Dr. Scheftels group is responsible for zoonotic disease surveillance and outbreak investigation, and zoonotic disease prevention activites. Dr. Scheftel serves as a liaison between the Department of Health and the Board of Animal Health for animal health issues with human health impact. She and her group are currently working on human disease surveillance for the states highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak response. Joni lives in central Minnesota with her husband in an old schoolhouse, in the area where she was a mixed animal practitioner for nearly 20 years.