We would like to say a huge congratulations to Kayla Gibbard on winning the BVRA Receptionist of the Year Award 2025.
Kayla works at Quantock Veterinary Hospital and has recently completed her VMG/ILM Certificate in Veterinary Leadership and Management (CVLM) and is now studying for her Diploma.
We caught up with Kayla to ask her a few questions about her win:
What does winning this award mean to you?
I’m truly honoured to have been nominated for the BVRA Receptionist of the Year Award, and to win it feels incredible. I’d like to thank my wonderful colleagues for putting together such a thoughtful nomination video and for all of their kind words – it really means so much to me. I also want to thank my fellow nominees , who I believe are all equally deserving of this recognition. It’s an absolute honour to receive this award.
How has completing your VMG/ILM Certificate in Veterinary Leadership and Management (CVLM) and now studying for the Diploma level with VMG helped you, and your team?
Greatly helped with my understanding of being a stronger manager. Learning different styles has supported me in this such as coaching/mentoring and supporting my team with MITW course and so on. I am only just starting my DVLM so I am sure I will pick a lot more skills along the way. At first, I felt like a bit of a fraud without managerial experience but with the training/learning material I have had provided, I am continuously learning.
What would you say to anyone considering a career in non-clinical veterinary leadership?
It can be daunting – and sometimes difficult not having all the knowledge but you soon pick up what you can do in your role and ensuring you have a supportive team around you it makes no difference. I can deal with a lot of the non-clinical stuff, and this takes a burden off of the other managers here. Sometimes, I feel it gives new members a bit of relief coming into the practice who have no clinical knowledge/never worked in a veterinary practice before. With positive training, commitment and time, things come together.
If you would like to find out more about the VMG Veterinary Leadership and Management courses and join the next cohort of students, register your interest here.
