Debbie has had an extensive career in veterinary practice since qualifying in 1997, covering every type of practice from 1 vet start ups to multidisciplinary referral hospitals. Always gravitating towards senior and managerial roles, her wider experience also includes being QA for several further education & Veterinary Nursing colleges, and she has seen many student nurses achieve their goals. Having taken the decision in 2022 to move into a Practice Management role, she pursued the DVLM with VMG, achieving this in 2025.

Her specific interests are in team dynamics, conflict resolution and helping teams achieve. She is a Mental Health First Aider, and a strong believer in ethical leadership, authenticity and integrity in her role. Debbie is delighted to have the chance to talk through a key area in managing your most important asset, your team.

John graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2006 and began his career in mixed practice before moving into small animal medicine. He went on to co-own a successful first opinion practice in Glasgow for seven years before joining Vets Now in 2019.

Starting as a Roving Vet, John quickly found his place within the Out-of-Hours service before joining the team at Vets Now Glasgow. He now leads the Out-of-Hours veterinary team at one of Scotland’s largest multidisciplinary veterinary hospitals, supporting vets and nurses who provide emergency care overnight, at weekends and on bank holidays.
Working alongside specialist-led referral services including ECC, surgery, internal medicine, oncology, diagnostic imaging and anaesthesia, the Glasgow hospital cares for thousands of emergency and referral patients every year. John is passionate about delivering outstanding out-of-hours care, developing his team and building strong relationships with referring practices across the west of Scotland.

Hailey Roberts is a Regional Lead Occupational Therapist with Cygnet Health Care, with experience working across mental health, health and social care services.

With a background in Occupational Therapy, Hailey has developed her clinical expertise within complex mental health rehabilitation settings, supporting individuals with a range of presentations including schizophrenia, personality disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, autism and trauma-related difficulties.

Alongside her clinical practice, Hailey has progressed into senior leadership roles, currently providing professional leadership and oversight across multiple Occupational Therapy services throughout the West Midlands.

Her role involves supporting teams across a range of mental health service lines, driving quality improvement, developing patient-centred pathways, promoting evidence-based practice and supporting the professional growth and development of Occupational Therapists.

Passionate about the relationship between leadership, workplace culture and sustainable performance, Hailey’s approach focuses on creating environments where people can thrive, feel valued and deliver high-quality outcomes. She is particularly interested in compassionate leadership, psychological safety, effective communication and how organisations can move beyond short-term performance measures to develop engaged, resilient and high-performing teams.

With over 13 years of experience in the veterinary profession, Laurie has worked across general practice, charity, out-of-hours, and referral settings.

She is currently Head of Nursing Services for Veterinary Specialists Scotland.
Passionate about supporting the veterinary nursing profession, Laurie is dedicated to helping veterinary nurses grow in confidence, develop their skills, and achieve their potential. She has recently achieved the VMG and City and Guilds AVLM award.

Outside of work, she enjoys reading, skiing (when she can) and spending time with her three Chihuahuas, who always keep life entertaining.

RVN, A1, IQA, DTLLS and AVLM (L5 leadership award) currently studying L5 Certificate, L3 Coaching and Mentoring qualification and L7 Executive Coach (currently studying)

Rachel is a qualified Veterinary Nurse, but education has had a profound effect on her career path.

She had the opportunity to support student vet nurses quite soon after being qualified, initially as an assessor, then as a clinical coach, and then training manager across an independent practice’s training sites. This then led into her first VN education role at a local college in 2012 and she has never looked back!

Rachel has continued to work as a Lead IQA, Assessor and Lecturer. She is also an experienced OSCE examiner, has worked as Head of Centre, and as an EQA for an awarding body.

Having supported many student vet nurses and clinical coaches/ supervisors in her time in education and practice this has led to a passion in coaching and mentoring, as this goes hand in hand with the nature of her role.

She is passionate about leadership and management which is why she is currently studying with VMG and again there are clear links with coaching and mentoring and its importance in leadership roles, so the two work alongside one another well.

Chloe began her career in the equine veterinary industry in 2017, starting as a receptionist before progressing through the practice to become Practice Manager in 2023. Her hands-on experience across both client-facing and operational roles has given her a well-rounded understanding of veterinary practice management, team leadership, and delivering high-quality client care.

She is passionate about supporting veterinary teams and creating positive workplace cultures that benefit clients, patients, colleagues, and the business as a whole.

