Thank you to our incredible line up of speakers who joined us at Congress 2025
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Keynote Speaker
Calvin Eden
The VMG is delighted to welcome Calvin Eden co-founder of Loud Speaker, as its keynote speaker for VMG Congress 2025.
A finalist in the 2023 Great British Entrepreneur Awards, Loud Speaker delivers impactful life skills workshops to young people across the UK.
Calvin will share his insights into resilience, motivation and cultivating positive change – all themes that resonate strongly within the veterinary profession today.
Mac n’ cheese lover, Loud Speaker’s top presenter.
Jonathan Peach
Jonathan spent nearly three decades in senior corporate leadership and consultancy positions, where everything was just fine. Then one day it dawned on him that ‘fine’ wasn’t good enough and he set off on a journey to raise the bar to ‘brilliant’. The rest, as they say, is history.
Jonathan has a very simple philosophy in life, he believes we are all incredible people, capable of incredible things but there is one thing that consistently gets in our way …. and that thing is us.
He changed direction to follow his calling to support people, teams and organisations to reach their true potential. He is co-author of the best-selling book ‘Leadership the Multiplier Effect’ which shows what’s possible when you get out of your own way.
Orly Simkin
V. O. Professional Limited
Orly Simkin qualified as a vet at the University of Pretoria in 1996. She worked in small animal first opinion and ECC practice in the UK for 24 years and then spent the next 5 years as a regional Clinical Development Manager for a national UK veterinary corporate group. She was one of the first Veterinary Preceptors at Harper & Keele Vet School where she helped shape the role.
She is a qualified Executive and Leadership Coach passionate about developing individuals and the teams they work in.
She offers training programs and 1-to-1 coaching using evidence-based coaching models from psychology and neuroscience to inspire fresh thinking and bring about actionable, sustainable, transformative change.
Ruth Downs
Truth Financial
Ruth Downs is an experienced Independent Financial Adviser and the Founder and Director of Truth Financial Ltd, specialising in serving the veterinary industry. With a straightforward, genuine approach and a love for animals, Ruth has helped over 600 veterinary professionals craft tailored financial plans.
Her commitment to unbiased, client-focused advice stems from her choice to operate as an Independent Financial Adviser, providing whole-of-market reviews to ensure the best outcomes for her clients.
Ruth’s dedication has earned her the Unsung Hero Award at the Women in Protection Awards 2023 and multiple nominations, including Vulnerability Champion of the Year (2022, 2023) and Financial Adviser of the Year – North West (2024).
Passionate about making financial advice fun, accessible and engaging, Ruth delivers clear, jargon-free guidance that empowers clients to achieve their financial goals.
Dr.Katrin Jahn
Trinity Veterinary Behaviour
Dr Katrin Jahn, DrMedVet, CertVA, MANZCVS (Veterinary Behaviour), DACVB, MRCVS
Fear Free Certified Professional
Katrin is a Board-Certified Specialist in Veterinary Behaviour Medicine and believes that the mental and emotional health of veterinary patients is equally as important as their physical health.
Katrin owns and runs a Small Animal Veterinary Practice – the German Veterinary Clinic – in Abu Dhabi, UAE, which is the first ISFM Gold Standard Cat Friendly Clinic and Fear Free Accredited Veterinary Practice in the Middle East.
She is also the proud owner of Trinity Veterinary Behaviour, an online platform dedicated to facilitating Pet Owner and Vet to Vet Clinical Behaviour Consultations as well as providing amazing educational resources for Owners and Pet Care Professional alike on all things Veterinary Behaviour Medicine.
Aside from the clinical aspects of her work, Katrin has become a passionate entrepreneur who loves developing business opportunities and networks.
Dr. Zoe Belshaw
EviVet Research Consultancy
Zoe is an RCVS and European recognised specialist in small animal internal medicine. She was awarded a PhD from the University of Nottingham in 2017 for investigating welfare assessment in canine osteoarthritis, and received the BSAVA Petsavers Award in 2020.
Zoe has worked in general practice, referral clinics, university teaching hospitals and charity practice. She is currently combining looking after a toddler with collaborative research on how veterinary professionals and owners make decisions about pets with chronic illness, how the quality of life of those pets and owners can best be assessed, and characterising the Pandemic Puppy phenomenon.
