Chief Professional Veterinary Officer
Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.
Lenexa, Kansas
Dr. Kirpensteijn is a distinguished veterinary surgeon and academic, currently serving as the Global Chief Veterinary Officer at Hill’s Pet Nutrition. He graduated from Utrecht University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in 1988 and completed an internship at the University of Georgia in 1989. He then pursued a residency in small animal surgery and a master’s degree at Kansas State University, followed by a fellowship in surgical oncology at Colorado State University. Dr. Kirpensteijn has held professorships in veterinary surgery at the University of Copenhagen and Utrecht University. He is a Diplomate of both the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Surgeons and an ACVS Founding Fellow in Surgical Oncology and Minimally Invasive Surgery (Small Animal Soft Tissue).
In his role at Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Dr. Kirpensteijn has progressed from Chief Professional Relation Officer in 2013 to Chief Professional Veterinary Officer US in 2018, and ultimately to Global Chief Veterinary Officer in 2022. He has published over 125 peer-reviewed articles and delivered more than 250 lectures worldwide. His accolades include the BSAVA Simon Award (2007), Hills Voorjaarsdagen Excellence in Healthcare Award (2009), WSAVA President’s Award (2017), and honorary membership to the Netherlands Association of Companion Animal Medicine (NACAM, 2017).
Dr. Kirpensteijn's professional interests encompass diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), professional social media and digital innovation, surgical oncology, and reconstructive surgery. He is also the founder of the @ArtVetNow movement on Facebook, promoting veterinary artists globally. VETartNow has organized two successful exhibitions and donated over $35,000 to support veterinary causes in the last two years. Additionally, he hosts podcasts available at purrpodcast.net and globalveterinarysurgery.net.
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Friday, October 24, 2025
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM