Episode #86 – Gigi Tsontos

Do you work in the animal health industry or veterinary profession? Have you ever wondered how people began their careers and how they got to where they are today? Hi everyone. I’m Stacy Pursell, the founder and CEO of The Vet Recruiter, the leading executive search and recruiting firm for the animal health industry and veterinary profession. I was the first recruiter to specialize in the animal health industry and veterinary profession in the United States and built the first search firm to serve this unique niche. For the past 25 plus years, I have built relationships with the industry’s top leaders and trailblazers. The People of Animal Health Podcast highlights incredible individuals I have connected with throughout my career. You will be able to learn more about their lives, careers, and contributions. With our wide range of expert guests, you’ll be sure to learn something new in every episode.

Thanks for tuning in and enjoy the episode.

Hello everyone. Welcome to the People of Animal Health Podcast. Today, we are joined by Gigi Tsontos, CEO of Not One More Vet, which is an organization dedicated to improving mental health and preventing suicide in the veterinary profession. With more than 20 years of experience spanning social services, mental health, and leadership, Gigi brings a powerful global perspective shaped by her time in the Peace Corps and executive roles in mission-driven organizations. From enacting change to supporting thousands of veterinary professionals, her work sits at the intersection of compassion and leadership. I’m excited to explore her journey and vision for a healthier profession. Gigi, let’s start off at the beginning. What was your life like growing up and where did you grow up?

Oh, that’s a great question. My life was wonderful. I grew up in western Kansas. I was actually born in a town called Garden City, Kansas, and spent most of my young childhood there, where both of my grandparents had farms and we were most excited to share different types of animals as a family. So I had my own dog that I picked out when I was two years old and named him and had him until, unfortunately, it passed away when I was much older. But out in Western Kansas, it’s a very unique culture, very close-knit community. And so spent a lot of time learning about veterinarians from that kind of vantage point of large animal and small animal and the entire thing. And then we moved to Wichita and again, just continued to have a wonderful life. I have a huge family and I have two siblings. I’m the oldest, but I have extended family all over the place. And so just feel super privileged to have started here in Kansas. And now I’m back, which is amazing because I never knew that I would come back.

Well, how did you get into the field of veterinary medicine?

Yeah, I mean, like I said, as a child, I saw vets in different aspects of the world, and I never really thought about becoming a vet or a tech or anything, but I’ve always been working in mental health and I have a huge love for animals. At one point, my husband and I had six four-leggeds. I’m always doing something with animals of some kind. And so I had said a few years prior, I’d love to figure out how to mesh my love for being a social worker with my love for animals.

And interestingly, in late 2023, I kept seeing this advertisement come across my desk, wasn’t really looking for something particular, but it was NOMV. And I said, “I better I should open this and look and see what it is.” And immediately fell in love with the mission to support veterinary team members and their mental health because I do spend a lot of time at my own vet. And throughout my years, I’ve known a lot and have friends in the industry and young people that I know who are coming into the industry. And so just it happenstance, but it’s been one of the best happenstances I’ve ever had.

Well, Gigi, you have had such a globally diverse journey from the Peace Corps in Mali to leading a major nonprofit. What experiences most shape your perspective on mental health and service?

So I’ve always been a very service-oriented person. And so at a young age knew I wanted to participate with the Peace Corps and volunteer. So I’ve volunteered my entire life in some way or another. And it taught me… I actually just read an article this morning and it sounds very strange, but it said the oldest child or the child who goes furthest away from home is the one who wants to create their own identity. And so I think by going across the world after college, I mean, I moved away to go to university at the University of Kansas, and then I was so fortunate to get called to go to Peace Corps. And I learned so much about humans in Peace Corps. We’re all the same, but we’re all different. And so I think all of that has really shaped my knowledge of mental health and wellbeing, the differences culture-wise of what mental health means, then different groups who deal with mental health in different ways, as well as right now I work with the veterinary team members, but I’ve worked with many, many different types of people experiencing mental health issues.

And I think all of those have led to a space where I feel I know that the message, you are not alone. And I know that if we humanize it, it makes a difference. And I think so when this question came up, I just kept thinking about everything I learned in Mali and every moment sense and that desire to learn about the world. And I really do see myself as someone who experiences the world through other people’s vantage points and mental health is one of those vantage points.

