Meet our Veterinary Student Ambassadors
Contributing to the education of veterinary students across Canada and beyond is essential to our mission. Alongside our comprehensive veterinary student and new graduate mentorship programs, did you know VetStrategy also has veterinary student ambassadors across the world?
Our student ambassadors act as a liaison between us and students all over the world, they have a great knowledge of our many opportunities. Plus, they can put you in touch with our talent acquisition team if you want to explore further the possibility of joining our team.
Interested in becoming a student ambassador or want to be put in touch with your local ambassador? Reach out to our team at vetstudent@vetstrategy.com.
Canadian Student Ambassadors
CHELSEA STONE
University of Calgary Veterinary Medicine
“Hello there, I’m Chelsea Stone, the VetStrategy student ambassador for UCVM. I grew up on an acreage loving all animals, big and small. However it wasn’t until after I finished my MSc in Epidemiology that I considered veterinary school as a career path. I wanted to have a career that would allow me to balance my passion for animals and my love of research and medicine and veterinary medicine seemed like the perfect fit for me. Though vet school has been challenging, I have loved every moment of it. My advice to future students: it’s never too late to change your mind on what career will fit best for your future.
I have been working in a VetStrategy clinic since before I became a student ambassador and I love that you are able to get the support network, mentorship and opportunities granted by working for a larger company, while also being able to have clinics that are unique and individualized to the communities they serve. Being a student ambassador has allowed me to work with the Talent Acquisition team to find creative ways to support students and to see first-hand how receptive this company is to new ideas on how to improve careers in veterinary medicine. “
JOSEPHINE LEE
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
“I’m Josephine. I’m passionate about mental wellbeing in the veterinary field. I saw an opportunity with VetStrategy and their commitment to help vets focus on doing what they love. I am pursuing my dream of a veterinary career at WCVM. I am also the proud owner of Sea-Monkeys. Originally from BC, I enjoy hiking and scuba diving. I’m always looking for places to go in the Saskatoon area.
I became a VetStrategy student ambassador to help diversify student exposure for job opportunities, as not all students are interested in taking on a business role in practice. I want to present VetStrategy as a possible career opportunity.”
ELIZABETH BAMFORD
Ontario Veterinary College
“Hello, my name is Elizabeth. I am a second-year veterinary student at the Ontario Veterinary College. I have been working in the veterinary industry for 5 years (outside of school) in Small Animal Hospitals and have worked in specialty departments such as pathology and diagnostic imaging. I have a cat named Frank and a 10-year-old rabbit named Miss Bunny. After receiving my DVM degree, I hope to work in small animal and pocket pet medicine. I look forward to working together with clients to provide pets with long, happy and healthy lives. Outside of veterinary medicine, my interests include singing and hanging out with friends (virtually due to Covid).
VetStrategy resonates with me because I believe that allowing veterinarians to put their full focus on caring for their patients and client service allows for a healthier work-life balance. I look forward to being a VetStrategy student ambassador and being the voice of students to the company and the voice of the organization on campus.”
International Student Ambassadors
ALICE RECOURA
University of Bristol (England)
“Heya! I am Alice Recoura, a third-year veterinary student at the University of Bristol. I am the definition of an International student. I have lived in 7 different countries including: France, Italy, India, UAE, Malaysia, Philippines (where we adopted 3 stray cats), Oman and England. I do not have a specific place I call home which may sound crazy to most. Home to me is wherever my family is. All this travelling has shaped me into the girl I am today, and I definitely want to continue travelling and exploring the world.
I joined VetStrategy because it gives students and graduates the opportunity to work abroad which is exactly what I want to do. As for my decision to study veterinary, I have always known that I wanted animals to play a big part in my life, but I only decided to study veterinary medicine at the age of 16. I loved the complexity of being a vet as you have to figure out the problem without being told where it hurts. You have to be the animals’ voices and get to save lives on a daily basis.
The veterinary degree is intense, and some days are harder than others, but what keeps me going is looking at the end goal and thinking about how many animals I will be able to help. I have no clue what the future holds, but I am a girl with a travel bug and I cannot wait to see where the veterinary career takes me.”
HANNAH SMITH
University of Bristol (England)
“Hi! I’m Hannah, a 2nd year Bristol vet Student. I have wanted to be a vet since I was a young kid and have really been interested in exotic species and zoological veterinary medicine. I love travelling and would love to be involved with species such as giraffes (since they are my favourite animal), big cats, elephants; the whole lot really. This summer I was able to work with rescued kangaroos and wallabies, and now Australia is definitely top of my list to visit!
