Industry Influencer: An individual who uses their medium of choice: social media, articles, public speaking, or media appearances to shine light on the profession, medical advancements within vet med.
Practice Game Changer: An individual or team focussed on making the practice better by addressing the challenges faced daily by developing new workflows, strategies and approaches to ultimately advance veterinary medicine.
Wellness Champion: Mental health and overall wellness are critical components to the veterinary practice. This person or team puts people first in speciality or general practice with wellness initiatives and care programs for the medical teams.
https://thebirdbath.io
If you’ve spent any time trying to keep up with what’s really happening in veterinary medicine, chances are Ryan Leech has already helped you do it. Ryan is a veterinary industry consultant, speaker, and the voice behind The Bird Bath—the weekly go-to resource for the news and insights you actually need to know.
Through his boutique firm, First 100 Consulting, Ryan works closely with veterinary businesses to deliver critical market insights and strategic guidance, helping leaders navigate growth, change, and competition with clarity. His perspective is shaped by hands-on experience across the industry, including leadership roles in business development and strategic partnerships with organizations such as Digitail, Galaxy Vets, and Veterinary Integration Solutions.
That real-world experience is exactly what makes The Bird Bath so valuable. Each Tuesday morning, Ryan breaks down the headlines, trends, and signals shaping veterinary medicine—then goes a step deeper to explain why they matter and what they mean for the future of the profession.
Ryan has been nominated as an Industry Insider for the Bright Mind Award because he doesn’t just report on the industry—he connects the dots. By translating complex market movements into clear, actionable insight, he helps veterinary professionals stay informed, prepared, and ahead of what’s next.
https://www.vettechcafe.com
Vet Tech Café isn’t just a podcast—it’s a platform built by veterinary technicians, for veterinary technicians. Co-founded by Jeff Backus, CVT, RVT, VTS (ECC), and Dave Cowan, Vet Tech Café centers the voices of veterinary technicians and nurses while tackling the real issues they face every day in practice—and beyond it.
Drawing on more than 55 years of combined experience, Jeff and Dave create thoughtful, honest conversations that give their colleagues both a voice and a seat at the table. Each episode explores current challenges in the profession, opportunities for continued growth and education, and alternative career paths that extend far beyond the traditional hospital setting—helping technicians envision what’s possible in a changing industry.
Jeff Backus brings decades of frontline and leadership experience to the microphone, beginning his career as a veterinary assistant in 1995 and progressing through emergency and critical care to earning his VTS (ECC) in 2013. He has served as President of the California RVT Association, spent time in academia at Tufts University, and now works as a senior veterinary technician with the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. A frequent lecturer with a focus on toxicology, Jeff seamlessly blends education, advocacy, and real-world insight into every Vet Tech Café conversation.
Dave Cowan complements that perspective with more than 25 years in veterinary medicine, including his work as a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care. His background spans technician supervision, education and training coordination, and serving as a lead instructor in a veterinary technician program. Today, Dave provides relief support and continuing education through Action Vet Tech Services, continuing his commitment to mentorship and professional development.
Jeff and Dave have been nominated as Bright Mind Influencers because they are actively shaping the future of the veterinary technician profession. Through Vet Tech Café, they elevate technician voices, normalize important conversations, and shine a spotlight on the depth, impact, and opportunity within the profession—helping build a stronger, more informed, and more connected veterinary community.
veterinaryviewfinder (Instagram)
The Veterinary Viewfinder is more than a podcast—it’s a trusted forum where the veterinary profession takes on the conversations many shy away from. Since 2016, the award-winning weekly show has been co-hosted by Dr. Ernie Ward and Beckie Mossor, blending bold leadership with grounded, technician-driven perspective.
Together, they do exactly what they promise each week: tackle the toughest topics in veterinary medicine. From controversial industry issues and breaking news to cultural shifts impacting teams, clients, and care delivery, Veterinary Viewfinder doesn’t just report on what’s happening—it challenges listeners to think differently about why it matters. The show regularly spotlights key opinion leaders and provocateurs across the profession while offering practical, solution-oriented insights for navigating an increasingly complex veterinary landscape.