Aislin has worked in the veterinary industry since 2012, building experience across a variety of clinical and non-clinical roles. After qualifying as a Registered Veterinary Nurse (RVN) in 2016, she continued to develop her expertise and broaden her skill set, progressing into leadership positions including Head Nurse, Senior Support Nurse, Practice Manager, and currently Nursing Manager for a group of practices in Cheshire for VetPartners.

Aislin is particularly passionate about education and training, with a strong commitment to helping others develop their knowledge, skills, and confidence within the veterinary profession. She is also a strong advocate for psychologically safe workplaces, believing that teams perform at their best when individuals feel valued, supported, and empowered.

She strives to foster inclusive, positive working environments that promote wellbeing, collaboration, and professional growth.

Liz is a Director, Senior Leader & Qualified Coach with a track record of leading and growing a veterinary practice from start up to celebrating 21 years in business.

Passionate about their team and the veterinary industry, Liz has a particular interest in people, their behaviours and how leaders can create the right environment for their people, clients, patients and businesses to thrive.

Charlotte Rutter BVSc MRCVS is a Veterinary Surgeon and Veterinary Strength & Resilience Consultant with a passion for supporting Veterinary professionals in building sustainable careers, resilience and wellbeing.

After graduating as a Veterinary Surgeon in 2020, Charlotte worked in Equine ambulatory and Stud medicine, managing a varied caseload ranging from elite thoroughbred and sport horse studs to pleasure horses and smallholder clients. Alongside the clinical demands of practice, Charlotte developed a strong interest in performance, human behaviour, stress physiology and long-term wellbeing in high-pressure professions.

Following her own experience of burnout within the Veterinary profession, Charlotte shifted her focus towards helping Veterinary professionals better understand stress, recovery, resilience and sustainable performance. Combining lived experience with evidence-informed education, she now delivers wellbeing education, coaching and non-clinical support aimed at helping Veterinary teams improve capacity, confidence and career longevity.

Alongside her Veterinary background, Charlotte is also a qualified personal trainer and strength coach with experience in health, movement, functional fitness and behaviour change. Her work focuses on practical, realistic strategies that support physical, mental and emotional resilience in demanding clinical environments. Charlotte is passionate about helping Veterinary professionals move away from survival mode and towards sustainable performance — enabling them to care for themselves as well as they care for others.

Coming soon…

Claire Smith is a veterinary surgeon, founder and Clinical Director of Beacon View Vets, an independent small animal practice in Kent. Claire founded Beacon View in 2020, opening the practice just weeks before the first COVID-19 lockdown, and has since grown the business, team and range of clinical services.

Claire balances her passion for clinical work with an equally strong interest in leadership, team development and building a sustainable veterinary business. She brings to the panel first-hand experience of starting, growing and leading an independent veterinary practice, including the opportunities, challenges and lessons learned along the way.

Tom Roffe-Silvester MA VetMB PGDip CertAVP MRCVS is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Veterinary Task Force, a company providing bespoke veterinary assurance solutions to the working dog community. He and his wife Sonia also set up Exped Vet in 2024, with a mission to empower veterinary professionals with the skills, knowledge, and support necessary to excel in expeditionary, charity, humanitarian, and disaster relief settings; improving animal welfare in challenging
environments.

Tom qualified from Cambridge in 2007 and holds a Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice as well as an Extended Diploma in Strategic Leadership and Management. He brings 8 years’ experience as a Veterinary Officer in the British Army where, amongst other roles, he was Officer Commanding of both the Veterinary Services Training and Advisory Team and the Canine Training Squadron. He also conducted two operational tours of Afghanistan and spent time in Brunei and Nepal.

Rebecca Robinson is a coach, consultant, and passionate advocate for leadership at every level. With over 20 years in clinical practice and veterinary leadership, she now works with Vet Dynamics as a Platinum Academy Consultant and Lead Coach.

With over 20 years’ experience in clinical practice and leadership, Rebecca is a passionate advocate for the belief that leadership is for everyone—and that when nurtured, it benefits individuals, teams, and entire practices.

Having graduated from Cambridge, Rebecca began her veterinary career in mixed practice in the Peak District before focusing on small animals. Her interest in the transformational power of effective leadership led her to move into management, where she became a Practice Director and Business and Performance Coach. Through her work, Rebecca has helped build high-performing leadership teams, improve practice culture, and support individuals at all levels to grow with confidence.

Rebecca has worked with Vet Dynamics for over 16 years, supporting independent practice teams across the UK and internationally. She specialises in coaching for stress management, confidence, and team development, and is an NLP Practitioner with the Coaching Academy. She is currently studying towards a Coaching Diploma.

She is known for her warm, practical style and her ability to inspire teams to embrace change and lead from every level of the organisation.