A Practice Manager shares sixteen years of leadership lessons learned in a veterinary clinic, emphasizing the importance of investing in people, embracing change, and continuous growth.
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Influential Woman · Veterinary Medicine
Deirdre Haley
MBA
Practice Manager, Birch Bark Veterinary Clinic
Gilford, NH 03249
16Years experience
1Article published
Her Story
About Deirdre
Deirdre Haley is a lifelong animal lover, dedicated leader, and passionate advocate for lifelong learning. Her journey in veterinary medicine began at just 16 years old when she joined MacDonald Veterinary Services as a veterinary assistant. What started as a part-time job quickly became a lifelong career built on compassion, curiosity, and a desire to make a meaningful difference. Over the past 16 years, she has grown alongside the practice, advancing to Practice Manager and helping guide its evolution into Birch Bark Veterinary Clinic following an associate buy-in and successful rebrand.
Throughout her career, Deirdre has embraced every opportunity to learn and grow. While working full-time, she earned her Master of Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University and continues to invest in her professional development as a member of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) and participant in the Ambition in Motion mentorship program. She is passionate about building strong teams, mentoring future leaders, embracing innovation, and creating an environment where exceptional patient care and employee growth go hand in hand.
While she is incredibly proud of the career she has built, Deirdre considers her greatest accomplishment to be raising her two amazing daughters. They are her greatest source of inspiration and remind her every day of the importance of compassion, resilience, patience, and celebrating life's everyday moments. Being their mom is the role she treasures most.
Outside of the clinic, Deirdre finds joy in bringing family and friends together around the table. She loves experimenting with new recipes, baking homemade treats, and creating meals that become lasting memories. For her, cooking is more than preparing food—it's an expression of love, creativity, and connection. When she isn't in the kitchen, she can usually be found with a good book in hand, especially if it involves mystery, romance, or an unforgettable adventure, or planning her family's next camping trip or outdoor adventure.
Those who know Deirdre describe her as approachable, compassionate, and driven. She believes the same qualities that make a great leader—kindness, curiosity, resilience, humility, and a willingness to keep learning—also create a meaningful life. Whether she is mentoring a team member, supporting a client through a difficult day, leading organizational change, or spending time with the people she loves, her goal is always the same: to leave every person, every place, and every experience a little better than she found it.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Deirdre
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to a genuine love of learning, a strong work ethic, and the incredible people who have believed in me along the way. Starting my career at 16 years old taught me that every experience is an opportunity to grow if you're willing to ask questions, work hard, and stay humble. I've been fortunate to have mentors who challenged me, a team that inspires me, and a family that supports me every step of the way. Most importantly, my two daughters motivate me every day to continue growing, lead with integrity, and show them that perseverance, kindness, and lifelong learning can open doors to endless possibilities.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received was, "Never stop learning." That simple message has shaped every step of my journey. From starting in veterinary medicine at 16 years old to earning my MBA while working full-time, I've learned that growth comes from staying curious, asking questions, embracing change, and learning from both successes and setbacks. The moment we think we know everything is the moment we stop growing.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Never underestimate where hard work, curiosity, and kindness can take you. I started my career in veterinary medicine at 16 years old and never imagined where it would lead. Don't be afraid to ask questions, seek out mentors, or take on challenges that push you outside your comfort zone. Invest in your education, embrace lifelong learning, and remember that no one succeeds alone. The best leaders are those who remain humble, lift others up, and continue growing throughout their careers. Believe in yourself, trust the journey, and never stop learning.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges facing veterinary medicine today is balancing the growing demand for high-quality patient care with workforce shortages, rising costs, and the increasing emotional demands placed on veterinary professionals. At the same time, I see tremendous opportunity. Advances in technology, expanded access to specialized care, and a greater focus on leadership, mentorship, and employee well-being are helping shape a stronger future for our profession. I believe that by investing in our teams, embracing innovation, and creating supportive workplace cultures, we can continue to improve the care we provide to both our patients and the people who care for them.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that guide both my professional and personal life are integrity, compassion, lifelong learning, and kindness. I believe success is measured not only by what we accomplish, but by how we treat people along the way. Whether I'm leading a team, supporting a client, mentoring a colleague, or spending time with my family, I strive to lead with empathy, remain open to learning, and always do what's right—even when it's not the easiest path. My daughters remind me every day that kindness, resilience, and leading by example are some of life's greatest lessons, and they inspire me to bring those values into every aspect of my life. I also believe in leaving people and places better than I found them, and I hope that through my work and my relationships, I make a positive and lasting difference.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Deirdre
The Best Leaders Never Stop Growing
From a 16-year-old veterinary assistant to practice manager: The leadership lessons that shaped my career.