Dr. Ernie Ward is widely known for his willingness to confront difficult subjects head-on, bringing a veterinarian’s voice that prioritizes progress, accountability, and long-term sustainability for the profession. Beckie Mossor, MPA, RVT, ensures those conversations are balanced with the lived experience and leadership lens of veterinary technicians, elevating team-based care and operational realities that are often overlooked.
Dr. Ward and Mossor have been nominated as Bright Mind Influencers because they consistently push veterinary medicine forward through honest dialogue. By creating space for challenging conversations, amplifying diverse perspectives, and encouraging thoughtful action, the Veterinary Viewfinder has become an essential platform for professionals who want to stay informed, engaged, and part of shaping what comes next.
Monique Feyrecilde is the definition of a practice game changer—someone who doesn’t just understand behavior, but fundamentally changes how veterinary teams work with patients, clients, and each other. Monique brings a rare and powerful blend of science, hands-on experience, and practical application to veterinary medicine.
With a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and years in private small animal practice, Monique pairs deep behavioral insight with real-world understanding of the day-to-day challenges faced inside veterinary hospitals. Her advanced training as a Veterinary Technician Specialist in Behavior, combined with a passion for education, training, and motivation, allows her to translate complex behavioral concepts into tools teams can use immediately.
What sets Monique apart is her ability to create meaningful, lasting change at the practice level. Through team training, customized “clinic makeovers,” compassionate animal handling labs, and safety assessments, she helps hospitals improve patient care, reduce fear and stress, and create safer environments for both pets and people. Her work extends beyond clinics as well, supporting trainers, daycare teams, boarding facilities, and animal shelters—reinforcing better handling and behavior practices across the animal care ecosystem.
Monique is a highly sought-after speaker and educator, presenting at leading conferences including NAVC, WVC, AVMA, Pacific Vet Conference, Atlantic States Vet Conference, and the Society of Veterinary Behavior Technicians Conference. in 2023, she was named VMX Speaker of the Year. Through her Behavior Advocate Program, she continues to educate and empower veterinary professionals nationwide.
Monique has been named a Practice Game Changer nominee by The Bridge Club because her impact is tangible. She doesn’t just teach behavior—she reshapes workflows, elevates team confidence, improves patient outcomes, and strengthens the human–animal bond. Her work helps practices operate more safely, compassionately, and effectively, making her a true catalyst for positive change in veterinary medicine.
My Balto
Dr. Robert has been named a Practice Game Changer for his rare ability to recognize one of veterinary medicine’s most painful and persistent challenges—and build a solution that brings both medical teams and pet owners together when it matters most. As an emergency veterinarian, Robert repeatedly faced heartbreaking situations where pets could not receive lifesaving care simply because their families lacked immediate financial resources. Existing charitable options were often slow, restrictive, or unavailable in moments of crisis, leaving veterinary teams powerless and pet owners devastated.
Rather than accepting this as an unavoidable reality of emergency care, Robert set out to fix it. Partnering with his brother, he helped create myBalto, an innovative platform that enables veterinary hospitals to establish and manage their own Angel Funds—providing fast, flexible financial support directly at the point of care. This approach empowers medical teams to act decisively, restores trust and transparency with pet owners, and ensures that financial barriers do not stand in the way of medical decision-making.
The name myBalto is inspired by the true story of Balto, the legendary sled dog who helped deliver lifesaving medication to the children of Nome, Alaska during the 1920s diphtheria outbreak. Just as Balto bridged an impossible gap to save lives, myBalto exists to close the gap between urgent medical need and financial access—honoring the same life-saving spirit through modern, practical solutions. The “my” reflects a personal, medical-purpose mindset, reinforcing that this tool belongs to both veterinary teams and the clients they serve.
