Breakfast with Ruth Marcec-Greaves

About our speaker

Dr. Ruth Marcec-Greaves is a veterinarian and conservation scientist whose work focuses on the intersection of livestock, wildlife, ecosystem, and human health. Her career has spanned zoological institutions, livestock systems, research laboratories, and field conservation projects in the United States, Australia, Honduras, Peru, and China, where she has worked on disease surveillance, biosecurity, animal health, and conservation education across a wide range of species and communities.

With a background bridging both livestock and wildlife health, Ruth is especially interested in One Health approaches that recognise the deep connections between environmental, animal, and human wellbeing. Her work has included everything from livestock and wildlife disease risk assessment and pathology to cryopreservation, field biosecurity, and community engagement in remote and rural regions.

Ruth is passionate about translating science into practical, community-centred solutions and has worked extensively with students, rural communities, government agencies, and international collaborators. She is particularly interested in how trust, communication, and leadership shape successful outcomes in both conservation and biosecurity work.

About our session

One Health is often described as the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health — but in practice, it is fundamentally about collaboration. In this talk, Dr. Ruth Marcec-Greaves will share stories from her work across biosecurity and community engagement to explore how interconnected our health systems truly are. Drawing from experiences in remote communities, zoological institutions, and international field conservation, she will discuss why One Health is not a single specialty, but a shared responsibility requiring communication, trust, and cooperation across many different disciplines and communities. The discussion will also touch on the growing recognition of plant health and ecosystem resilience within One Health frameworks, highlighting how agriculture, biodiversity, and environmental stability are deeply tied to both animal and human wellbeing.

This Lunch with Leaders series is open to anyone who is interested, so please feel free to share this event.

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