We recently connected with Valerie Marcano and have shared our conversation below.

Valerie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Any thoughts around creating more inclusive workplaces?

I often find that leaders know that they have a diverse team before implementing specific strategies for inclusion. When discussing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) there are dimensions that are visible, and some that are not. One visible example is wheel chair ramps – we do not wait until we have an individual that needs them to install them. We make the building accessible ahead of time. We plan for it. It is the same with any inclusive practice – you have to build them into your team’s everyday practices so that when they are needed, they are already there. We often do not know who these practices are already benefiting. EIB encompasses race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, ability, and more. Individuals should not have to disclose parts of themselves they are not comfortable sharing. Inclusion strategies that support a diverse and equitable workforce should be in place regardless. Inclusive practices must become part of the culture of the organization to actually create a culture in which individuals feel that they belong.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I believe in access – to veterinary care, to food and to veterinary medicine as a profession. I wear many hats – I am an international speaker, a consultant, a scientist, a veterinarian, and a nonprofit leader. I am passionate about evaluating inclusion strategies and building inclusive environments through mentorship and empowerment. I am a board-certified diplomate of the American College of Poultry Veterinarians. I received my veterinary and PhD degrees at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. Before that, I completed a Bachelor of Science with Distinction in Research at Cornell University. Throughout my career I have worked in research, government, diagnostics, and private industry. In 2020, my husband and I co-founded Pawsibilities Vet Med, a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to increasing support for veterinary teams and individuals from underrepresented communities. Pawsibilities Vet Med has a virtual community and provides professional development opportunities and numerous resources to members. In 2022, I founded ValCri Consulting as a way to provide consulting in inclusive mentorship and poultry health while providing veterinary relief services with a focus on veterinary accessibility.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

As I went through all of my schooling – high school, undergrad and a couple of doctoral degrees, I continued to see fewer people who looked like me. I grew up in the veterinary industry, and saw firsthand the impact of veterinary teams on every aspect of society – in research, food safety and access to food, in health and disease, in companionship, etc. I thought about what was different for me – seeing myself represented in the profession through my mother plus having mentors who supported me. I kept thinking of ways to offer this to others and with a team of peers, came up with Pawsibilities Vet Med – a community in which people from communities underrepresented in veterinary medicine can see themselves in the profession and get support throughout their journey. The planning started briefly while I finished my PhD and veterinary degrees, but it was overwhelming. Once I was working full time, my husband and I started Pawsibilities Vet Med part time. We built a team over time, relying on people who saw our potential, advised us, helped us, and donated to our nonprofit. We have grown tremendously with a team that believes in our mission. We have continued to grow and the most important thing I can share is to keep a growth mindset – it is ok to pivot, to change and to grow over time. Do things better than you did before, but also decide that something isn’t working and go back to when it worked better. We initially launched in 2020 and since then, we have changed several things – where our trainings happen, the format, the age of people joining our community, how we do our social media. Our biggest milestone and risk, was opening the community to people 13 years old and older in January 2024. It turned everything upside down, it was a lot of work and we weren’t always sure we’d make it as a nonprofit – but now we are stronger than before and looking forward to continuing to grow.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

The most important thing I have done to build my reputation was to identify my core values. A mentor advised me to identify my core values early in my career. She said that I was ever unsure of whether I should pursue a project or not, I should consider how it aligns with my core values. I have learned that the words that you use to define your values can change over time, but the sentiment often remains. Knowing what those values are, and ensuring your actions align with those values is the underpinning of leadership.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pawsibilitiesvetmed.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pawsnpurrious/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-marcano/