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ELEVATE

The Veterinary Technician Leadership Academy

Leadership is a contact sport.

A selective leadership academy for early-career veterinary technicians. Twelve people, six months, one cohort that grows together.

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You can save your progress and come back to it.

Why this exists

Every profession needs its next generation of leaders, and ours is no different. Early-career veterinary technicians step into the field full of instinct and drive, but almost no one is formally taught how to lead. Many have never seen healthy leadership modeled consistently. ELEVATE changes that.

ELEVATE is a high-touch leadership experience, not a passive class. Over six months, a cohort of twelve builds the presence, communication, and confidence to lead, along with a real connection to the wider veterinary community. It is an investment in the people who will carry the profession forward.

What you'll build

Leadership identity Self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and knowing how others experience you.	Communication & influence Ask better questions, listen for what is not said, and influence without authority.
Confidence under pressure Trust, feedback, and staying grounded through the hard conversations.	Professional contribution Represent the profession well and find your first real way to move it forward.

Format & timeline

ELEVATE runs for six months, and it is built around showing up. It begins with a two-day in-person kickoff at the Veterinary Leadership Conference in January, where the cohort forms and the foundation is set. From February through June, the group meets for monthly one-hour virtual sessions, each focused on a single leadership skill, with peer pods keeping the work alive in between. It closes with two days of learning and a graduation ceremony at AVMA in July, where each participant presents a capstone leadership contribution.

Along the way, you get access to respected leaders from across veterinary medicine, a coach, a peer pod, and a cohort you keep long after graduation.

January kickoff to July graduation

Two in-person anchors, monthly virtual sessions, and a cohort of twelve.

Who it's for

ELEVATE is built for early-career veterinary technicians, from final-year students to about five years past earning the credential. It is selective and application-based, and the cohort is capped at twelve, small on purpose so every voice is heard, and every person is known.

You do not need a title or a long resume to belong here. What matters is the leadership you are ready to grow. Prior time as a veterinary assistant or in another practice role is an asset, not a barrier.

Before you apply

Applying asks something real of you, and it should. Here are two ways to get what you need first.

Read the one-pager

One page on what ELEVATE is, who it is for, and what the six months ask of you. Good to read yourself, and good to hand to a supervisor.

Download the PDF →

Talk it through

Still deciding? Send us a note, and someone from the ELEVATE team will get in touch to talk through whether this is your year.

Request a call →

Academy Director

ELEVATE is led by an Academy Director who guides the cohort from the January kickoff through graduation in July.

Heather Pendergast

Synergie Consulting LLC

Apply for the cohort

Applications are open, and this cohort is small. Take your time with it. We are listening for you, not for polish.

Start your application →

Questions along the way? Email [email protected].

Interested in supporting ELEVATE?

ELEVATE runs because organizations across the profession invest in it. Practices, programs, and industry partners can help grow the next generation of veterinary technician leaders at several levels. Download the partnership one-pager or email [email protected].

ELEVATE: The Veterinary Technician Leadership Academy.
Growing the leaders who will carry the profession forward.