When I joined MacDonald Veterinary Services at 16 years old, I wasn't looking for a lifelong career—I simply wanted the opportunity to work with animals and be part of something meaningful. I had no idea that one opportunity would shape the next sixteen years of my life.
Over those years, I grew alongside the practice. I embraced new responsibilities, learned from incredible mentors, faced challenges that pushed me outside my comfort zone, and eventually became Practice Manager. Along the way, I earned my MBA while working full-time, helped guide our hospital through an ownership transition and its evolution into Birch Bark Veterinary Clinic, and discovered that leadership has very little to do with titles—and everything to do with people.
Looking back, I realize my greatest lessons didn't come from textbooks or boardrooms. They came from everyday moments inside a veterinary hospital. They came from difficult conversations, unexpected challenges, and watching people accomplish things they never thought possible.
Here are the lessons that have shaped the leader I continue to become.
People Are the Heart of Every Organization
Technology, equipment, and beautiful facilities all play important roles in veterinary medicine, but none of them matter without the people who bring compassion, dedication, and heart to work every day.
I've learned that the most successful organizations aren't built solely through innovation—they're built by investing in people. When employees feel supported, trusted, and empowered to grow, they don't just perform better; they create stronger teams, better client experiences, and ultimately, better patient care.
No piece of equipment will ever replace a culture built on trust.
Leadership Happens in the Small Moments
Many people think leadership is defined by major decisions or big accomplishments. I believe it's found in the moments no one else notices.
- It's checking in on a teammate after a difficult appointment.
- It's celebrating someone's first successful procedure.
- It's listening before offering advice.
- It's staying calm when everything around you feels chaotic.
People may not remember every decision you make, but they will remember how you made them feel. Those everyday interactions build trust, and trust is the foundation of every great team.
Growth Requires Change
One of the most meaningful chapters of my career was helping guide our practice through an ownership transition and its evolution from MacDonald Veterinary Services to Birch Bark Veterinary Clinic.
While our name changed, our mission never did. Our commitment to exceptional patient care, our clients, and our community remained the same.
That experience taught me that growth doesn't require abandoning your foundation. Instead, it challenges you to build upon it while embracing new ideas, new opportunities, and new ways to serve others.
Change can feel uncomfortable, but it's often where the greatest growth begins.
Never Stop Learning
One of the best pieces of advice I've ever received was simple: Never stop learning.
That philosophy has guided every stage of my career—from starting as a veterinary assistant to earning my MBA while working full-time, joining the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA), and participating in the Ambition in Motion mentorship program.
Leadership isn't something we master.
It's something we practice every day.
The moment we believe we've learned everything is the moment we stop growing.
Success Is Measured by the People You Lift Up
As I've grown in my career, my definition of success has changed.
Today, success isn't measured by a title, a degree, or professional recognition.
- It's measured by watching a team member gain confidence.
- It's measured by helping someone discover strengths they didn't know they had.
- It's measured by creating a workplace where people feel valued, supported, and inspired to do their best work.
When we invest in people, everyone succeeds.
Closing Thoughts
When I think back to the 16-year-old who walked into MacDonald Veterinary Services hoping to work with animals, I could never have imagined where that journey would lead.
Sixteen years later, I remain just as passionate about veterinary medicine, but my purpose has grown beyond caring for animals. Today, I'm equally passionate about developing people, embracing innovation, and helping create workplaces where individuals can grow personally and professionally.
Leadership isn't about having all the answers.
It's about showing up with integrity, remaining curious, embracing change, and helping others become the best version of themselves.
Because, in the end, our greatest legacy isn't the position we hold.
It's the lives we touch, the people we inspire, and the opportunities we create for others to succeed.
Author Bio
Deirdre Haley is the Practice Manager of Birch Bark Veterinary Clinic in Gilford, New Hampshire. Beginning her veterinary career at 16 years old, she has spent the past sixteen years helping guide the practice through growth, innovation, and an ownership transition. She earned her MBA from Southern New Hampshire University while working full-time and is a member of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) and a participant in the Ambition in Motion mentorship program. Deirdre is passionate about leadership, mentorship, and building workplace cultures where both people and organizations thrive.
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