Stephen Reed, DVM,Dipl. ACVIM,esteemed equine neurologistatRood&Riddle Equine Hospitalin Lexington, Kentucky,received the2025Distinguished EducatorMentor Award from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP)for hispersonal andconsequential impact on hundreds of equine veterinariansthroughout hisnearly 50years in practice.The Distinguished EducatorMentor Award honors an individual who byher orhis actions and commitment hasdemonstrateda significant impact on the development and training of equine practitioners through mentoring.Tom Riddle, DVM,received his awardDec.9during thePresidents Luncheon at theAAEPs71stAnnual ConventioninDenver, Colorado.Reedreceived his veterinary degree fromThe OhioState University, in Columbus, in 1976 before completinga residencyat Michigan State University, in East Lansing.He embarked onhisacademic teaching career at Washington State University, in Pullman, from 19791983 beforereturning to Ohio State, where heservedas a professor and mentor in the Equine Medicine departmentuntiljoining Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital as an internal medicine clinician in 2007.Throughout his career, Reedhasactively mentoredhundreds ofjuniorfacultyin academia and residents in private practice,remaininga mentorand positively influencing careerslong aftermenteesearly training is completed.His efforts have built a lineage in that many of his menteeshave become influential mentors themselves, including hisveryfirst menteeand award nominator, Josie Traub-Dargatz, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM.Dr. Reed was a tremendous mentor to me during my residency, she said. He taught me medicine but also how to interact with colleagues to make everyone gain as much as they couldfrom the time spent in clinical practice and while doing research. He was an example to me of how to takeoptimalcare of my patients, ourclientsand the staff we workedwith.In addition to his extensive mentorship,Reedcontinues to provide continuingeducation in neurology to equine practitioners and internal medicine specialists.He has edited four editions ofEquine Internal Medicine,a pivotaltextbookforequinepractitionerspursuing board certification in veterinary internal medicine.Reedisaformer chair of theAAEPsEducational Programs Committee andservedonmany other committees.Hereceived induction into the University of KentuckyGluck Equine Research Hall of Fame in 2022 and currently chairs the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Advisory Committee.