Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Niccole Bruno. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Niccole , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.
My parents ensured my sister and I had opportunities through education, extracurricular activities, and continued support. They both worked multiple jobs to be able to send us to private school, to pay for test prep, dance and gymnastic lessons, and more. My mother was an educator and knew of the importance of exposure. When my sister and I both decided to pursue veterinary medicine, she found opportunities for us to have experiences. Growing up in the 90s didnt allow for the same access to mentorship or resources online. My mom purchased books and subscribed to magazines for us to have continued touchpoints. She helped us secure scholarships for college and supported us in our studies. Today, my sister and I are both veterinarians.
Niccole , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Dr Niccole Bruno, and I am a veterinarian. I have practiced small animal medicine in NY and Houston for 17 years. Currently, I am the CEO and founder of blendVET, an organization that provides diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) training to veterinary students and professionals. We also host student and parent pathway programming to increase exposure to veterinary medicine for underrepresented minority students. The veterinary profession is the least diverse medical profession, with 2% of veterinarians identifying as Black. To create a profession that mirrors pet owners’ demographics, we must intentionally develop a profession that fosters inclusion and creates opportunities for students to see themselves in vet med.
My story began in Queens, NY, in an apartment complex. Parking was limited, so we would need to wait for a spot—sometimes for hours. While we sat and waited, I saw many stray animals in the neighborhood, making me cry. I wanted to take everything in, but we could not because we were not allowed to have pets. So, my mother would permit me to use my allowance to go to the bodega (little convenience stores in NYC) to purchase food for them. Soon, I would have a little parade of animals that would follow my sister and me for food. I realized I wanted to do more to help them, so I declared my interest in veterinary medicine. Shortly after my younger sister Jasmine said she would also be a veterinarian, my perspective changed. I knew I needed to pave the way for myself and her.
I attended Tuskegee University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), for my undergraduate studies, which centered me and gave me the sense of belongingness I needed in this profession. Tuskegee University planted seeds, many of which flourished throughout my career and have been a pivotal part of blendVET’s journey. I met my business partner, Dr. Genine Ervin-Smith during our animal science classes. While we attended different veterinary schools– I am a Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine graduate, and she remained at Tuskegee for veterinary school, we had similar experiences navigating the profession as underrepresented women.
Through our programs and consulting over the last three years, blendVET® has laid the groundwork for cultural change with start-up veterinary companies and privately-owned veterinary hospitals, provided the DEIB content for corporate veterinary organizations, administered training sessions at veterinary academic institutions & national veterinary conferences, and we’ve recently launched our blendVET® Achiever certification program to all professionals within the veterinary industry.
By far, blendVET pathway programming is something I am most proud of because it allows us to pour into children. It also re-energizes my colleagues and me, as we remember our why and purpose within veterinary medicine. During the full-day event, our students rotate through specialty and medical workstations such as emergency, behavioral, general practice, surgery, clinical pathology, dermatology, zoo medicine, nutrition, and shelter medicine. Our immersion areas are designed to educate students on the importance of pet care through implementation and first-hand education. It truly brings the veterinary community together to share our purpose with students who may have yet to have an opportunity for veterinary exposure. Investing in DEIB training and representation within our hospitals also helps us increase the veterinary pipeline for under-represented students. It opens the door for shadowing opportunities & mentorship aimed at keeping students interested in veterinary medicine. Through our simultaneous in-person or virtual parent education programs, we’re also able to provide a significant piece of the puzzle for them to help navigate their children through the individual stages of a career in veterinary medicine, and we’re exceedingly grateful to our sponsors and parents for supporting us in this endeavor.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
During the pandemic, I felt called to do more to address diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) efforts in veterinary medicine. I wanted to impact the profession by addressing the need for DEIB educational content available to veterinary professionals and students to create inclusive workplaces and shift culture. I decided to pivot from practicing medicine to starting blendVET in 2021. Today, blendVET provides DEIB training to veterinary schools, hospitals, and professionals, but we also are helping to diversify the profession through our student and parent pathway programming. Being underrepresented myself, it was essential to increase opportunities for underrepresented minority students to have exposure and opportunities in veterinary medicine. Our programming allows students to learn about the many pathways and opportunities in veterinary medicine, gain exposure through hands-on workstations, and find support through mentorship,
Following my passion opened doors not only for myself but for others.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
“A sign of a good leader is not how many followers you have, but how many leaders you create.”–Mahatma Gandhi
An essential part of leadership is building relationships with your team–learning their individual goals and aspirations and helping support them in this endeavor. Taking time to listen to their concerns and inviting feedback as part of a more significant cause shows them they are valued, are seen and their opinions count. You cannot go wrong with investing in people when it comes to maintaining morale.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.blend.vet
- Instagram: @blend.vet or @drniccolebruno
- Facebook: Niccole Bruno Vereen or BLEND VetMed
- Linkedin: Niccole Bruno or blendvet