Paws and profits: New leadership in the veterinary industry

Veterinary leadership is important for directing practices and organizations toward improved outcomes and maintaining a functional work environment. Effective leaders in veterinary medicine are responsible for managing teams, fostering innovation, and maintaining standards of patient care. By carefully managing resources and addressing industry challenges, veterinary leaders help sustain the operations and growth of their practices and organizations.

Several veterinary organizations have recently appointed new leaders. The following individuals are among those advancing in their careers:

Joe Venezia, chief revenue officer, Petco

Joe Venezia, chief revenue officer, Petco. (Photo courtesy of Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc.)

Joe Venezia recently joined Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. as its new chief revenue officer. In his new role, Venezia will work to increase revenue and develop strategies to ameliorate the customer experience. He will also spearhead areas that play an integral part of driving the company’s growth, like pet care centers, pet and veterinary services, real estate, and customer success capabilities.¹

“Petco has a strong brand and a highly differentiated footprint with a significant opportunity to drive profitable growth," Venezia said in a company release.¹ "I look forward to working with Joel [Anderson, chief executive officer], the rest of the executive leadership team, and all of our Petco partners as we focus on improving our performance to create lasting value for our customers and shareholders."

With more than 25 years of retail experience, Venezia has held leadership positions at Bridgestone Retail Operations, Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us, Walmart, and Procter & Gamble, with his most recent role being chief operating officer of stores at Michaels.

Chanel Berns, DVM. (Photo courtesy of Schwarzman Animal Medical Center)

Mariel Covo, VMD, DACVIM (SAIM). (Photo courtesy of Schwarzman Animal Medical Center)

Robin Doherty, DVM, DACVIM (Photo courtesy of Schwarzman Animal Medical Center)

Chanel Berns, DVM; Mariel Covo, VMD, DACVIM (SAIM); Robin Doherty, DVM, DACVIM; Schwarzman Animal Medical Center

The Schwarzman Animal Medical Center (AMC) in New York, New York welcomed 13 new senior veterinarians to their veterinary teaching hospital. These newly welcomed professionals will be joining more 140 veterinarians in more than 20 specialties. Among those who recently joined are Chanel Berns, DVM; Mariel Covo, VMD, DACVIM (SAIM); and Robin Doherty, DVM, DACVIM.²

At AMC, Berns will be specializing in surgery, having completed her DVM from Texas A&M in 2019, a rotating internship at the University of Georgia, and a surgery residency at Texas A&M. She conducts orthopedic and soft tissue surgeries, and focuses on minimally-invasive techniques such as arthroscopy and laparoscopy.

A native of New York City, Covo obtained her veterinary degree from the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Covo pursued internal medicine, completing a rotating internahip and residency in internal medicine at AMC. Covo’s interests include immune-mediated diseases, hematology, and gastroenterology.

With a concentration in interventional radiology and endoscopy, Doherty’s passions include endoscopic interventions, gastroenterology, lower urinary tract disease, and diabetic management. She completed her degree at the University of Minnesota and underwent a rotating internship at the University of Pennsylvania. Doherty also completed a specialty internship in interventional radiology/endoscopy at AMC and a residency in internal medicine at the University of Minnesota.

Jared Vestal, MBA, chief customer and marketing officer, Independence Pet Holdings

Jared Vestal, MBA, chief customer and marketing officer, Independence Pet Holdings. (Photo courtesy of Independence Pet Holdings)

Independence Pet Holdings (IPH), a pet insurance company, appointed Jared Vestal at its first chief customer and marketing officer. In the new role, Vestal will oversee IPH’s multi-brand portfolio and will be in charge of creating an all-encompassing customer growth framework to improve customer acquisition, experience, and loyalty.

"We are thrilled to welcome Jared to IPH and believe he will play a pivotal role in advancing IPH's alignment with evolving customer expectations and further establishing the company as a leader in the pet care and insurance space," Kirk Haggard, CEO of IPH, stated in a company release.³

Vestal has a 2-decade history in marketing. In 2023, he was named in AdAge’s 40 under 40. Moreover, he has spearheaded initiatives at GEICO, Salesforce, FreshDirect, and Omnicom Media Group.

References

1. Petco names Joe Venezia chief revenue officer. News release. Petco Health and Wellness Company, Inc. November 13, 2024. Accessed December 12, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/petco-names-joe-venezia-chief-revenue-officer-302304933.html
2. Schwarzman Animal Medical Center Welcomes Over a Dozen New Senior Veterinarians in New York City, Adding to a World-Class Medical Team Working Across 20+ Specialties. News release. Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. November 1, 2024. Accessed November 1, 2024. [email]
3. Independence Pet Holdings expands executive team, announces Jared Vestal as first chief customer and marketing officer. News release. Independence Pet Holdings. November 18, 2024. Accessed December 12, 2024. https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/news-releases/independence-pet-holdings-expands-executive-team-announces-jared-vestal-as-first-chief-customer-and-marketing-officer-302307854.html