VSPA Fall 2025 Conference

VSPA Fall 2025 Conference - Reno, NV

November 5 - 8, 2025 · Whitney Peak Hotel, Reno NV

The VSPA Fall 2025 Conference warmly invites the owners and administrators of independently owned veterinary specialty and emergency hospitals that are not in the competitive area of a current member to see what VSPA is about by attending our conference in person. Is that you? If so - Welcome!

Check the VSPA Member Directory - Veterinary Specialty Practice Alliance (specialtyvets.com). We are available anytime by email, text, or phone, and we look forward to hearing from you. pam@specialtyvets.com or 919.219.5210.

Also - consider attending Ascend: The Independent Summit for Veterinary Leadership from Saturday, 11.08.2025 and Sunday, 11/09/2025! It is a separate event in the same location where the leaders of ALL independent veterinary practices are invited to attend. Here is the link for information for the Ascend Summit. https://www.eventleaf.com/e/Ascend2025

**NOTE - there are no "live virtual" sessions. Recorded sessions will be available after the conference.

Agenda

Wednesday, November 5

1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Board of Directors Meeting (Alpine)

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Ꙭ Casual Gathering & Dinner (Bead Private Dining Room)

Gather in the hotel bar for conversation and connection. Join us for dinner (RSVP required!)

Thursday, November 6

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM

Yoga, Walk, Meditation

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM

Breakfast & Posters (all meals in Boundary Peak)

After your breakfast, create a poster for your practice describing what you have been up to over the past year!

9:30 AM - 10:50 AM

Members Business Meeting (all sessions in Whitney Peak 1-2)

VSPA NDA Members Only

11:00 AM - 11:40 AM

Ꙭ Presidents Welcome & Introductions

11:40 AM - 12:30 PM

Ꙭ From Boomers to Zoomers: Bridging Generational Gaps Without Losing Your Sanity

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Ꙭ Lunch (Boundry Peak)

1:30 PM - 2:20 PM

Ꙭ Sniffing Out the Best: Hiring Top Talent Without Chasing Your Tail

2:20 PM - 2:50 PM

Sponsor Engagement

2:50 PM - 4:10 PM

Easier Management Statements & a Fresh Look at Your Chart of Accounts

4:10 PM - 4:30 PM

Ꙭ Break

4:30 PM - 5:20 PM

Group Discussions

Overcoming Generational Gaps Ways to Attract Talent

5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Ꙭ Sponsor Networking & Reception (Boundary & Whitney 3)

Friday, November 7

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM

Yoga with Sonja Olson (Granite Yoga Studio)

Please bring your own Yoga Mat or Towel

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Ꙭ Breakfast

9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Ꙭ Oh, So You Want Interns?

A candid look at what it really takes to bring interns into a Specialty or Emergency hospital

10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Ꙭ Golden Handcuffs – A practical look at identifying key team members, structuring benefits, and using IRC 409A as part of an employee retention strategy.

A practical look at identifying key team members, structuring benefits, and using IRC 409A as part of an employee retention strategy...

10:50 AM - 11:10 AM

Ꙭ Break

11:10 AM - 12:00 PM

Ꙭ The Biggest Transaction: Sell Confidently to the Right Successor

For many veterinary practice owners, the sale of their business is the single largest financial transaction of their lifetime with no do-overs. Whether you're selling to a veterinarian, or a group within your team, success hinges on...

12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Ꙭ Lunch

1:00 PM - 1:50 PM

Administrative Organization Task Force Discussion - Finding Commonality In Chaos!

1:50 PM - 2:20 PM

Sponsor Engagement

2:20 PM - 3:10 PM

Ꙭ Beyond Burnout: Reclaiming Energy and Effectiveness in Veterinary Leadership

This session explores the unique challenges faced by veterinary leaders and managers navigating chronic stress, compassion fatigue, and decision fatigue in high-pressure environments. Drawing on the latest ....

3:10 PM - 3:30 PM

Break

3:30 PM - 4:50 PM

Group Discussions

Succession ProSal Alternative Ownership Strategies

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Ꙭ Sponsor Networking & Reception (Boundary & Whitney 3)

Saturday, November 8

7:00 AM - 8:00 AM

Yoga with Sonja Olson (Granite Yoga Studio)

Please bring your own Yoga Mat or Towel

8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Ꙭ Breakfast

9:00 AM - 9:50 AM

Ꙭ The Culture Cure: Building Trust, Psychological Safety, and a Workplace that Retains Talent

A healthy culture doesn’t happen by accident—it is intentionally built through emotionally intelligent leadership and a deep understanding of psychological safety. In this session, Dr. Olson explores how to...

10:00 AM - 10:50 AM

Ꙭ Occupational Wellness in Veterinary Medicine: A Systems-Level Approach to Sustainable Practice

Veterinary professionals are more than their job titles—they are whole humans operating in complex systems. This session introduces the “wellness wheel” as a framework for examining the....

10:50 AM - 11:10 AM

Ꙭ Break

11:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Group Discussion & Closing

*Note - conference ends at noon - lunch served for Ascend attendees only.

Speakers

Sonja Olson, DVM

Tom Seeko

Samantha Sanchez

Samantha Sanchez is a veterinary hospital administrator with more than a decade of leadership experience across general practice, emergency, and specialty medicine.

CJ Burnett

Kathryn Ryan

HR Tech Consultant at iSolved HCM and full-time dog mom to Baxter, a terrier who thinks he runs the house (he’s not wrong). With nearly a decade in the Human Capital Management industry, Katie has made it her mission to decode the ...

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