President’s Column: Visionary leadership

A recurring theme from the AVMA Veterinary Leadership Conference (VLC) is that effective leadership is built on collaboration. Leaders must encourage an environment and a culture that supports, motivates, and empowers others to succeed.

I’ve attended several VLCs over the years, and each time I leave with a powerful reminder: By building a strong team, leaders also help individuals develop the skills to lead themselves.

Visionary leadership for veterinary professionals

The 2026 Veterinary Leadership Conference will be held January 8-10 in Chicago —a great place any time of year to gather with colleagues and friends who share a common desire to expand their knowledge about how successful leaders lead.

The VLC presents a unique opportunity for us to strengthen our leadership ability, beginning with self-awareness.

With the theme “Visionary Leadership for Veterinary Professionals,” the VLC is the premier conference for leadership development in our profession. Through a dynamic mix of CE sessions, AVMA governance meetings, and networking opportunities, attendees can sharpen their leadership skills while engaging with a diverse community representing every corner of veterinary medicine.

The VLC presents a unique opportunity for us to strengthen our leadership ability, beginning with self-awareness. Understanding our strengths and weaknesses helps us build resilient teams, inspire others, and empower them to succeed—and this leads to better patient care and stronger organizations.

The goal of VLC is to develop leaders who create environments where people are motivated to do their best work. Great leaders remove obstacles, provide clear direction, and open doors for growth. Most importantly, they help others discover and develop their own leadership potential, multiplying impact far beyond themselves.

Keynote to explore multigenerational teams

In addition to 11 hours of continuing education (CE) credit, countless networking opportunities, and a healthy dose of fun, the VLC also features a keynote designed to inspire and motivate. This year, we’ll hear from Megan Gerhardt, PhD, a workplace generational expert and professor of management and leadership at the Farmer School of Business at Miami University, where she also serves as the Robert D. Johnson co-director of the Isaac & Oxley Center for Business Leadership.

Dr. Gerhardt’s presentation, “Unlocking Gentelligence: Understanding and Leveraging Generational Diversity in the Workplace,” will provide valuable insights on how to maximize the strengths of a multigenerational workforce, fueling innovation, trust, and the growth of effective, collaborative teams.

As workplaces continue to evolve, today’s workforce spans more generations than ever before. While this diversity can present challenges, it also creates powerful opportunities when each generation’s strengths are recognized, collaboration is encouraged, and inclusion becomes the driver of innovation and growth.

The Veterinary Leadership Conference promises to be an outstanding event for every member of the veterinary team. For details and registration, visit avma.org/VLC. I look forward to seeing you there!