About your guide

Dr Jess Moore-Jones is a vet, coach, executive leader, solo mum by choice, and enthusiastic LARPer (don't feel bad if you don't know what that is).​

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She also considers herself to be a fulfilled career woman, an engaged and present mum, an ambitious business owner and an intrepid adventurer (yes, even with a kid). She's been General Manager of a specialist hospital, CEO of an RSPCA, Manager of Wildlife Health for Taronga Zoo, and Senior Advisor for local government. She's lectured vet students, coached vets, mentored leaders and challenged our industry bodies to do better.

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Dr Jess started her veterinary leadership journey just like you; bright eyed and passionate about improving the industry for the colleagues she knew were struggling with negative cultures, untrained leaders, and a lack of proactive support systems. So she read everything she could, went to every training under the sun, tried to emulate all the 'best practice' advice she could get hold of. And yet, still things flailed. Positivity fluctuated, people resisted, staff attrition continued. And eventually she worked out that this is because everything she was doing was either from different industries, or was based on well-intentioned, academic advice that just can't hold up in the real world of emotions, finances, and human beings. Not to mention that as a female leader, she was judged by and held accountable to different yardsticks than all the people delivering leadership training.

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So she set about trying things a different way. Getting results over following guidelines. Making things happen over 'best practice' advice. And THEN change started to happen. Cultures transformed before her eyes, people took accountability for their impact on the business. Teams started to play the major role in improving the business. It was hard work, there were definitely tears, and every new transformation throws up a new set of unexpected challenges, but now Jess has proved that stepping outside the academics of leadership and into the real-world of the veterinary setting, we can become the leaders we wanted to be.

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And now she wants to use that journey, and the skills learned trying and testing and failing and trying again, to help you do the same. To improve the sustainability, wellbeing and fulfilment of our profession by helping animal people become great people leaders.

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Dr Jess would like to be there for you through the ups and the downs, the emotional turmoil and the thankless tasks, and help you become the leader you want to be.

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You just have to be bold enough to start!