Nastassia Benjamin

Thailand Support Staff

Ness grew up in a rural community in Michigan where her experiences in 4-H shaped her love for reproductive health. She further pursued this passion at Michigan State University where she received her Bachelor’s degree in Genomics and Molecular Genetics. Ness loves to explore different cultures and countries while traveling. She has been fortunate enough to travel to 15 counties and plans to add more to the list! Throughout part of her undergraduate education, she worked in the Petersen-Jones Comparative Ophthalmology Laboratory looking to identify hereditary retinopathies in felines. Additionally, she has worked with livestock throughout her life and further solidified her skills as a veterinary assistant at a small animal veterinary hospital. Coming from a small town she has always craved having the ability to explore other cultures to understand their views in respect to conservation and veterinary care. She was given the opportunity to do this when attending Loop Abroad’s Thailand Veterinary Medicine Program and Costa Rica Wildlife Medicine Program. These programs inspired her to not only improve the genetic potential of livestock and neonatal health but also conserve the biodiversity of endangered species. Working with other Loop Abroad Staff who selflessly rescued, rehabilitated, and cared for animals in these programs cultivated her passion to further improve the reproductive health of animals. Giving endangered species a chance to thrive again and improving livestock production drives her to continue in pursuit of her future career as a veterinarian. Ness is looking forward to attending Colorado State’s Veterinary School and is very grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from so many incredible veterinarians and scientists. In her free time, she loves to hike, paint, and ski!