Dr Rowena Packer
Royal Veterinary College
Rowena is an academic and research scientist who leads a research group exploring diverse topics in companion animal behaviour and welfare science. Her research interests include the impact of owner knowledge, attitudes and behaviour on companion animal welfare, particularly focusing on owner acquisition motivations and behaviours, and the impact of chronic disorders, extreme conformation and early-life experiences on companion animal behaviour and welfare.
Rowena has co-authored >90 peer reviewed papers, book chapters and books across these themes. Rowena holds a PhD from the Royal Veterinary College (2013) which explored the impact of extreme conformation on canine welfare. Rowena is a founding member of Brachycephalic Working Group and the Legal Advisory Group on Extreme Conformation in Dogs, a Coordinating Group Member for the Animal Welfare Research Network, and a Canine Scientific Advisory Committee Member for Guide Dogs UK.
katie ford
Vet Empowered
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 is currently finalising her 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.
Helen Allwood
The Vet Project
Helen is a small animal vet with 15 years experience, and now spends all her time working as a coach and trainer with The Vet Project. She started her career in mixed practice and enjoys managing her growing flock of sheep with her farm vet husband and three kids.
Helen is currently completing a PGCert in Business and Personal Coaching with the University of Chester. Helen is passionate about increasing awareness of neurodiversity in veterinary practices, after a late diagnosis of ADHD, and looking for ways to engage the skills of ND team members.
Daniel Keating Roberts
The Vet Project
Daniel is a specialist stress and anxiety and ADHD coach. He is a leader in ND education and an experienced workshop leader. He has won great acclaim for his science-based, creative workshops, working with businesses to deliver personal and professional growth, including an award from ‘Arts and Business’ for his innovative approach.
Daniel currently lives in south Germany, and over the next year, will work with young leaders from the top 10 companies in Baden-Württemberg, including Porsche, Siemens, Mercedes, Kärcher etc. to prepare them for senior leadership roles, as creative, innovation champions.
Julie Dugmore
RCVS
Julie qualified as a veterinary nurse in 1987 after spending her training years in small animal practice in the West Midlands. She quickly progressed to a head nurse position where she became responsible for training student nurses.
Julie’s enthusiasm for encouraging and supporting student training lead her to take a teaching position with a private training provider where she gained considerable knowledge and experience of the UK educational systems and processes. Since leaving full time practice in 2000 she has kept her clinical skills up to date in veterinary practice.
Julie’s position with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has been varied; she started as an external verifier, quality assuring student veterinary nurse training programmes and progressed through the ranks to become the Director of the Veterinary Nursing Department.
Julie is responsible for nine members of staff who work to support the Veterinary Nurse Council in the College’s regulatory remit. Specifically, she manages and co-ordinates regulatory functions relating to the Register of veterinary nurses and post qualification veterinary nursing awards.
Julie is Chair of the Accreditation Committee for Veterinary Nurse Education (ACOVENE) and a Board member of the Veterinary European Transnational Network for Nursing Education and Training (Vetnnet) and has, over the past ten years been involved with several Leonardo da Vinci European funded projects developing veterinary nurse training across the European Union.
Jill MacDonald
VN Futures
Jill spent 12 years in small animal practice as a head nurse and VN assessor. She then moved on to the University of Liverpool to setup, deliver and tutor online modules for the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice and an online masters level module for veterinary nurses, as well as teach and develop the professional and communication skills aspect of the undergraduate curriculum.
Jill held a visiting lecturer’s position at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in 2013, and an associate teaching fellow position at the University of Surrey’s Vet School from 2014 to 2015. She is a previous BVNA Council Member, is a representative for the BVA’s Animal Welfare Foundation, and a regular contributor to the veterinary press.
Jill owns and manages ONCORE ePD who provide online education to the veterinary profession, and who won an RCVS Innovation Award in 2017.
She took up the RCVS post of VN Projects Coordinator in January 2019, with the main remit of her role being Project Management for VN Futures.
Helen Silver MacMahon
Being Human Consulting Ltd
Helen is passionate about developing the veterinary profession’s understanding of Human Factors as a powerful aid in improving patient safety, enhancing performance, and supporting the wellbeing of the veterinary team.
Helen qualified as a registered Veterinary Nurse in 2000 and has worked in both first opinion and referral hospitals. Since qualifying, she has gained certificates in ECC and Small Animal Nutrition and the Advanced Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (surgical).
