Dr. Dennis Schmitt is the Chair of Veterinary Services and Director of Research with the animal stewardship department at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. He leads the veterinary services for the three traveling Ringling Bros. circus units and oversees research at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation located in central Florida. Considered the leading North American expert in elephant reproductive physiology and veterinary management, Dr. Schmitt is also the leading veterinary reproductive specialist in domestic and exotic animals and professor of animal sciences at Missouri State University.
Dr. Schmitt developed the first elephant from artificial insemination in 1999 and in his more than 20 years as an elephant veterinarian he has experienced over 40 elephant births some of which were born at the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation ®. Dr. Schmitt has administered the first successful treatment for the endotheliotropic herpes virus in an elephant, the single greatest health threat to the Asian elephant and established the first bovine non-surgical embryo transfer business in the state of Missouri.
In working with other facilities in both North America and in India, Dr. Schmitt has taught and trained the basics of elephant ultrasonagraphy (working definition) expanding its use in evaluating elephant health and reproduction world-wide. Although much of his work has been in elephant medical management and breeding programs, his research also investigates reproductive physiology of several endangered species.
Dr. Schmitt received his D.V.M. and Ph.D. in reproductive physiology from the University of Missouri – Columbia. He is board certified in Theriogenology (veterinary reproduction) and served as the reproductive advisor for the AZA elephant TAG/ SSP management group from 1987-2004. He is a member of the Asian Elephant Specialist Group of the IUCN.
Janice Aria
Director, Animal Stewardship Training
Janice Aria began her career in 1972 with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey®. Aria has 30 years of experience in animal handling and animal behavior. In 2006, Aria was named Director, Animal Stewardship Training and is based out of the Ringling Bros.and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation. Aria directs the student intern program, teaches training methods to animal handlers and is involved in the care of the largest herd of Asian elephants in the Western Hemisphere. She is responsible for designing and implementing a standardized curriculum of best practices in training, and works closely with trainers and their animals to maintain high standards of animal care.
Aria holds a Bachelors degree in Special Education from the University of South Florida. For five years, she also taught high school, middle school and elementary school students. Aria developed a reading program for learning impaired students in which she received a state award for excellence in 1998, the same year she was named Teacher of the Year.
Danielle Graham, D.V.M.
Director of Veterinary Services
Dr. Danielle Graham is the Director of Veterinary Services with the animal stewardship department for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. Dr. Graham works with the animal care staff to provide veterinary care and physical examinations including administering preventative treatment for the numerous species of animals on Ringling Bros. three traveling circus units. Prior to joining Ringling Bros., she was an associate veterinarian at an animal hospital in Missouri. Dr. Graham’s study of animal care includes the completion of two preceptorships with animal hospitals in Colorado and California and for a year served as a trained animal emergency ICU technician.
Dr. Graham received a D.V.M. from the University of Missouri – Columbia and a degree in Animal Science from Southwest Missouri State University. Her range of experience includes caring for several species of exotic and domestic animals.