A lifelong learner and health enthusiast, Robert’s passion has always centered on helping others and building systems that bring people together. His firsthand experience with fragmented medical records and inconsistent access to patient histories further reinforced the need for smarter, more compassionate tools in veterinary medicine—needs that helped shape myBalto’s broader vision. When he’s not working to improve access to care for pets and their families, Robert can be found in San Diego with his one-eyed husky, Loki—a daily reminder of why every patient, and every decision, matters.
AnimalHealthLink
Leilani Saad, RVT, Founder and CEO of Animal HealthLink, has been named a Practice Game Changer nominee for transforming one of veterinary medicine’s most exhausting pressure points—after-hours care—into a solution that protects professionals, patients, and practices alike.
After years on the emergency clinic floor, Leilani found herself in 2020 facing the same heartbreaking crossroads as so many veterinary professionals: the real possibility of leaving the profession she loved. At the same time, reports of critical workforce shortages across veterinary medicine were becoming impossible to ignore. Rather than becoming another statistic, Leilani chose to investigate the root causes driving people out of practice.
What she uncovered was clear. Veterinarians were burning out under the weight of on-call responsibilities, while veterinary technicians—particularly those with young families—were leaving due to physical strain and emotional exhaustion. Drawing on her deep ER triage experience, Leilani had a pivotal insight: her expertise could be used to create a new care model that supports veterinarians, retains technicians, and reassures worried animal guardians.
That insight became Animal HealthLink, a veterinary teletriage company that enables RVTs to triage cases remotely from home while dramatically reducing the burden of on-call care for veterinarians. When a practice subscribes to Animal HealthLink, after-hours calls are routed directly to its call center, where an RVT uses photos, videos, and proprietary triage algorithms to assess each patient. If a true emergency is identified, the on-call veterinarian is dispatched and the RVT manages all logistics. Importantly, approximately 75% of calls are not emergencies, allowing veterinarians to rest while pet owners receive trusted guidance and follow-up the next business day.
Originally designed to support rural practices struggling with on-call coverage, Animal HealthLink has since expanded to serve urban general practices as well—reducing unnecessary emergency room visits and easing ER wait times. The company is uniquely staffed entirely by RVTs who have stepped up to confront the veterinary workforce shortage head-on.
Today, Animal HealthLink operates across Canada, the United States, and Australia, has successfully triaged more than 500,000 calls, and maintains an exceptional 99.99% safety margin. Urban general practices report a 150% ROI, while rural practices have experienced improved recruitment and retention as veterinarians are only contacted for true emergencies—restoring balance and sustainability to on-call care.
As a Practice Game Changer nominee, Leilani Saad exemplifies how recognizing burnout as a system-level problem—and designing a compassionate, scalable solution—can reshape veterinary medicine for the better.
Dr. Jim Clark has been named a Wellness Champion nominee for his long-standing commitment to putting people first—well before wellness became a formal focus in veterinary medicine. Through his leadership of the Professional Skills and “Doctoring” curriculum at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Clark has built an educational program that directly supports the mental, emotional, and professional well-being of veterinary students as they prepare to enter one of the most demanding professions in healthcare.
Veterinary medicine is inherently challenging. While clinical complexity is expected, it is often the emotional labor—difficult client conversations, managing conflict, navigating grief, and carrying the weight of those interactions—that takes the greatest toll on veterinarians. Dr. Clark recognized this early in his career. His curriculum goes beyond teaching students what to say; it prepares them for how it feels to do the work and equips them with the tools to care for themselves while caring for others.
What sets Dr. Clark apart as a Wellness Champion is that wellness is not treated as a standalone topic or an optional add-on. Instead, it is intentionally embedded throughout the learning experience. Students are challenged and supported in ways that build confidence rather than fear, resilience rather than burnout. They are taught that empathy for clients must be balanced with compassion for themselves—and that personal well-being is not separate from professional excellence.
Dr. Clark has also built and sustained a remarkable mentor lab composed of practicing veterinary professionals who facilitate these sessions. This community reflects his leadership style: thoughtful, empathetic, and deeply committed to both excellence and well-being. These mentors support students while also supporting one another, creating a culture of shared learning and psychological safety. Through Dr. Clark’s guidance, this group carries wellness-centered communication and leadership skills back into their own practices, extending his impact far beyond the classroom.