In 2021, Helen completed a MSc in Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors at the University of Edinburgh and is currently undertaking a PhD at Sheffield Hallam exploring the non-technical skills that veterinary nurses require when monitoring and maintaining anaesthesia.
She enjoys lecturing internationally and has written articles and co-authored several book chapters on both clinical and non-clinical aspects practice. Helen is also collaborating with the University of Aberdeen to research Incivility in veterinary practice
Simon McCabe
Aston University
Simon McCabe is a Senior Lecturer in Behavioural Science at Aston Business School and Head of the Healthy Work Research Group. His research focuses on psychological responses to a variety of threats encountered across a range of domains including health and workplace contexts (e.g., uncertainty, death, social exclusion, risk, and unemployment).
Exposure to these threats often have important implications for attitudes and behaviour. Understanding where these threats arise and the responses that may motivate desired or undesired behaviour is the key focus of my work.
Rebecca Robinson
Veterinary Business Consultant
This year’s incoming VMG President, Rebecca Robinson VetMB MRCVS is a Platinum Academy Consultant and Lead Coach on the Vet Graduate Academy for Vet Dynamics, has also become a Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner via the Coaching Academy, and is currently studying towards a Coaching Diploma.
With more than 20 years spent in Practice and Leadership, Rebecca is motivated to share her passion and extensive knowledge, enhancing the lives of veterinary professionals throughout the UK and beyond.
Emma McGrath
Citation
Emma originally qualified and worked as a solicitor in private practice, specialising in employment law. She started working for Citation in 2007 working on the Employment Law Team, first as an adviser and then as a manager. In 2019 she moved to work as a Professional Support Solicitor in Citation’s Professional Support Team.
Her role includes delivering training and seminars as well as researching and guiding on difficult employment law points, always looking for practical approaches that work for the particular client.
Nicola Kinnard-Comedie
NKC Equestrian Training
Nicola Kinnard-Comedie (Msc, BHSAI Int. SM) is the director of NKC Equestrian Training and a business coach and mentor to equine practitioners and vets.
Nicola has over twenty years experience in the equestrian industry, and is a qualified Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) Coach, as well as practitioner skills in Time Line Therapy, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT ‘tapping’) and hypnosis. Nicola helps support recently graduated vets to release imposter feelings, grow their confidence and build their client communication skills. Nicola works with her clients to give them a ‘toolkit’ of mindset skills to help them navigate the challenges of veterinary practice. Resulting in decreased stress, better ability to switch off, improved work life balance and a renewed love for their work.
Hamish Morrin
My background is in veterinary and animal work, but my passion is values and ethics. A lot of my earlier life was spent not knowing what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I spent time as a university dropout, driver, postie and security guard before working it out! I moved into working with animals in my mid-thirties, first as a zookeeper and then as a veterinary nurse. At first, I was concerned with skill development and competency, but eventually I started to think a lot about why we did what we did and whether our stated goals and our actions really aligned. This led to something of a convoluted career trail; from zookeeper to zoo and wildlife VN, stints in charity and referral work, before diving headlong into teaching. I’m currently a Veterinary Lecturer in Clinical Communication skills.
Along this path I kept adding new qualifications to help answer all my questions. I completed an MSc in International Animal Welfare, Ethics and Law with Edinburgh University, and a Certificate in Veterinary Human Support from the University of Tennessee. Currently I’m studying for my Professional Doctorate in Education at UCL, which is giving me a chance to research some key issues in how values affect behaviour in students and educators.
I am also passionate about conservation and developed the UK’s first MSc in Conservation Education and Engagement. It was this project that sent me down a rabbit hole of learning about behaviour change, and how it applied to everything I have seen in animal welfare and conservation. I’m now interested in interdisciplinary working and One Health projects, especially how to communicate shared values and minimise conflict.
Dr. tanya crawley
Vetlife
Dr. Tanya Crawley BVsc BSC (Hons) MRCVS, is the owner of a small animal veterinary clinic, mother, wife, sister, music-lover, and foodie. She overcame many hurdles to achieve her childhood dream of practicing veterinary medicine, including cultural resistance, the untimely death of her mother, and an education system that said she wouldn’t make it.
