Page 5 - Ross Vet Commencement Program 2022

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

JOSÉ ARCE, DVM
AVMA President 2021-2022

Dr. José V. Arce was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto
Rico. He received a BS in Animal Science from Louisiana
State University and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine
from the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. During his
undergraduate years, Dr. Arce worked as a veterinary
assistant at Hospital de Animales Villa Caparra in Guaynabo,
Puerto Rico and in Burbank Veterinary Hospital in Baton
Rouge, Louisiana and served as President of the LSU Pre-
Vet Club. After receiving his bachelor’s degree he worked
as a Research Assistant at the Caribbean Primate Research
Center in Sabana Seca, Puerto Rico. While in veterinary school, he was class treasurer and
representative to the Student Chapter of SAVMA for 4 years, and treasurer of LSU’s Student
Chapter to the AmericanVeterinary Medical Association (SAVMA). He completed a Clinical
Internship in Small Animal Medicine, Surgery, and Emergency Care at Rowley Memorial Animal
Hospital in Springfield, Massachusetts.
In 1998, Dr. Arce moved back to Puerto Rico. Early in his career, he worked as a veterinarian
at the Avian and Small Animal Hospital, the San Juan Municipal Shelter, the Dorado Veterinary
Hospital and the Diaz Umpierre Veterinary Clinic.
In 2003, he founded Miramar Animal Hospital, of which he is president and co-owner. His special
interests include dermatology, ophthalmology, and ultrasonography.

As soon as he moved back to his beloved Puerto Rico, Dr. Arce became active in the Colegio
de Medicos Veterinarios de Puerto Rico (PRVMA) and was named to the Ethics and Grievances
Committee in 1998. In 1999, he was selected to represent the PRVMA at the AVMA Veterinary
Leadership Conference, in 2000 he was elected as Alternate Delegate to the AVMA HOD, and
as Delegate to the AVMA HOD in 2010. Dr. Arce has been a member of the PRVMA Board of
Directors since 2000, and is currently President of the PRVMA Legislation Commission and the
PRVMA Convention Committee.
Dr. Arce served as District IV Director of the AVMA Board of Directors from 2014 to 2020,
representing Florida, Georgia, and Puerto Rico. During his tenure in the HOD and BOD he
served as a member or liaison of multiple Councils and Committees of the AVMA and in the
Board of the AVMA Trust.. He currently serves as President of the AVMA, and in the Board of
the American Veterinary Medical Foundation (AVMF), and in the AVMA/AAVMC Commission for
a Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive (DEI) Veterinary Profession. He also serves as Puerto Rico’s
Animal Health and Wellbeing Official, having been appointed by the Governor of Puerto Rico in
May of 2021.
Dr. Arce lives with his wife and fellow veterinarian Dr. Anik Puig in Miramar a suburb of San
Juan, Puerto Rico, and has one son, Diego currently a Junior at Worcester Polytechnic Institute
(WPI) in Massachusetts. Dr.Arce is very active in his community of Miramar and currently serves
as President of the Miramar Residents Association. His main hobby is playing soccer for Club
Internacional de Fútbol de Puerto Rico of whom he is team President and serves as Director of
the Puerto Rico Master Soccer League.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER | 5