VCA Voice Veterinary Podcast

In light of the recent wildfires in Southern California, Dr. Kerl welcomes Brian Ruditsky to the podcast to share about his team's response to the emergent need to find safe places to board pets of owners displaced due to mandatory evacuation orders during the Post Fire. Brian is Regional Operations Director for the Southern California region and discusses the joys and challenges of working in this role within VCA, as well as his journey as a naval aviator to his career in veterinary medicine.
Brian grew up in Simi Valley, California and attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy. After graduation, he was commissioned into the United States Navy and spent ten years as a naval aviator, piloting F-18s. During his service, Brian earned an M.B.A. from Fresno State University and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from Villanova University. After ten years in the Navy, Brian ventured into healthcare and held several roles in performance improvement and business development. His most recent position in human healthcare was at a local community hospital, where he served as the Business Development Executive. While looking for a change in careers, Brian had the privilege of serving as the General Manager for Conejo Valley Veterinary Hospital (CVVH), a 24/7 general practice and emergency veterinary hospital in Thousand Oaks, California. This role was gratifying as it introduced him to the world of veterinary health and the dedicated professionals who passionately care for animals. As he looked to continue to grow professionally, he found a fantastic opportunity at VCA as the Regional Operations Director for SC01 and SC07 regions, which encompasses his hometown.
On a personal note, he’s been happily married to his wife, Crystal, for 21 years. Together, they have three wonderful daughters: Ashley, who is currently in college; Katelyn, who is in high school; and Savanna, who is starting high school. Their family is completed by their three energetic golden retrievers, Cody, Daisy, and Paddles, who bring craziness into their home.

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In the first episode of our two part series on Veterinary CPR, Dr. Kerl is pleased to welcome Drs. Boller, Burkitt, and Fletcher. Their conversation includes discussing their experiences in veterinary medicine and the groundbreaking RECOVER 2.0 Initiative, which aims to improve CPR practices in the field. They each share their professional journeys, the historical context of CPR, the design and outcomes of the RECOVER 2.0 guidelines, and the international response to their work. They emphasize the importance of community support, education, and ongoing research to fill knowledge gaps in veterinary CPR. Enjoy listening to part one and stay tuned for part two coming up next!
For more information, please check out the links below:
RECOVER 2.0 Initiative
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14764431/2024/34/S1

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We are celebrating our 50th episode of the VCA Voice Podcast with special guest Dr. Todd Lavender! Join Dr. Kerl and Dr. Lavender, former VCA president and current Chief Transformation Officer at Mars Veterinary Health, as they discuss his journey in veterinary medicine and his passion for the profession. In their conversation, Dr. Lavender emphasizes the importance of supporting and mentoring veterinary students and the vital role of veterinary technicians in the profession. He also talks about the entrepreneurial spirit at VCA and the ability to rapidly address unmet needs, during and after the global pandemic. Dr. Lavender encourages listening and being open to different perspectives as a way to understand and care for the future of veterinary medicine.
As the former president of VCA Animal Hospitals, a second-generation veterinarian, and now Chief Transformation Officer for Mars Veterinary Health, taking care of the future of veterinary medicine is deeply personal to Dr. Todd Lavender. His time with VCA started when he was a practice owner in Atlanta. During his 17+ years at VCA, Dr. Lavender’s leadership roles have spanned Operations, Recruiting and Medical Operations. He previously served as Senior Vice President of Eastern Hospital Operations, Regional Medical Director, Recruiting and Professional Relations Director, and Senior Group Vice President for VCA’s Eastern Division.

As Chief Transformation Officer, Dr. Lavender leads programs designed to increase access to care and inspire the next generation of veterinary professionals. He is also a Board Director for VCA Charities, a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to keeping pets in loving homes, while also leading VCA’s exploration of how to build a more resilient profession and bring veterinary care to new communities, together with organizations like Vet Set Go and the Atlanta Humane Society.

Committed to building a more inclusive and diverse profession, he also serves as the executive sponsor for VCA’s equity, inclusion and diversity (EI&D) initiatives. In this role, Dr. Lavender supports and advocates for Associate-led diversity resource groups, including the Black* African American Network, LatinX Network, Pride* Network, and WISE: Women Impacting Success for Everyone.
Dr. Lavender received his bachelor’s and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degrees from the University of Georgia, home of the 2021 College Football National Champions. He and his wife live in Los Angeles with their dog, Dooley.

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Veterinary technicians serve a critical role in caring for our pets. In this episode, we discuss how VCA Animal Hospitals is elevating veterinary technicians through learning, development, and leadership opportunities. Listen in as Dr. Kerl hosts Jessica Sewell, BAS CVT LVT LVMT RVT CPhT, and Regional Technician and Assistant Director.

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On this episode of the VCA Voice Podcast, Dr. Kerl is pleased to welcome Martha Smith, VCA's Chief Client Officer. Since joining VCA in 2014, Martha has led several key growth initiatives, including the development of VCA’s ecommerce strategy and build and launch of our online store and patient portals, the development and rollout of VCA’s recent brand refresh (which she counts as a career highlight), and more recently the integration of our brand, marketing and experience departments into a single, integrated growth team. Through her 9 years and 6 roles with us, she has developed an award-winning team, who have collectively racked up 17 Vetty Awards for their work on integrated client education campaigns on the subjects of parasite protection, osteoarthritis, dermatology, nutrition, digital tools, and more, and more recently three recognitions including one win at the recent Mars Petcare Engine 50 Awards.
A native of Montréal, Canada, Martha received her BA Honours English Literature from
Concordia University in Montréal, and her MA English and MBA degrees from California State University, Long Beach. Her early career involved various consulting and leadership roles focused on writing and editing, digital and ecommerce marketing, social media strategy and marketing, and growth strategy.
After 18 years in Los Angeles, Martha now lives in Fort Fairfield, Maine with her husband, Jason, where they – recently empty nesters with their son, Jayson, joining the United States Marine Corps – have turned their attention to forest-bathing in the North Maine Woods and spoiling silly their 18-month-old Border Collie/Azawakh mix, Bob.

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