Dr. Crawley is a small animal vet in Wiltshire, and is passionate about the health of her patients, their owners, and her team. She is an active advocate for diversity and inclusion in the veterinary workplace and beyond and strives to create a harmonious workplace. She volunteers for a mental health charity and in her spare time loves to travel.
Charlotte rodia
RCVS
Charlotte qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2008 at a mixed practice in rural Essex. She gained invaluable referral nursing experience at the Royal Veterinary College’s Queen Mother Hospital and further developed her expertise at other referral hospitals, a charity clinic, and as a locum for an out-of-hours provider. In 2015, Charlotte became a Head Nurse, drawing on her diverse knowledge to lead her team effectively.
After her time as Head Nurse, Charlotte moved into customer service for a veterinary software company before progressing to a project manager and medical writer role at a learning and development agency specialising in animal health. Now, she combines her passion for veterinary nursing and writing as a Digital Learning Content Writer for the RCVS Academy, creating educational resources to support and empower veterinary professionals.
Dr Elizabeth Mullineaux FRCVS
BVA
Liz Mullineaux is President of the British Veterinary Association, with a varied career in small and large animal first opinion practice. For many years she was a co-owner of a small animal Veterinary Hospital in Somerset. Alongside this role, she successfully completed a Clinical Doctorate which ultimately led to RCVS Specialist status in Wildlife Medicine (Mammalian). Prior to her BVA role she worked as an advisor to a large wildlife rescue charity, in academic teaching and for a small animal emergency service. Liz is a Past President of the British Veterinary Zoological Society and a Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Chloe Hannigan
VETYOGI
claire hodgson
BVCIS
Claire is a disability and EDIB advocate, speaker, founding director of British Veterinary Chronic Illness Support CIC (BVCIS) and veterinary surgeon with over 22 years of clinical experience across all sectors of the veterinary industry. She holds a postgraduate Certificate in Equine Medicine but pivoted back to small animal work after becoming chronically ill with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). She now splits her time between locum work and BVCIS.
She is a passionate advocate for those with chronic illness, disability and neurodiversity recognising that if we are going to truly tackle the current mental health and burnout culture crisis we need to start considering all aspects of our health and wellbeing.
Without including physical health and neurodiversity in the conversation we will always leave people behind.
Olivia Nathan-Anderson
BVCIS
As well as consultancy EDI work, Liv has worked in a variety of clinical and non-clinical communications roles since qualifying as a vet in 2016. Growing up at multiple intersections of marginalised communities, for the last five years, educating the veterinary profession on how to recognise discrimination, improve diversity and inclusion, and move forward with accessibility.
As a Director of British Veterinary Chronic Illness Support (BVCIS) she is championing inclusion for disabled students and staff across the profession, engaging with RCVS, BV A, universities and corporate and independent veterinary employers and various other organisations across the profession to make change happen.
Gurpreet Gill
RCVS
Gurpreet Gill joined the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) as Leadership and Inclusion Manager in 2021. Prior to joining the RCVS, she worked in the Higher Education sector as a staff development practitioner and coach and has experience of EDI education projects and leadership development.
Her current work at the RCVS focusses on strategic initiatives which aim to promote diversity and inclusion within the veterinary profession. She is interested in inclusive leadership practice and the role it plays in creating healthy and respectful workplace cultures.
Tshidi Gardiner
Affinity Futures
Tshidi is a small animal vet, wellness transformation and leadership coach, speaker, and devoted mum of two active boys. With a career spanning over two decades, Tshidi works tirelessly to improve the lives of veterinary professionals by advocating for mental health and wellbeing training for leaders, emphasizing the importance of creating inclusive and supportive workplaces. As a director of Affinity Futures, Tshidi has unlocked the key to bringing together equity, diversity and inclusion with health and well-being to colleagues and students so that everyone can drive positive transformation and create an inclusive workplace culture.
Tshidi sits on the board of trustees for Vets in Mind, IVC Ethnic Diversity Scholarship Board and she is a proud member of the RCVS officer team. She integrates Human Design and Positive Psychology-based tools into her coaching and training, helping to foster positive outcomes and lasting change in those she works with. Her journey into wellness transformation and leadership coaching began with a personal quest for deeper meaning and a more connected way of living after experiencing burnout. Now, she shares her insights to help others navigate the challenges of professional and personal life. As the creator of Wellbeing Foundations Training, she brings her expertise and passion to the forefront of her work, focusing on holistic self-care, mental health awareness, and fostering resilience and overall wellbeing. She has also collaborated closely with the BVRA to create bespoke training programs tailored specifically for front-of-house teams, highlighting her dedication to supporting all roles within the veterinary profession.
