and informed fundraising cases for support.
Outputs were shared externally to enable others to benefit from applied findings. Multiple open access peer review papers continue to be published and presentations delivered at international scientific conferences as well as professional peer webinar events.

Head Of Research

I established a research team from scratch with a remit to ensure that Dogs Trust's policy, practice and operational activity were based in the best evidence. 
Supported wider Dogs Trust operational teams in defining their evidence needs and how to meet them.
Developed ways of generating evidence that could be applied by Dogs Trust and shared with the wider canine welfare sector.
Established an ethical review process, independent of the research team, and external Science Advisory Board, to oversee applied research proposals prior to data collection being initiated.

Research Manager

Communities For Horses 

Enabling access to mainstream services for socially marginalised communities to deliver sustainable improvements in equine welfare.
Community based evidence identified priority issues and delivery format to inform co-design of innovative new strategy. Evidence used to underpin National Lottery People & Places Community Award Fund application.

Brooke, Action For Working Horses and Donkeys

Led a UK-based team providing technical support to Brooke's in-country field teams across Asia, Africa and Central America.
Managed structured animal welfare assessment framework and  bespoke programme-related quantitative and qualitative research studies.  
Built an evidence base to underpin Brooke's programmatic activities, to enable identification of the animals in most need and to highlight key factors affecting how to address their needs effectively.  
Supported advocacy teams to undertake robust policy-related research evidencing the value of working equids to livelihoods and national economic activity. 
Outputs informed engagement with local, national and international government and policy making bodies. One Health focus to enable policy makers to recognise value to human health of incorporating equids into national and international policies, health intervention programmes and veterinary training. 
Peer review open access publication and scientific conference presentation of research and welfare assessment findings to enable wider sector professional stakeholders to benefit from findings.

Head of Evidence & Research

Research Coordinator

World Animal Protection

Headed a newly established Science function within the External Affairs, Research and Learning group (EARL) in WSPA International. 
Defined key principles to guide how science should be conducted within WSPA International.  
Contributed to OIE animal welfare standards consultations as WSPA International focal point for the International Coalition For Animal Welfare (ICFAW).
Built capacity of national OIE representatives in applied animal welfare at OIE European regional meetings and the OIE's annual General Session.
Worked with WSPA's Chief Veterinary Advisor and CEO in engaging with Director General, OIE.

Head of Science (WSPA International)

PhD funded by World Horse Welfare to investigate factors affecting health and welfare of working horses in Lesotho and to identify how best to address priority issues.

World Horse Welfare applied PhD outputs to inform a strategic review and to redesigning their operational model for international interventions towards a community-focused approach. 

PhD work comprised:

Epidemiological quantification of the impact of the charity's local skills training programme on the welfare of working horses in Lesotho. 

Participatory rural appraisal with  equine owners to elicit their opinions on equine welfare priorities and solutions.  

Comparison and contrast of findings from these two approaches facilitated identification of issues facing horses and their owners and gaps in existing intervention approach. In depth insights into the challenges involved in delivering a charity funded intervention to sustainably address equine welfare problems. 
  
Testing of pilot interactive educational tools to enhance owners'​ capacity to prevent key horse welfare-related problems delivered insights into how these could be used in the field.  

Four first- and one co-authored papers were published in peer reviewed journals.  

Alongside my PhD I developed content for and facilitated delivery of interactive Finance Focus small group learning sessions for vet students and Bioveterinary Science students at the RVC.  These sessions built students' understanding of key financial principles of veterinary business, enabling them to be more more effective within their future employment in veterinary practice and bioscience work environments.

PhD student

Residency project piloted a first opinion small animal veterinary clinical records database which later developed into VetCompass.
Completed multiple companion animal, equine and livestock research projects, resulting in seven lead- or co-authored peer reviewed publications.
Completed a taught MSc in Veterinary Epidemiology jointly awarded by the Royal Veterinary College and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Senior Clinical Training Scholar (Resident)

Blaircourt Equine Clinic

Assistant Veterinary Surgeon

Newnham Court Equine Veterinary Practice

I have embraced the concept of a 'squiggly' career, achieving management positions in both international corporate financial risk management and international applied animal welfare research, while acquiring several professional qualifications en route.  Now that I have stepped away from a senior employed role in a large charitable organisation, I undertake freelance/project based roles which apply the wide range of skills and experience I have gained over the course of my career.

I am passionate about supporting purpose-led organisations to define and achieve their pathway to addressing stakeholders' needs, optimising use of funds to maximise impact.

My combination of skills and experience in corporate financial risk management, consultancy, veterinary clinical services, applied animal welfare research and non-profit organisation management enable me to apply a unique lens to organizational systems thinking at board level. This approach enables me to help you and your senior team to identify key stakeholders and evidence required to  inform your strategy, to think about how best to fill any gaps in your evidence base and how to demonstrate your impact. 


I was previously a member of the board of trustees for a regional charity working with socially disadvantaged and marginalised peri-urban communities affected by low educational achievement, high rates of NEET, mental health issues and problem substance use. These communities have a tradition of horse ownership but often struggle to access services to support these animals' welfare. The charity builds community capacity to care for their animals and facilitates access to appropriate services when required.

I am a member of the board of trustees for a charity which supports cats, dogs and resource limited communities in London and selected international locations. The charity aims to maximise animal welfare and underpin the human-animal bond which is so beneficial to both sides of the partnership.

I act in an advisory capacity for a veterinary membership organisation and for a veterinary research funding body.

I mentor early-mid career animal welfare professionals and students,helping to unlock potential for fulfilling and stimulating careers. 

In my spare time I enable my 'pre-owned' dogs to enjoy the great outdoors and I attempt to tame an unruly garden.  When it's too cold or too dark to be outside, I practise pilates and yoga, aiming to stay strong and flexible and to kid myself that I'm younger than my passport tells me I am.

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Melissa-Upjohn

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The Battle

Shailen Jasani

Melissa Upjohn

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