Well, Gigi, what drew you specifically to the mission of Not One More Vet and what made this role feel like the right next step in your career?

Yeah, back to that, this came across my desk at a time when I wasn’t necessarily looking to do something different, but I just am so drawn to the mission of helping those who help our animals, supporting those who help support the animals that we care for of all sizes, shapes, and forms. So I’ve learned so much about the different types of veterinary industries, zoo vets, the vets who are large animal, food production, companion animal vets, et cetera. And I think this was a great time for me in the fact that the mission spoke to me from all of those angles. Obviously as a social worker, people are my business. And so bringing that business with the compassion of what I love about the animal world and those who care for them really made it very exciting. And I remember the interview process and thinking, gosh, I’m probably not even qualified.

I don’t know that much about veterinary medicine except that I love the people who do veterinary medicine. And so to me, it was that mesh of what I know really well, mental health support and something I love so much. And so when I got the call to, it was a Sunday when they offered me the job and I was like, oh no, I’m not getting the job. And my husband’s like, “You got to call on a Sunday. You’re getting the job.” And so it was just lovely to mesh what I love so much between multiple arenas. And I just have learned so much about veterinary medicine and the people who are in it. And it’s been such a great… This is probably the job besides Peace Corps that I’ve loved the most in my life. So yeah.

I love that. Well, for our listeners who may not know, why is mental health such a critical issue in the veterinary profession and what are some of the unique stressors veterinarians face?

Yeah, the veterinary industry, it’s a unique industry. It’s the only industry I know of where people are making a decision about the life of a being on a daily basis in a different way than human medicine. So in human medicine, it’s all about saving. In animal medicine, there’s options that come on the table that have to do with, it may not be the medically sound thing that needs to be done. Maybe someone can’t afford the care or just that’s not where they want to go with it with a particular animal. So that on itself, when you love something so much that you go to school to help save it and then you have to make these decisions, so that’s one critical thing. I think psychologically, that’s what we call small microtraumas throughout a day can really enhance or inhibit the way someone works.

And so in vet med, we see that. We see long hours. We see individuals who are just catalysts. They love to do the work that they do. They love to… They’re interested in science, they’re interested in medicine, they love animals, and they’re usually overachievers who are super highly intelligent. And I’m talking everybody in the vet clinic. They’re all very smart people who really just work really hard for the families and the animals.

So true.

And so when you take all of that into place, you’re looking at a situation in which you’re making decisions on a daily basis, obviously with the animal guardian, but it wears on you. And being people who just love so much and have so much empathy, as well as so intelligent and want to always do their best, it’s hard to keep up with that. So I see that happening, and that leads to burnout, and it leads to compassion fatigue and things like that, which are across human nature, but in the vet field, it’s amplified by some of that.

Since stepping in as CEO of NOMV in 2024, what have been your top priorities and what are some of your early wins?

Top priority has been to make sure that our messaging meets our mission and our programming meets our mission. And our mission really is to ensure that anyone in the veterinary industry not only survives, but thrives. And in order to do that, I think we’ve had some wonderful wins. We brought on board veterinary mental health support, which is individual and group support by professionals free of charge to veterinary industry members, not therapy, but more process groups. That was huge. It brought us this catalyst of being able to do that direct impactful service. For us, some of the early wins have been just wonderful partnerships within the community and really seeing that since NOMV started in 2014, we can see a difference in the way that our industry talks about mental health. And so those are huge wins that are not mine, they’re industry wins and they’re wins for the team.

And just the insights that we’ve had as far as our Clear Blueprint program and looking at the cultural activity, the systemic change that needs to be made so that individuals can have positive wellbeing and mental health within their field. So those are just a few. I could name millions.

Well, that’s fantastic. And Gigi, you have led organizations focused on both human health and animal-centered profession now in the veterinary space. How do the mental health needs compare across these different fields?

Yeah, so I always go back to, and I participate in several groups with other professionals and mental health within veterinary medicine. And one thing we always talk about is mental health is human health. So that’s the main thing is we want to show that veterinarians, yeah, we have different challenges, but we are human in the end. And so seeing those links is really important that this isn’t just because I’m a veterinarian or a vet team member, it’s because I’m human too, and humans need support and they need to build their skills and they need to learn skills to help themselves, but also the systems they work in need to support that. So I would say what I really believe that, I really also believe that in all of these arenas, that message of hope and you are not alone, and letting everybody know that mental health is a challenge in different phases of our life, at different times, at different levels, and knowing that it’s okay to check in with someone else or it’s okay to ask for help.

