Dr. Jarra Jagne, a world-renowned avian health expert and professor of practice at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), has been awarded the 2025 Daniel Elmer Salmon Award for Distinguished Alumni Service—the highest honor bestowed on alumni by the college.
The award recognizes exceptional service to the veterinary profession, communities, and to the Cornell CVM itself. Dr. Jagne’s decades-long career has significantly advanced poultry medicine, veterinary public health, and the One Health approach, impacting communities from rural New York to sub-Saharan Africa.
“Her knowledge of agricultural sustainability and poultry husbandry across cultures is astonishingly deep and diverse,” said Dr. Karyn Bischoff, former Cornell faculty member. “She is unequaled in her dedication to service.”
From the Gambia to global veterinary leadership
Dr. Jagne’s passion for animals began in the Gambia, where she spent her childhood summers in rural communities and once witnessed a veterinary surgery that sparked her lifelong dream. Defying social expectations to pursue human medicine, she earned a government scholarship and enrolled at Cornell, where she overcame personal and academic challenges to begin her pioneering career.
In her third year, she began researching Newcastle disease in The Gambia, laying the foundation for a lifelong commitment to avian health and publishing her first paper in Avian Pathology.
After becoming the first woman veterinarian to return to The Gambia to practice, Dr. Jagne worked with women farmers to enhance poultry production and food security. She later completed a poultry pathology residency at the University of Pennsylvania, which led to a dynamic career spanning academia, government, and international organizations.
Global voice in avian influenza preparedness and one health
Dr. Jagne held senior veterinary roles with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), where she led avian influenza preparedness programs across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
“It required not only veterinary knowledge but also diplomacy and communication—skills we don’t always learn in veterinary school,” she reflected.
A mentor, educator, and advocate for women in veterinary medicine
Since returning to Cornell in 2010, Dr. Jagne has served as a poultry specialist at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center and now teaches in the DVM program, while supporting poultry farmers throughout New York State.
Through her mentorship, she has shaped the careers of dozens of veterinarians now working in poultry medicine. Her commitment to hands-on education, outreach, and cultural understanding continues to set her apart.
“She always provided the same level of support, whether to someone with a single pet hen or thousands of birds,” said former student Dr. Hailey Quercia.
Looking ahead: Giving back to the Gambia
Dr. Jagne envisions returning to The Gambia to resume work with women’s and youth poultry groups and assist in literacy initiatives for girls and women. She is also advising the University of The Gambia as it prepares to launch its first Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) program this September.
“This work is deeply personal,” Jagne said. “I’m proud to give back to the communities and profession that helped shape me.”
This prestigious award highlights Dr. Jagne’s legacy as a leader, mentor, and advocate in global veterinary medicine, public health, and sustainable agriculture.
