Investing in each other, offering support for one another, and motivating all employees to their fullest potential defines the actions of the incredible team of women at Vale Park Animal Hospital. Composed of hard-working, selfless, compassionate, and diverse employees, the empowered team of women at Vale Park is joined for one purpose: providing exceptional care to pets and owners.
This shared bond over the care of animals has united the team of women at Vale Park in a very special way. Each of them bring their own unique personalities and energies to the clinic, but the unifying aspect of coming together to complete their respective jobs so that all animals who enter the clinic can benefit in the end, is always present.
To provide insight into what makes being a woman at the female-dominated animal hospital so great, a few veterinarians, managers, supervisors, and technicians from Vale Park Animal Hospital are here to share their individual perspectives and collective appreciation.
Dr. Courtney Harsy – veterinarian
As a veterinarian at Vale Park, Dr. Courtney Harsy feels that her position allows her to combine the expertise she gained from many years of education and training along with her warmth and sympathy as a woman to effectively carry out her job of caring for animals.
“The veterinary field is currently female-dominated,” Dr. Harsy said. “I feel that women in general have the best combination of empathy and compassion to help temper the science of our field.”
Dr. Harsy is fond of being in veterinary medicine in particular as it gives way to growth based on each individual’s own dedication and goals. In other words, working as a veterinarian means that Dr. Harsy has room to excel in whichever way she chooses. As a woman especially, Dr. Harsy feels that veterinary care is a great field to be in because barriers due to gender differences are less common.
“In this field, women are allowed to reach the heights of leadership truly on their own merits,” Dr. Harsy said. “It is nice to be able to excel without worrying about sexism blocking your way.”
Excelling is indeed what Dr. Harsy does as she has truly made her mark on the clinic as its exotic veterinarian following her graduation from Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. Her training is what has guided her to where she is today, making a positive impact on the community through the pets who grace our homes.
“Veterinary medicine helps the community and our clients by helping to maintain and improve the quality of life of our patients,” Dr. Harsy said. “Our clients then benefit from the human-animal bond with their pets.”
Susanne McConnell – veterinary assistant manager
Mentioning how each woman at Vale Park brings a different personality to the group, Veterinary Assistant Manager Susanne McConnell’s perspective is focused on teamwork and the union of diverse, yet driven professionals.
“I love working with my team; there is such a variety of personalities that balance us well,” McConnell said. “Each one of us comes with our own skills, knowledge, and drive to make for a powerful team.”
McConnell noted how she is most proud of the bond that their team has formed and the dedication that has sprouted from the connections between one another.
As a member of the management team at Vale Park, McConnell discussed how her position has imparted its fair share of mentorship, which is something that she appreciates greatly as a woman with ambitions to excel professionally.
“In my management position, I have been mentored by some great women who I admire and completely trust,” McConnell said. “I feel like I have been able to grow in my position and I am confident that I have the support behind me to do my job to the best of my ability.”
McConnell’s enthusiasm about her work and her eagerness to go the extra mile is exactly what contributes to Vale Park Animal Hospital being the well-respected and renowned center for premier care that it is in Valparaiso. After an impressive 34 years of working in veterinary medicine, McConnell can confidently say that her best time has been spent at Vale Park.
“I have never worked with such a strong, passionate group of women in my life,” McConnell said. “We are each other’s cheerleaders, support system, and educators. I am blessed to be surrounded by such positive and knowledgeable women.”
Briana McCready – customer service supervisor
Echoing Dr. Harsy’s and McConnell’s sentiments of how supportive and strong the women of Vale Park are, Customer Service Supervisor Briana McCready discussed how there’s not a single employee at Vale Park who doesn’t reflect compassion and care in the position they are in.
“It’s heartwarming to have an entire practice run on employees that are simply here because they are driven by a collective passion for animals,” McCready said. “It’s just so selfless. I love our team of women at the hospital.”
For McCready, she is especially grateful for how she has been able to grow under the direction of the many leaders at the clinic.
“There are so many years of experience across the clinic, so there is always something to learn and share with each other,” McCready said. “This is the first job that I started after college, and I felt so much encouragement to try to reach the next step and had so much subtle coaching to get me ready for whatever was next.”
That support and guidance has made McCready’s time at the clinic extremely enjoyable. It is priceless to have fellow women cheering you on and taking the time to invest in your growth. For McCready, it is this undeniable support that she likes most about her job.
