Dr. Claudia Venegas, an exceptional aquatic veterinarian, a scientist and global leader in aquatic animal health and welfare, sadly left us on 1^st April 2026 in Santiago, Chile. Her passing leaves a profound void in the lives of all who knew her.

“Dr. Venegas was known for her generosity, warmth, and leadership. She had the ability to connect with people, foster collaborations, and translate complex scientific challenges into practical solutions for industry and society” [Dr. Francisca Samsing Pedrals, Australia].

Dr. Venegas was born and raised in Santiago, studying Veterinary Medicine at the Universidad de Chile. She achieved her DVM degree with distinction in 1996, upon completing an undergraduate research project on Piscirickettsia salmonis. Thereafter, moving to Japan she got involved in a PhD mentored by Dr. Muroga at Hiroshima University. Studying the emerging Penaeid Acute Viremia/ White Spot Syndrome Virus, she contributed to advance our knowledge on shrimp virology, pathology, immunology and diagnostics, completing her PhD in 2000. Back in her home country, she joined Universidad de Chile, working as Head of the Reference Laboratory for Fish Diseases and lecturer for undergraduate and postgraduate courses specializing in fish, mollusk, and crustacean diseases. Later, she was appointed Director of a private College of Veterinary Medicine, where she balanced administrative leadership with her enduring passion for teaching and research. Moving to Puerto Varas she transitioned into the prominent aquaculture industry in Southern Chile. Dr. Venegas held a range of influential roles across academia, government, and industry. She served as Chair of Chile’s National Aquaculture Scientific and Technical Committees on aquatic animal health and worked as a scientific and trials coordinator in the aquaculture sector. She joined the Chilean branch of the Norwegian company VESO as a Senior Scientist, and established herself as a successful independent consultant, advising both national and international organizations. Indeed, she became a key advisor to various Chilean government branches and worked as histopathologist for the Norwegian Veterinary Institute. Furthermore, in 2024 she achieved a master’s degree in veterinary clinical trials through the TECH Global University.

The achievements mentioned above offer only a glimpse into her numerous endeavors and fruitful life. However, far beyond her impressive resume was her charming personality, which brought joy to everyone who knew her. “I had the pleasure of knowing Claudia for many years; our paths first crossed during her time as a veterinary student, when I had the satisfaction of serving as her undergraduate thesis supervisor. Even then, her kindness, poise, and intellectual brilliance were evident” [Pedro Smith, Chile].

Dr. Venegas was a long and active member of several professional associations, such as the European Association of Fish Pathologists (EAFP) since 2005. She served in multiple leadership roles within the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association (WAVMA), starting as Director-at-large for the Americas (2019-2022), Secretary (2023), and lastly in 2026 she was serving as WAVMA President. Promoting professional excellence through certification and education, global expansion and network building, and advancing aquatic veterinary medicine policy through One Health were her strategic priorities, shared among the WAVMA community. She contributed to redesigning and restarting the WAVMA webinar series, leading the WebCEPD subcommittee of the Education and Students Committee. In this role she attracted many guest lecturers from around the world, managing to broadly cover many topics of relevance to aquatic veterinary education. She fostered new educational partnerships between WAVMA and other key associations in the field, such as with the EAFP, and MEVEA (Asociación Chilena de Médicos Veterinarios vinculados a la actividad de Acuicultura – the Chilean Association of Aquatic Veterinarians), of which she was a member of the Technical Committee.

“Claudia was a reliable collaborator, always respectful and keen to help, even during her toughest health moments. For several years we partnered together to organize and promote the WAVMA WebCEPD series, working synergistically and managing to attract a wide range of lecturers, facilitated by her patience and always humble approaches” [Bartolomeo Gorgoglione, USA].

Finally, it is with great admiration that many of us witnessed the bravery and grace with which she faced her challenging health condition. Despite a long-term illness challenge, she built a beautiful family and continued to contribute significantly to the aquatic veterinary network.

Leaving behind a legacy that spans continents, disciplines, and communities, Claudia will be deeply missed by her family, colleagues, students, and friends.

Pedro Smith, Francisca Samsing Pedrals, Bartolomeo Gorgoglione