See the Full Issue
October 2024
Employee of the Month
This month’s grand prize winner is Jessica Jeurissen, CVT, Team Leader of technical staff at River Valley Veterinary Service, Prior Lake, Minnesota!
Jessica Jeurissen, CVT
Team Leader of technical staff, member of Leadership Team at RVVS
River Valley Veterinary Service, Prior Lake, Minnesota
Year started in vet medicine: 2007
Years with practice: 12
Nominated by: Christina Dosch
Why is Jessica so awesome?
According to Dr. Bruce Viren, she does it all. Jess cares for clients, cares for patients, leads, trains, and schedules her team, and understands and supports the business side of things. She has the uncanny ability to understand both sides of a story and look for a successful path forward.
How does she go above and beyond?
Jess has been relentless in support of her team and the business side of RVVS while being an advocate for patients and clients too. She makes sure we are AAHA-compliant, she mentors our younger techs, and she magically finds ways to staff the clinic while two experienced technicians are on maternity leave. Her role in leadership extends into supporting the many areas that makes for a successful AAHA Practice- High Standards of care, a well-trained technician team, reputation in the community, and a positive practice culture. Jess can arrange a company picnic, interview a potential team member, prep a TPLO surgery, and look for computer programming opportunities—all in the same 24-hour period. She is talented and uses these talents in every way possible to lift her team and the practice.
In their own words:
Why do you love your job:
I have always enjoyed animals, but I also love to be useful in whatever way needed. There is always something new to learn or do, whether it is helping people and their pets, trouble-shooting various situations that can pop up at any time at a vet clinic. I also enjoy helping those around me grow.
Pets at home:
A Labrador retriever named Benelli and a cat whose name (Diamond, Snowball, Stella, Dirtball) changes regularly on the whims of my daughter.
What brought you to the profession:
I worked multiple different jobs trying to figure out what I wanted to do. One of those was working at the Humane Society and after speaking to the vet techs there, I found that science and medicine were very interesting to me.
Hobbies outside of work:
Gardening, reading, fishing, and kayaking.
Favorite book/TV show:
The Lord of the Rings. Favorite Christmas movie: Die Hard
Photo courtesy of RVVS
Nominate Your Employee of the Month
Each month in Trends, we will spotlight a team member from an accredited practice. Does your team boast an outstanding veterinarian, veterinary technician, veterinary assistant, customer service representative, or kennel worker? Nominate your employee at aaha.org/EOTM, and you and your employee can win $500 in gift cards courtesy of CareCredit!*
*The Employee of the Month contest is administered by AAHA.
