Her Story
About Kitty
Kitty Olson is a credentialed veterinary technician and operations leader with nearly two decades of experience in the veterinary profession. Her career began at the front desk in 2007 and grew through hands-on clinical practice, hospital leadership, and multi-site operations management.
After realizing veterinary medicine was more than a job—it was the career she wanted to build—Kitty returned to college as a working mother to earn her veterinary technology degree, becoming the first college graduate in her family. Her experience in general practice, emergency, and critical care has shaped her leadership and given her a strong understanding of both the clinical and operational sides of the profession.
Today, Kitty is a Hospital Operations Manager with Vetco Total Care, supporting hospitals and teams across the New York and New Jersey market. She is passionate about developing veterinary professionals, mentoring future credentialed technicians, and creating meaningful opportunities for career growth.
Kitty is a Licensed Veterinary Technician, Certified Veterinary Business Leader, Fear Free Certified Professional, RECOVER BLS/ALS certified, and a Certified Veterinary Practice Manager (CVPM) candidate.
Throughout her career, Kitty has remained committed to growth, authenticity, and leading with respect and humility. She believes in getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, creating opportunities rather than waiting for them, and never letting a leadership title make you forget the experiences—and the people—that helped you get there.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kitty
01What do you attribute your success to?
My drive and always knowing I’m capable of more. Even when I don’t know exactly how I’m going to get somewhere, I’ve always had this mentality of, I’ll figure it out.
Being doubted has fueled me too. Being told I couldn’t do something never made me want to stop—it made me want to prove that I could.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I don’t know that there’s one specific piece of career advice that’s always stuck with me. I think I’ve taken little pieces from different people and experiences throughout my career.
What I’ve learned along the way is to never stop learning, build relationships, and be willing to take opportunities even when you don’t feel completely ready for them. Some of my biggest growth has come from simply being willing to try.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don’t tell yourself no before you give someone else the opportunity to say yes.
Apply for the job even if you don’t check every box. Ask for the opportunity. Introduce yourself to someone you want to learn from. You don’t have to wait until you feel 100% ready to take the next step.
A lot of opportunities in my own career came from being willing to put myself out there.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of our biggest opportunities is making sure we’re utilizing credentialed veterinary technicians to the full extent of their skills and education, while supporting veterinary assistants who want to grow into that role. By supporting that growth and using every team member to their full potential, we can strengthen our teams, improve patient care, and create meaningful career opportunities within veterinary medicine.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Respect, authenticity, honesty, and humility.
For me, those values carry into every part of my life. I believe in never forgetting where you came from. Every experience I’ve had, both personally and professionally, has shaped who I am today. I carry those lessons with me in every role I have—as a mom, a wife, a friend, and a leader.
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