Dr. Jim DeLano is a VET That “V”, “E”, “T”

First and foremost a Veterinarian, Jim loves caring for humans and animals. He is also an Entrepreneur – the “E” in VET, owning and managing seven companies in the veterinary space. Finally, the “T”, for Teacher. In 2011, Jim joined the faculty, as an adjunct instructor, at the UC Davis College of Veterinary Medicine, teaching business and serving as a mentor/coach for the exam room communications program. He also is an instructor of a veterinary business course at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management.

His two greatest passions, outside of being a husband and father are launching veterinarian’s careers through pro-active structured mentorship and helping veterinary practice owners and managers be better at business.

Jim works with all four of his children in their cloud-based companies – one, a learning management system for veterinarian onboarding and mentorship, the other, a business intelligence platform focused on data visualization of practice financials.

Jim opened his first veterinary practice in 1989, followed by a pet store in 1996. Today, the practice has 12 FTE DVMs and 15,000 active clients. In addition to a de novo, he has acquired and merged practices over his 38-year career. Every solution reviewed today is the result of assessing  challenges and satisfying needs in his own practice. The influence of Silicon Valley clients has driven him to be a “techie” and create tech driven solutions.

The driving force of these presentations is to help practice owners gain a better understanding of the business side of the veterinary practice. Competing with internet pharmacies, onboarding and mentoring DVMs, understanding COGS and generating non-DVM revenue are some of the topic’s attendees will leave with a greater understanding of.

Monica has been involved in the field of veterinary medicine for more than 39 years. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Monica has been a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) for more than 20 years and remains a strong advocate for other veterinary practice managers to pursue this designation.

For over a decade, Monica managed a successful full-service, small animal eastern and western medicine veterinary practice in Raleigh, NC. As hospital administrator with Bowman Animal Hospital & Cat Clinic, Inc., she managed every aspect of the seven-day-a-week, nine-doctor hospital’s operations. For 15 years, Monica was a consultant/partner with Mark Opperman, CVPM at VMC, Inc. where she presented a seminar called Principles of Veterinary Practice Management throughout the United States and Canada. She has lectured at numerous national veterinary conferences and veterinary schools in the United States as well as presented at internationally.
As a consultant, Monica enjoyed lecturing and working with practices that participated in VMC’s on-site consultation services. Monica was also a part-time university lecturer at North Carolina State University in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics where she taught Veterinary Practice Management on the undergraduate level. In her current position, she is the Veterinary Division Senior Manager at BerryDunn and enjoys consulting with practices and lecturing nationally and internationally.

Monica is the 2024 President Elect of VetPartners, an active member of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA), Youth Director at her church and sits on the board of Casa Esperanza Montessori Charter School in Raleigh, NC. Monica will let you know that her two primary purposes in life are working with veterinary practices and their teams and being the best possible wife and mom. She shares her Raleigh, NC, home with her supportive and loving husband and their teenage daughter.

Monica is the 2022 Practice Management Speaker of the Year at the VMX Veterinary Meeting and Expo.

Dr. Katie Ford, BVSc(Hons), CertAVP(SAM), PGCert, MSc, MRCVS

Katie Ford is a co-founder of Vet Empowered, an initiative dedicated to supporting the personal development and wellbeing of veterinary professionals through coaching and group services. A UK-based small animal veterinarian with an RCVS Certificate in Internal Medicine, Katie’s journey through the veterinary profession led her to discover a passion for coaching, particularly in helping others navigate imposter syndrome and self-doubt. Katie has built a social media following of over 22,000 as @katiefordvet, where she shares insights on mental wellbeing, resilience, and personal growth. Her work through Vet Empowered, alongside co-director Claire Grigson, provides tailored coaching programmes that address the specific challenges faced by veterinary professionals. Katie’s dedication to the veterinary community extends to her role as co-director at VetYou, where she works to improve financial literacy within the profession. She has completed a Masters Degree in Emotional Wellbeing and the ICF component of a Somatic Trauma-Informed Coaching qualification, and CMI Level 7 qualification. Katie’s contributions were recognised in 2023 when she was awarded the RCVS Inspiration Award, and in 2024 with the Bright Minds Wellness Champion Award.

Taylor McAllister (MSW, RSW) has been a Clinical Social Worker since 2015, bringing comprehensive experience in mental health across healthcare systems, private practice, and non-profit organizations. She has specialized training in therapeutic interventions, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). After several years of direct client care, Taylor developed a deep interest in improving accessibility and sustainability in mental health service, which led her into a career in project management. As a Clinical Product Manager, Taylor integrates her clinical knowledge with strategic development, shaping digital mental health products and processes that enhance mental health care delivery.

Julie McCarthy is a Professor of Organizational Behaviour and HR Management at the University of Toronto and the Academic Director of the Rotman High Potential Leadership Executive Program. Her research focuses on managing stress, regulating emotions, and fostering strong employee connections to create thriving workplace environments. She also investigates the alignment of organizational policies with job applicants' well-being. Published in top academic journals like the Journal of Applied Psychology and Psychological Science, Julie is a Fellow of the International Association of Applied Psychology and serves on editorial boards for notable journals. In the corporate sector, she conducts leadership and resilience training for public and private organizations, collaborating with various industries, including healthcare and banking. Her expertise has been featured in prominent media outlets like Harvard Business Review and the Wall Street Journal. Julie has received numerous awards and grants, recognizing her contributions to the field of organizational behaviour.

Sarah is a recognition expert, professional speaker, coach, author, recovering perfectionist, and movement maker of F.R.O.G. Forever Recognize Others’ Greatness^TM. With 25+ years of experience, I invigorate companies to see their people as exceptional so that, together, they can create a scrumptious, thriving culture where everyone belongs.

Sarah is also the founder of Greatness Magnified, I’m proud to have built a thriving organization that specializes in providing training programs and certifications for employees at large. 

Sarah's credentials: 

- 25+ years in adult education and professional speaking

- CSP (Certified Speaking Professional)

- PCC (Professional Certified Coach)

- CSODP (Certified Senior Organizational Development Professional)

- CHRL (Certified Human Resources Leader)

- Degrees in Psychology (BA) and Family Relations (MSc)

- Author of 5 books and dozens of peer-reviewed and trade magazine articles

- Designations in Healthcare Administration and Human Resources

- Certified in MBTI, Personality Dimensions, BarON EQi, DISC

- Owner of the trademark and certification mark F.R.O.G. Forever Recognize Others’ GreatnessTM

Rachelle Watson is a registered social worker in private practice, specializing in nervous system stabilization and resilience for individuals who have experienced trauma and work in high-stress environments. With extensive experience across a wide range of community, clinical and private mental health care settings, Rachelle brings a wealth of practical knowledge and expertise to her work. She has a particular interest in supporting those in the veterinary field, providing compassionate care for professionals navigating the emotional, ethical and physical demands of animal care. Her passion for this industry is rooted in her personal love for canine companionship and this is reflected in her heartfelt and pragmatic approach.