“We are such a tight-knit team and we empower each other, whether it’s through a tough work day or a tough life event,” McCready said. “There are so many admirable traits across the entire group, and when you blend them all together – empathy, intelligence, resilience, grace, kindness, and compassion – we end up with the ideal team.”
There is no doubting that this team of women has their strengths, but McCready noted how the group’s collective weaknesses are still perks as they provide opportunity for learning and developing.
In terms of benefiting the greater community, McCready shared how client education is especially prominent from her perspective.
“We are able to empower our clients to make the best decisions for their pets. This makes responsible pet owners and happy, healthy pets within the community,” McCready said. “Valparaiso is an area that is very dog-centric, so it is encouraging to know that because of us, these pets receive care that allows the dogs and their owners to safely and happily enjoy their communities together.
Stephanie Perz – registered veterinary technician
Mentioning the uniqueness of the women-dominated team, Registered Veterinary Technician Stephanie Perz shared how empowering it is to be surrounded by unique, yet like-minded people.
“Not many professions can claim it, but I feel like working with a team of women is unique,” Perz said. “I enjoy being among like-minded people and having my concerns heard and addressed.”
By sharing a passion for animal care, while also bringing unique backgrounds to the table, employees like Perz are constantly challenged in their own professional journey while still being given the support and sympathy they need to grow.
Perz also discussed how Vale Park is the Region’s hub for extraordinary patient care. By employing caring and compassionate individuals like Perz to carry out that phenomenal care, the clinic is able to have the impact that it is so well known for.
“We offer a different perspective on patient care and can be more compassionate and caring for both our patients and clients,” Perz said. “I feel like we have a positive impact on the community by using our knowledge and compassion to do right by our patients and their families.”
Dr. Kelly Rock – veterinarian
Just as Dr. Harsy expressed, Veterinarian Dr. Kelly Rock enjoys being a woman leader in veterinary medicine because of how there are virtually no differences between the men and women who hold those leadership positions.
In regards to Vale Park Animal Hospital specifically, it is the environment that makes Dr. Rock appreciate her time at the clinic most.
“I really enjoy working here at Vale Park,” Dr. Rock said. “It is truly a family atmosphere even with such a big facility.”
Joining her fellow women at Vale Park as a veterinarian means that Dr. Rock serves as a crucial part of serving out the clinic’s mission of “Healthy Pets, Happy People.” Most notably, Dr. Rock has a true understanding of the often tough positions that her patients are in with their pet’s health, and this encourages her to make the process as smooth as possible for their comfort.
“We strive to make clients feel heard and comfortable with the decisions they have to make while their pets are in our care,” Dr. Rock said.
Dr. Mary Ann Sheller - veterinarian, practice owner
As a 1984 graduate of Purdue University School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinarian and Practice Owner Dr. Mary Ann Sheller has collected her fair share of experiences while practicing. Not only has her time in veterinary medicine allowed her to gain ample learning and education, but it has also provided her a lens to see how the demographics of veterinarians have changed since her career first began.
“It used to be one male doctor with mostly female staff members, but now 80% or so new veterinarians are women with most of our staff still being very female-oriented,” Dr. Sheller said.
Dr. Sheller goes above and beyond as a member of the team of women at Vale Park as she is both a veterinarian and an owner of the hospital. This allows her to have a role in determining the direction of the practice, and her efforts tend to focus on ensuring that the work of all employees is both pet and client-focused.
“My philosophy has always been that if you take really good care of both the pets and the clients, then the business will be successful,” Dr. Sheller said. “So far, that works well. I don’t view that as a male-versus-female characteristic, but rather a good quality for a leader.”
Having a well-rounded approach to veterinary care has indeed served the practice well as Vale Park continues to excel at its new, state-of-the-art location that opened in June 2020.
For Dr. Sheller, it is important that the impact she and her team leaves is one rooted in compassion and care. With pets having such an important place in the families they are a part of, it’s crucial that veterinarians like Dr. Sheller have an understanding of the sensitive position they are in.
“I hope we come across as caring and empathetic,” said Dr. Sheller. “Pets are such an important part of people’s lives in the United States – truly members of the family. I remember when I was a kid, it wasn’t normal to have dogs in the house, and now that’s common.”
If one thing is certain, it is that choosing Vale Park Animal Hospital for your pet’s veterinary care is choosing to place them in good hands with this team of women in charge.
For more information about Vale Park Animal Hospital and its amazing team of women leading the veterinary clinic, visit valeparkah.com.
