Galaxy Vets Announces 11 New Additions to Leadership Team

Galaxy Vets has announced the addition of 11 new members to its leadership team. Recent appointments will lead initiatives related to medical operations, telehealth, retail diagnostics, member services, hospital integrations, learning and development.

“Only eight months since inception, and Galaxy Vets is already a very mature organization with a strong team, established business processes, systems and a data-driven value creation plan for 2022 and 5 years beyond,” said Ivan Zak, DVM. , MBA and CEO of Galaxy Vets. “Our healthcare system is carefully designed to increase access to care for pet owners and provide lifelong quality care for their pets while providing financial security, flexibility and job variety for veterinary teams. We are delighted to see that our goal of reducing burnout in the industry is attracting so much support and talent.

Galaxy Vets is a vertically integrated, employee-owned veterinary healthcare system that partners with general practices in small areas of the United States to build new specialty surgical and emergency hospitals with their own reference. It plans to expand into the virtual care space, developing a network of retail diagnostic centers to meet customer demand for veterinary services, distribute workload through teletriage and teleconsultation, and provide flexibility and variety of tasks to veterinary teams with the aim of improving clinicians and client experience.

Here is a list of new appointees to the management team, provided by a press release from Galaxy Vets:

• Lowell Ackerman, DVM, MBA: Head of Global Veterinary Strategy—With an in-depth knowledge of global veterinary needs and markets and extensive experience in primary care practice, specialty medicine, industry and academia, Lowell will be responsible for developing and improving policy, medical processes and procedures to ensure quality, consistency and alignment of medical care. standards across all verticals of the Galaxy Vets Health System. These include general practice, emergency and specialty hospitals, and virtual care services.
• Emmitt Nantz, MBA: Chief Operating Officer—Nantz has spent nearly 2 decades in the veterinary industry with Banfield Pet Hospital, SmartFlow and IDEXX. He uses his experience in creating large-scale operational improvements to increase hospital performance, improve employee experience, and leverage processes to alleviate burnout.
• Dean Cornwell, DVM, PhD: Diagnostic Operations— Cornwell is a veterinary industry veteran specializing in medical technology and clinical pathology. After 23 years at IDEXX, he joined Galaxy Vets to set up a network of retail diagnostic centers, an integral part of his business model.
• Sarah Wallace, DVM: Vice President of Telehealth—Wallace leads the development of Galaxy Vets’ virtual care model as Vice President of Telehealth. With experience growing virtual care platforms at Fuzzy Pet Health and Modern Animal, Wallace is committed to increasing the use of telehealth to improve access to care and ease the workload of veterinary teams.
• Tina Stofiel: Member Services—After 21 years of designing and developing wellness plan programs at Banfield Pet Hospital, Stofiel brings his expertise and in-depth market knowledge to create a member services platform at Galaxy Vets with the aim of improve lifelong care for pets, improve access to pet care. owners, and ultimately achieve zero economic euthanasia.
• Tara McCarthy, DVM: Community Engagement Manager—A veterinarian with 16 years of experience, she is dedicated to attracting like-minded individuals who share Galaxy Vets’ goal of reducing burnout in the veterinary profession. McCarthy has a background in health and wellness as well as a career in veterinary medicine. Her particular passion is to help working mothers, especially DVM mothers with their health and to find their own personal balance.
• Steve Kemph, MAOM: Vice President of Field Operations; Shannon Gervais, RVT: Director of Hospital Integrations—Kemph and Gervais are responsible for ensuring a smooth and stable transition of veterinary hospitals to the Galaxy Vets system and enabling predictable and sustainable growth for years to come. Kemph has more than a decade of leadership in the field in the veterinary field, including as Regional Director at Banfield Pet Hospital and Vice President of Operations at Companion Animal Veterinary Care Centers. Gervais has held several positions in the veterinary industry, ranging from clinical nursing to companion animals; Sales; regional and key account management; marketing and recruitment operations. In her previous role, she was responsible for the learning and development of veterinary technologists at VCA Canada.
• Rory Lubold, Sr: Vice President of Information Technology—Lubold is in charge of IT systems, cybersecurity and data protection. He is a multidisciplinary engineer with extensive experience in computer services, aeronautical, electrical, and mechanical engineering, and software and hardware development in a variety of settings, including the military, public service, and Hollywood. He believes in the importance of leveraging technology to provide a better customer experience.
• Jennifer Keller, Med: Learning and Development—Keller has nearly 2 decades of talent development experience with Columbia Sportswear Company, Banfield Pet Hospital and others. She is passionate about creating a culture of continuous learning, prioritizing employee well-being, and creating tools and resources that help employees perform at their best and achieve their career goals.
• RJ Peters, MBA: Head of Finance—Peters is a financial leader with over 25 years of experience in many industries including veterinary services, financial services and child care. He led M&A projects and built FP&A teams at Cash America, EZCorp and Lakefield Veterinary. He focuses on building high performing teams with strong cultures by putting people first.

Reference

Galaxy Vets Introduces Leadership Team, Improves Integrated Services Model. Press release. Galaxy Veterans. March 1, 2022.