Mitchell K. Rode, DVM, founding owner of Clarke Equine - Wellness and Performance in Berryville, Va., has joined the American Association of Equine Practitioners’ board of directors. Dr. Rode was installed during the Dec. 4 President’s Luncheon at the AAEP’s 64th Annual Convention in San Francisco, Calif. He will complete his term in 2021. 

Prior to starting his own practice in 1987, Dr. Rode worked in mixed-animal practices where he focused exclusively on the care of horses. Clarke Equine - Wellness and Performance is now a two-veterinarian clinic offering ambulatory and intermediate care services to the northern Shenandoah Valley and the outlying areas of Washington, D. C.   

A 1980 graduate of the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine and an AAEP member since 1983, Dr. Rode has volunteered on the Educational Programs and Leadership Development committees and as moderator of the Business Management Rounds. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Clarke County Equine Alliance, a non-profit organization that supports horse-related businesses and activities in his local area. 

The American Association of Equine Practitioners, headquartered in Lexington, Ky., was founded in 1954 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the health and welfare of the horse. Currently, AAEP reaches more than 5 million horse owners through its over 9,000 members worldwide and is actively involved in ethics issues, practice management, research and continuing education in the equine veterinary profession and horse industry.