Who is Jen?
As a modern veterinarian and advocate for digital transformation in veterinary medicine, I have navigated various roles throughout my career, including licensed veterinary technician, associate and relief veterinarian, and medical director of a multi-location private practice. Currently, I serve as the Chief Veterinary Officer at Otto, where I contribute to the development of safe, innovative, and user-friendly technology solutions aimed at growing veterinary practices, providing greater flexibility, and enhancing the quality of life for veterinary teams.
My journey has been marked by a continuous commitment to learning and leadership development. One of my greatest strengths lies in my ability to connect with others, fostering collaboration and leveraging diverse expertise to achieve common goals. While I may not always have all the answers, I excel at asking the right questions and building networks that drive collective success.
The ever-evolving landscape of veterinary medicine excites me, and I am dedicated to being an active participant in its progression. My involvement in organized veterinary medicine reflects this passion, as I encourage others to engage and contribute to our field’s growth. My ability to forge meaningful connections has been integral to my success and is a cornerstone of my vision as the next AVMA President-Elect.
Pillars for the Future:
Steady Cycle of Change.
Veterinary Medicine is constantly changing. New medications, new diagnoses and different challenges present themselves to us no matter the sector of the profession you are in. The way we communicate with our colleagues is in seemingly constant flux - whether you start with a phone call, email, text, or social channel might depend on your preference or the audience you’re hoping to reach. While I’m not in favor of throwing away traditions simply because they have been around for some time, I am inclined to step back and look at the overall picture and consider if there are potential changes to consider.
Unless we are willing to step out of our comfort zone and try new things, we will never know if they can be successful or not. I’ve often said that veterinary medical education teaches us to (1) test something, (2) make a change and (3) retest to assess the change. Our scientifically trained minds drive us to wanting answers for decision making and I think we can look at our workplaces and our personal lives in much the same fashion. There are times we decide we like the change that was implemented and decide to keep that change; and there are times we may evaluate and decide that what we have been doing is working well and the new process or treatment needs a bit more development. I feel strongly that the idea of evaluating ourselves, our workplaces, and our volunteer associations with an eye towards improvement is a good thing.
Team Based Vision.
None of us can, nor should, work in a vacuum. We all play a part in this profession as well as in the teams we work alongside. If you’re a veterinary student, you are on a team that includes your faculty, school, and classmates, among others. If you’re a veterinarian in industry, you have partners in research, manufacturing and practice, as well as the work team you interact with daily or weekly. If you’re a volunteer for a local, state or national group, you are working with your direct leadership cohort to affect change on a larger scale for those you represent. If you work for an academic institution, you work alongside other educators, your students and your administration. Rarely will all of the members of the team have the exact same goals, resources, and/or experiences; despite that, we must learn to use common language and aim towards common goals.
I have a personal background working in clinical practice and I see this team based approach as a place for us to showcase and highlight our credentialed veterinary technicians. A world where our paraprofessionals are utilized fully, paid a livable wage, and enjoy their work is a goal for us all to aspire to. This is a place where AVMA can help to bring us all together, united as one voice, with common goals for the profession today as well as into the future.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
I am not a DEI expert, nor do I plan to become one, and yet I have felt the impact in learning about my own biases and how those show up in my life and the lives of those around me. We are all bound to make mistakes as we are more thoroughly educated on different facets of DEI, and I feel strongly we should continue to show one another grace, time, and space to learn in a safe environment free of shame and blame. Adopting a learner mindset has been one simple tool I use to continue to develop as an individual and a leader. Just as our medical education continues throughout our careers, so does our education around DEI. When someone comes into a conversation, workplace, or other setting with a different perspective it can be easy for them to not be heard and we must all work to allow diversity of thought into conversations. Richer, more fulfilling discussions happen when multiple points of view are held and shared and research shows these discussions lead to better outcomes. Board rooms where dissenting opinions are present are how institutions continue to improve and learn. I want to be in spaces where my voice and others voices are shared, regardless of how I may personally feel about any individual outcome.
Sustainability of Veterinary Medicine.
When I say sustainability I mean both the world and the people within this profession. Grabbing a reusable cup over a disposable one is fairly easy to do. Requesting veterinary conferences have reusable cups or asking the attendees to bring one of their own is something we could adopt quickly. Moving select meetings to virtual or hybrid reduces travel time obligations; although not a substitute for in person meetings, is a great way to conserve our time resource. A few less flights and car time are helpful to conserve this one planet we all share.
Critically important is the sustainability of the humans of veterinary medicine. I have been working in the wellbeing space within veterinary medicine since 2014 and have witnessed some changes. We've gotten away from diagnosing ourselves and others and are taking more personal responsibility for our wellbeing. And that looks different to each of us. I’m a pretty high energy person, and even I cannot go full steam all the time. I like couch time and binge watching terrible TV shows; I enjoy pushing myself to be better physically and I also like challenging my mind to stay calm. You may do any number of those things and others and I applaud you for being selfish and putting yourself first. YOU matter to this profession.
Safe Technologies.
Technology is all around us. No longer do we send telegrams or utilize the Pony Express. Most of us use computers at work, carry a computer in our pockets or purses and consider how much blue/electronic light we are exposed to. There are forces working to gain access to data about us, our paraprofessionals, our clients, and our patients. The interest in that data may not always be pure, nor focused on analysis to improve our professional (nor personal) lives. A small handful of veterinarians are well versed in data and cybersecurity but most of us will/have been impacted by security lapses. I’m not promoting that veterinarians nor our paraprofessional staff become the experts in technology, but I do feel we need an advocate in that arena. AVMA has long been respected for its data collection and integrity and I feel the association should continue to be the lead for our professional interests around data. Having AVMA create and/or distribute resources about cybersecurity, best practices with data management and/or telehealth are important for us in practice as well as in advocacy and legislative efforts.
Future Planning.
While we are managing and monitoring the here and now, we need to keep a look on where we are headed. You cannot drive a car by simply looking at the steering wheel, you have to peek out over the hood and into the horizon. The AVMA listens to the voice of its members and we also need to listen to the needs and wants of those not yet part of this association. There are fewer and fewer graduates joining the AVMA and other associations, but do we know why? It’s not just because of generational shifts; if we want to attract, maintain, and even grow our association and the impact it has on the profession we must meet people where they are at. If we aren’t willing to hear the requests of potential members, then this association is headed towards demise. I don’t think we need to change everything about AVMA, or even most things; However, I do think we need to calibrate the association and its offerings to the membership (and potential membership). We need to ask people what their needs are and we need to be willing to share our stories of why we are involved; what we gain, learn and share by being involved.