Leah Morley
Leah works as a Diversity and Equality activist and educator with focus on LGBT+ and Active allyship communities. She is involved with the work of BVCIS, BVLGBT+, and BVEDS, and delivers training as part of Affinity Futures Consulting, facilitating the Active Allyship workshops at numerous veterinary conferences.
Experience in providing support throughout the whole business in every aspect of the Veterinary industry to aid the achievement of company goals. Proven ability in understanding business requirements and the need to align business and people activities to meet business objectives. An effective communicator at all levels. Leah promotes diversity, inclusivity and sustainability in the workplace.
Angharad Blecher
RCVS
Angharad Belcher joined the RCVS as Director for Advancement of the Professions in January 2021, with the responsibility for leading a number of College projects founded for benefit of the profession including the Mind Matters Initiative, the ViVet innovation initiative, the RCVS Fellowship, Sustainability, Leadership and the Diversity & Inclusion Strategy.
She was previously Head of Partnerships and head of Congress at the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) where she led Congress’ move to Manchester after 30 years in Birmingham. She also led the design of the 2021 Virtual event, oversaw Congress’ rebrand, and as Head of Partnerships formed strategic partnerships across the veterinary world. During her time at BSAVA she was most known for driving sustainability and diversity projects through Congress and across the BSAVA as well as supporting a range of veterinary initiatives in this space such as Paddle Against Plastic, Learning Without Landfill, Vetlife and the British Ethnicity & Diversity Society (BVEDS).
Prior to BSAVA she had experience of PR, communications and strategic planning across the agricultural and veterinary sector. In all her work she has made it her mission to bring people together to share ideas, challenges and solutions.
She lives in Cheltenham with her husband, daughter and cat and outside of work is a member of the Bee Veterinary Association and a committee member for the Veterinary Marketing Association.
Her hobbies include baking, reading and spending time in nature.
Chris White
Chris is Operations & Development Director and Chair of the Veterinary Management Group (VMG). He has worked in several senior leadership roles within the veterinary world over the last 17 years for both independent practices and corporate groups. He is particularly interested in the people side of business, having gained a Psychology degree, an MBA, and a Level 7 Diploma in HR.
He runs a training and consultancy business (www.mongretc.com) which provides affordable leadership development and soft skills training alongside consultancy and project management services for veterinary practices.
He has been on the VMG Board in a voluntary capacity for 4 years and is now also working on a part-time basis for the group as Operations & Development Director, where he is responsible for leading VMG’s operations, service delivery, and development plans as we look to extend and deepen our support for veterinary leaders and managers, including our unique ILM-accredited qualifications and our membership offerings
Stehen Baines
Stephen Baines qualified from Cambridge University. He was an Intern at North Carolina State University, a Resident in Small Animal Surgery at the University of Liverpool and completed a PhD in tumour immunology at the University of Cambridge. He subsequently worked as Head of Surgery at the Royal Veterinary College and Willows Referral Service. He is an EBVS-Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Oncology and an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Surgery.
He has recently completed an MBA at Warwick Business School, with a dissertation on Leadership Effectiveness in Veterinary Medicine: A Re-appraisal of the Trait Approach.
Kerrie Hedley
Kerrie graduated from the RVC in 2011 and started out working as an equine vet at an XLVets practice. She joined the XLVets operations team in 2015 as Equine Business Manager and is currently Chief Operating Officer at the practice. In this role, she oversees the operational running of XLVets. She joined the board in June 2024.
In 2019, Kerrie completed an MBA. For her dissertation, she undertook a qualitative research project exploring the barriers and enablers to women being business owners in independent veterinary practices in the UK.
She has since helped to create the Veterinary Women in Leadership (VWIL) initiative, a collaboration between Veterinary Woman and XLVets, which aims to action many of the findings. She is passionate about supporting leadership development in the next generation to support a bright future for independent practice.
Outside work, her time is spent keeping up with the busy demands of a toddler, two chocolate labradors and three aging cats.
Keep checking as we add more speakers to our 2025 speaker lineup.
