Leadership
Leadership
Leadership
Dr. Matthew Edson, Founding Dean
Dr. Matthew Edson is the founding Dean of the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine of Rowan University, New Jersey’s first veterinary school. He is also the founder and owner of Rancocas Veterinary Associates, a multi-doctor mixed animal practice based in South Jersey. As mixed-animal practitioner, he has special clinical interests in miniature pig and small ruminant medicine and surgery and is an advocate for the advancement of affordable, clinically-relevant veterinary education.
A native of New Jersey, Dr. Edson is a former executive board member and the past president of the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association, a former site visitor for the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) Council on Education, former chair of the AVMA Committee on Disaster and Emergency Issues, and former vice chair of the AVMA Practice Advisory Pilot Panel. He was appointed by Governor Murphy as a member of the New Jersey One Health Task Force and State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners and also serves on AVMA’s American Board of Veterinary Specialties.
Dr. Edson earned his veterinary medical degree from Kansas State University and Master of Business Administration degree from Rowan University. He completed training as a Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic through Virtua Health. He is a licensed veterinarian in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware and a Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. He has strong interest in veterinary business and practice management and is also a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM).
Named a top veterinarian by South Jersey Magazine in 2017, Edson was voted “Best Veterinarian” in Burlington County by Burlington County Times readers in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022. Dr. Edson was named to the 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 NJBIZ Health Care Power 50 and 2025 NJBIZ Education Power 50 lists, which recognize top influencers across the state.
Dr. Chrissy Eckstrand, Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Dr. Eckstrand is diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists, and has an appointment as an Associate Professor in the Department of Diagnostic Medicine and Pathobiology. As an anatomic pathologist, Dr. Eckstrand performs diagnostic and research investigations for a wide variety of domestic and wildlife species with a special interest in virologic infectious diseases. Dr. Eckstrand teaches General and Systemic Pathology to professional students in the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine curriculum.
Dr. Suzie Kovacs, Associate Dean for Student Success
Dr. Suzie Kovacs is the Associate Dean for Student Success at the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine of Rowan University. Dr. Kovacs graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph with a Master of Science in Epidemiology, after which was hired as a founding faculty member at Western University of Health Sciences' College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Kovacs received a Ph.D. in Higher Education from Claremont Graduate University for work focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion within the veterinary profession. In 2015, she was a charter recipient of the Broad Spectrum Veterinary Student Association LGBTQ+ Awareness Award, a national award that recognizes those who support and confirm inclusivity in veterinary academia, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.
Dr. Omar Tliba, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies
Dr. Omar Tliba is the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies for the Shreiber School of Veterinary Medicine of Rowan University. Dr. Tliba holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the El-Tarf College of Veterinary Medicine at University of Badji-Mokhtar Annaba, Algeria, a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Rennes, France, another master's in the area of molecular and cellular interaction between the host and parasite from the University of Paris XII, France, a University Diploma in immuno-physiology of infection from “Pasteur Institute” in Paris, France, and a doctoral degree from the National Institute of Agriculture Research, Tours, France in the area of animal life science and immunology, specifically characterizing the early immune responses and the mechanisms of immuno-evasion by an important parasite in cattle, Fasciola hepatica.
Dr. Tliba’s academic interests include independent and collaborative research in lung and inflammatory diseases, teaching and mentoring students. He has over 26 years of research experience in the area of allergic diseases. In the last 20 years, he has been conducting airway inflammation-related research and specifically investigated certain pharmacological aspects of pulmonary diseases. He has been awarded several prestigious multiple years grants from foundations such as the Parker B. Francis Fellowship and American Lung Association, as well as the National Institute of Health (NIH) including K99/R00 (5 years), R21 (2 years), and R01 (11 years) and has served as a reviewer for multiple NIH foundations (both national and international) grant review panels.
