Specialty

Zoology

Position

Imaging Services

Biography

Dr. Julia Napier is a second career veterinarian. After nine years with the Walt Disney Company in corporate management, she decided to pursue her passion for animals and conservation by attending veterinary school and graduated from Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1999. Julie worked in small animal private practice until she was hired in 2001 by Zoo New England in Boston, where she worked at their two zoological facilities, The Franklin Park Zoo, and Stone Zoo as the Associate Veterinarian. In 2003, she moved to the Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend Indiana, and assumed the positions of both Clinical Veterinarian and General Curator.In 2006, Julie was hired by Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. As the Senior Veterinarian, she managed the medical care for the largest collection of animals in a zoological institution in North America, the Veterinary Internship Program, which offered a one-year training program for veterinarians in zoological medicine and surgery, and the student externship program for 4th year veterinary students. During her tenure, she established working relationships with local and national organizations to start an Animal Rescue and Disaster Response team for zoos and aquariums as well as a cardiac program for great apes with local hospitalsDr. Napier is the editor of the first edition of the “Diseases of concern in captive and free ranging animals in North America” published in 2011, now in its third printing, is an author on 35 publications and presentations, has served as the President of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians (AAZV), chair of the AAZV Infectious Disease committee, and was the Species Survival Plan (SSP) Veterinary Advisor for all tiger species, Amur and generic leopards, and the Prehensile-tailed porcupine. She was also an adjunct professor for Iowa State University Veterinary Medical School from 2010 to 2019 where she taught zoo and exotic animal medicine and disease to second- and third-year veterinary students. She has participated in field and conservation projects all over the world including, Madagascar, Belize, South Africa, and Botswana.In her free time, Julie spends as much time as possible outdoors, enjoys camping, visiting National Parks, reading, college football, photography, and most especially, spending time with her family, friends, and her many rescue dogs.