Dr. Karen A. Hassan supports the Director of Equine Safety and Welfare in the uniform implementation of HISA’s safety and welfare policies nationwide. She assists with veterinary outreach, veterinary advisory committees and stakeholder equine safety and welfare questions. Dr. Hassan is the staff liaison for the Exercise Associated Sudden Death Working Group and also plays a key role on HISA’s onsite track accreditation team focusing on racetrack veterinary protocols.

Dr. Hassan is a Board-Certified surgeon with 26 years of experience in referral lameness and surgery. Prior to joining HISA, she worked for 1/ST Racing in California as a regulatory veterinarian and worked in the California State Fairs. Her work in regulatory veterinary medicine includes Fédération Équestre Internationale and Tevis Cup endurance events. She has been an American Endurance Ride Conference Control Judge and treatment veterinarian for almost 20 years. Throughout her career, Dr. Hassan has been involved in research, education, outreach and mentoring.

Dr. Hassan graduated from the University of California, Davis, completed a surgical internship at Tufts University and returned to Davis, California for her residency in surgery.