I am British but my family moved to Canada in 2017 therefore VetStrategy’s initiative and EMS programs really appeal to me as they allow me to easily complete my EMS and gain experience while visiting my family in Canada, including my 13-year-old chocolate Labrador who I am missing dearly!”
EMILY KAVANAGH
University College Dublin (Ireland)
“My name is Emily Kavanagh and I am one of the VetStrategy ambassadors at UCD in Ireland. I have wanted to be a vet for as long as I can remember, when my city friends were going to teenage discos, I was on dairy farms! Of course I have always loved the idea of helping animals, but I think the effect veterinarians have on pet owners and families is also very important and special. I feel that tailored and personal care, and empathy are essential to be the best possible veterinarian.
I have three large dogs with completely different, colourful personalities which makes them great fun, especially when trying to walk together!
When seeing practice and studying, I always try to consciously imagine myself as both the vet and the owner and I hope to continue this when I am qualified. Finding these qualities in the ethos of VetStrategy really resonated with me. I also love the atmosphere of community with VetStrategy, particularly the OSCAR Fund is a lovely idea and story!
I would advise all veterinary students to spend time in a veterinary practice from as early in their degrees as possible. It can sometimes feel like the road to graduating as a vet is never-ending but actually being in practice will put everything into perspective and make college material much more relevant. Additionally, a bonus of seeing practice for me was discovering my new favourite dog breed, a St. Bernese, so it is now my goal to own one in the future! I love to travel, especially when I can incorporate the Veterinary Medicine field. In 2019 I spent an unforgettable summer at a wildlife hospital and a rescue shelter in Thailand, lessons from which I am still discovering.
I have always planned to work abroad upon graduation which is another reason why VetStrategy appealed to me. Especially as an international student, unfamiliar with Canada, VetStrategy is extremely supportive and the perfect foundation to use to explore opportunities without being limiting in the slightest!”
RACHEL RODE
University of Edinburgh (Scotland)
“Hi, my name is Rachel and I’m a first-year student in the graduate entry program at the University of Edinburgh!
I’m originally from Windsor, Ontario, but completed my BSc at the University of Toronto back in 2020. I have a passion for small animals and exotic medicine, as well as the complexity of the vet-client-animal relationship. Some fun facts about me: I swam for the varsity swim team throughout my time at U of T, I have two cats at home in Windsor, and my favourite animal is the pangolin!
I’m so excited to begin my journey with VetStrategy and provide veterinary students with some amazing networking and educational opportunities!”
JAYMEE GENCHER
Ross University (St. Kitts)
“Hey, my name is Jaymee. Unlike most of my colleagues, I didn’t always know I wanted to be a vet. I finished my bachelor’s degree and found myself working at a wildlife rehabilitation centre, and to my surprise, my favourite part was getting to assist the veterinarian on procedures. From there I was sold, I was going to become a veterinarian.
Now I’m a second-year student at Ross University in St. Kitts, and I get to spend my spare time at the beach, scuba diving and doing every hike this beautiful island has to offer.
I decided to become a VetStrategy ambassador because as a Canadian receiving a US-centric curriculum, I was worried I would have gaps in my knowledge when I returned to Canada to practice. VetStrategy seems passionate in helping Canadian’s at international schools fill these gaps, and I greatly appreciate that.”
SHAY BROKATE
Massey University (New Zealand)
“My name is Shay Brokate, and I am from North Augusta, Ontario. Growing up surrounded by animals, I always knew that I wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. I love travelling, so I had to take the opportunity to study in New Zealand at Massey University! In 2019, I packed my bags and moved across the world. I have loved my journey in vet school so far and look forward to the next two and a half years.
I am so excited to be a VetStrategy ambassador at Massey. I am very proud to be Canadian and I really want to be able to show people what our beautiful country has to offer! Being a student ambassador allows me to be more involved with my classmates and the staff and I can’t wait for our future events!”
ELIZABETH SCAIFE
University of Glasgow (Scotland)
“My name is Elizabeth Scaife and I am the VetStrategy student ambassador at University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine & Surgery. The VetStrategy position fell in my lap when I took up the role of the Vice President of the Glasgow Student CVMA. It has been an interesting time to be a student ambassador with all of the events having to be virtual and the challenge of trying to host original events has been trying but rewarding.
I am originally from a small town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on the southern shore of Lake Superior. I realized I wanted to be a vet when I was around 6 years old, with the desire only growing stronger while reading the James Herriot series. As of right now, my interests lie in mixed practice because it is all so fascinating.
