Guillermo Arcega Castillo, DVM, MPVM

Guillermo is originally from the small town of San Luis Rio Colorado, in northern Mexico. He studied at the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, where he obtained his DVM degree at the Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Veterinarias. After earning his degree, he embarked on a journey in public health that took him to various locations and roles. He started in Alaska, working in a salmon company's quality assurance department, where he tested for foodborne pathogens. He then moved to North Carolina, serving as a swine research intern in the private sector and contributing to multiple vaccine clinical trials, including those for PCV3 and PRRS.

Subsequently, he returned to Arizona, which he considers his home state, where he became the clinic manager and anesthetist for the Humane Society of Yuma, helping a community in need due to the large demand for veterinary services in the county. Driven by a desire to deepen his knowledge, he attended the University of California, Davis, where he obtained a Master's in Preventive Veterinary Medicine. His research there focused on tick-borne diseases, specifically exploring tick species and rickettsiae diversity in the Southwestern US. It was at Davis where he also had his first teaching experience.

The culmination of his education and diverse professional experiences led him to the Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine Residency at the University of Minnesota. Here, he continues to apply the extensive knowledge and skills gathered throughout his career.

His research interests are broad and include zoonotic diseases, foodborne diseases, surveillance, public health, emergency preparedness, epidemiology, biostatistics, One Health initiatives, and spatial analysis, particularly mapping.