Many veterinarians vividly remember Dr. Clark’s classes years after graduation—a testament to the lasting influence of his work. His approach shapes not only better communicators, but healthier veterinarians, stronger teams, and a profession better equipped to handle the emotional realities of veterinary care.
As a Wellness Champion nominee, Dr. Jim Clark exemplifies how intentional education, compassionate leadership, and human-centered teaching can transform veterinary medicine from the inside out.
Dr. Jen Brandt is a Bright Minds Wellness Champion nominee for her sustained, profession-wide leadership in advancing the mental health, resilience, and well-being of veterinary professionals. Long before wellness became a formal focus in veterinary medicine, Dr. Brandt was building the skills, systems, and support structures necessary to help individuals—and the profession itself—thrive.
Since 2017, Dr. Brandt has served as Director of Member Wellbeing Initiatives at the American Veterinary Medical Association, based in Schaumburg, Illinois. In this role, she works at scale to embed wellbeing, inclusive practices, and communication excellence across veterinary medicine—developing programs and resources that support veterinarians, technicians, students, educators, and leaders nationwide.
Prior to joining AVMA, Dr. Brandt served as Veterinary Student Affairs Director at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, where she focused on equipping students, faculty, and staff with the interpersonal, communication, and teamwork skills essential to both quality patient care and long-term career sustainability. Through professional coaching, consultation, and education, she provided applied learning experiences that increased self-awareness, strengthened resilience, resolved conflict, and improved veterinary team dynamics.
Dr. Brandt has lectured nationally and internationally at veterinary colleges and professional conferences and for 20 years served as a senior trainer and group facilitator for the Institute for Healthcare Communication. Her work consistently bridges evidence-based communication, trauma-informed care, and real-world veterinary practice.
Recognizing the importance of collective expertise in addressing mental health challenges, Dr. Brandt previously co-founded the original Veterinary Mental Health Practitioners Group. This collaborative network provided informed guidance to veterinary colleges and helped strengthen the profession’s response to wellbeing and mental health concerns.
Dr. Brandt’s background as a medical social worker, educator, and researcher—specializing in trauma, bereavement, and support for survivors of crime—deeply informs her human-centered, systems-level approach to wellness. She holds both a Master of Social Work (MSW) and a PhD from The Ohio State University College of Social Work, is a Licensed Independent Social Worker–Supervisor (LISW-S), and is a Certified Anti-Oppression Informed Practitioner.
Dr. Jen Brandt is a Bright Minds Wellness Champion because she has translated compassion into structure, and empathy into sustainable systems—ensuring that wellbeing, inclusion, and communication are not optional in veterinary medicine, but foundational.
Melyssa Allen has been nominated as a Bright Minds Wellness Champion for her dedication to advancing mental health, psychological resilience, and human-centered care through education, mentorship, and applied clinical insight. With a strong academic foundation spanning biology, psychology, and clinical psychology, Melyssa brings a uniquely integrative perspective to wellness—grounded in both science and compassion.
Melyssa holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, equipping her with a deep understanding of the biological, emotional, and behavioral factors that influence well-being. Her interdisciplinary training allows her to bridge the gap between physical health and mental health, a critical connection for professionals working in high-stress caregiving fields.
As an Adjunct Faculty member at the University of Central Florida College of Health Professions and Sciences, Melyssa plays a meaningful role in shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals. Through teaching and mentorship, she emphasizes self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and sustainable professional practices—helping students build resilience alongside clinical competence.
What distinguishes Melyssa as a Wellness Champion is her commitment to normalizing conversations around mental health and empowering individuals with practical tools to navigate stress, burnout, and emotional fatigue. Her work reflects a belief that wellness is not a luxury or an afterthought, but a foundational element of professional success and personal fulfillment.
As a Bright Minds Wellness Champion nominee, Melyssa Allen exemplifies thoughtful leadership, academic excellence, and a deep commitment to fostering healthier individuals and stronger professional communities.