In my time during vet school, my funniest memory happened while helping during the lambing season during my first-year spring break. It was during my second week lambing and there was a first time mother that was the most athletic sheep I have seen. She escaped her pen 3 separate times in one day, by leaping out over the top of the pens and gates to go back to the main pen with the ewes. She decided that being a mother was not for her, and would not stay with her lamb in the pen at all. In the end the farmer said she could be left with the ewes and that her lamb would be added to the orphan lamb pen for us to take care of.”
IRENY BARSOUM
St. George’s University (Grenada)
“My name is Ireny, I am a third-year veterinary student at St. George’s University! I chose to be a vet because I wanted to help animals, help the creatures that are in turn keeping us alive but can’t express their thoughts or emotions directly. I want to make sure each animal that crosses my path gets a chance to live a prosperous life.
I currently have a red-eared slider turtle, but my favorite animal is a wolf.
A funny story I have from vet school is when my friend and I were in our physical diagnosis class and had to do a physical exam on a dog. I was restraining for her while she palpated the dog’s abdomen. And one wrong squeeze later, my friend found herself victim to a fart in the face. We had to hand off the dog to another classmate cause we were both dying of laughter in the middle of class.
I chose VetStrategy because of their values and goals. I love that VetStategy respects the dynamics and responsibilities of all personnel on the team and tries their best to not make any changes unless necessary. VetStrategy’s team just wants to help the clinics and the animals, not take over. This is just one of the reasons I chose to work for VetStrategy.”
JESSICA TAM
University of Queensland (Australia)
"It may be cliché but I have always loved animals growing up and loved them even more since my mom did not allow me to keep any pets growing up. Unfortunately, I knew I feared the needles and the blood so decided to pursue a degree entirely different to veterinary medicine. I started off volunteering at shelters and then later animal hospitals and that is when I knew the needles and blood aspect of the industry is not that bad. And there is nothing more rewarding than being able to discharge an animal back home when they initially came in very sick; I will never forget this feeling, there is nothing quite like it and I would choose this profession for life despite it being challenging.
In vet school, when I saw cows for the first time (I grew up in a city), I was super excited. We were learning about how to handle and move cows around the yard in our first year husbandry & handling course. I asked the cows to “mooooove”. My instructor laughed. Sometimes we have to do some silly things to have a good time.
I was born and raised in Canada and love home. I chose to study in Australia to experience the wildlife aspect of veterinary medicine as well as become more independent. But while studying here, I have met a lot of great people in my cohort and in the industry. It would be lovely to be able to work with them someday back home in Canada. I became a student rep to promote the ideals of VetStrategy as they align with my own."
SARAH LEWIS
Royal Veterinary College (England)
"Hello! My name is Sarah Lewis and I am heading into my fourth year at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), University of London, in London, England. I am from Windsor, Ontario, and moved to the RVC when I was 17.
I’ve had an amazing time at vet school thus far and the opportunities are second to none, from working hard on sheep and dairy farms, to taking care of alpacas, exploring London, and continuing to fulfill my hockey bug abroad and playing against teams such as Oxford and Cambridge.
I fell in love with horses at the age of three after watching the horse movie “Spirit, Stallion of the Cimarron” and soon after I set my heart on becoming a veterinarian. Although I love horses, I have a weak spot for golden retrievers and hope to own one before too long.
At the RVC I started a Canadian Society where (pre-Covid) Canadians and other students gathered together to go ice skating, bowling, enjoy a Canadian Thanksgiving dinner together, and apple-picking. It’s been a great way to meet new people at university and educate others about Canadian culture.
I am excited to be a part of the VetStrategy Team as a Student Ambassador and to have the opportunity to share with my classmates the opportunities VetStrategy has to offer and to experience this firsthand through EMS. VetStrategy has been superb in dedicating resources to students, listening to our needs, and helping to fulfill them. Members of the RVC Canadian Society are very excited to start practicing with VetStrategy once border restrictions ease. I am honoured to be a part of the team and look forward to the year ahead."
KATRINA CHENEY
University of Sydney (Australia)
"I am a third-year vet student at the University of Sydney, Australia. I decided to become a vet despite my background in Business Administration (and Science) because I have a keen interest in animal health and welfare, and I like that there are many different career paths within the veterinary industry. I am originally from Calgary, Alberta, so when I heard about an opportunity to network with a Canadian veterinary management organization, I knew that I should apply to become a VetStrategy ambassador. The role allows me to share information about Canada with my classmates, especially what it’s like to work in different provinces across the country!"