So for me, across the industries that I’ve worked in, I see that as key. Helping people connect, not only as a human, as a veterinarian and a human, as a team member and a human, and knowing that you are in the same boat and other people experiences can be really life-altering.

Yeah. Asking for help is so important. What do you think is the number one reason people are afraid to ask for help?

Fear of looking bad could be one. I think we don’t, at least here in the US, I don’t think we’ve often had a culture of asking for help. We are known as a country of individualists. I’m not saying that’s true or false, but that is a perception that they have. And when you’re taught to be strong and look strong, especially when you’re someone like a veterinarian or a vet team member who feels like they should have all the answers, it’s hard to ask for help.

Yeah, I can understand. Well, Gigi, your background spans clinical, social work, public administration, and leadership coaching. How do all of these disciplines come together in your leadership style?

Oh, my leadership style. Well, it’s evolved over the years. I’ve definitely had to grow up and engage in my own emotional intelligence and learning and all of that. But I think what it has done for me, being a clinical social worker, being a social worker in general, understanding public administration, what’s going on in our communities that bring us together or pull us apart or things we need. And then leadership in general, I think what they’ve all brought to me is a vantage point that helps me see leadership as a service, something that I’m here not to lead with an iron hand, but really to be a part of developing myself and others and developing community. And that’s why I like administration so much because it’s about those bigger pictures and bringing them all together.

Hey, everyone. We are interrupting the episode briefly to talk to you about today’s sponsor. This episode is brought to you by The Vet Recruiter. The Vet Recruiter is the go to executive search and recruitment firm in the animal health industry and veterinary profession, dedicated to connecting exceptional employers with high caliber candidates. With a deep understanding of the animal health industry and veterinary profession and a vast pool of talented candidates, we make the hiring process seamless and efficient for the animal health and veterinary employers who have critical hiring needs. If you are an employer in search of top talent or you work in the animal health industry, or are a veterinarian ready to take the next step in your career, look no further than The Vet Recruiter. The Vet Recruiter has placed many of the industry’s top leaders from CEOs to COOs to chief veterinary officers to VPs of marketing and sales and heads of R&D and Chief Scientific Officers.

We have built sales forces for many leading animal health companies and have placed more veterinarians in clinical practice than any other search firm in the US. Ready to take the next step? Visit thevetrecruiter.com today. That’s thevetrecruiter.com. And now let’s get back into the episode.

Well, at Radiant Futures, you transform service models for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. What lessons from that experience are you bringing into your work at NOMV?

I learned so much there. I think some of the things that I brought into that from that experience to NOMV is the one that I mentioned a minute ago of people are people and we all have something along the lines. And so working in a different industry doesn’t mean that the problem is significantly different. It means that we need to look at unique ways to do that. And there, we really looked at the population we were working with and said, what is it that we can uniquely provide back? And that’s what I bring into NOMV is what is NOMV uniquely qualified to bring to this community that will make a change for veterinary industry overall? And I love to think outside the box. Somebody recently said that’s one of their worst, the worst line. They hate that line of thinking outside the box. So what I always try to do is think creatively about what our solutions are doing to impact the community that I’m working in. And that I learned a lot of lessons at Radiant Futures from that.

Well, NOMV provides peer support grants and mental health resources to tens of thousands of professionals. What impact stories have stayed with you the most?

There’s so many of that too, but one that I just really, really love is one of our support grantees, our support grants are for individuals, and they’re really meant to meet those basic needs that someone has that help you sustain. If your basic needs are met, we all know Maslow’s hierarchy, you have to start somewhere, you have to have a baseline and then you move up from there. This one grantee wrote us a very transformative letter around, she said that support grant was a link for me to feel, one, a sense of community. I got some help that I needed and I was able to bring just that small amount of support just helped me stabilize enough to feel like I could get through the next thing. And now I’m a year later and I’ve gotten through and I’m just so thankful for that. So that sticks through me when I hear those words that she said.

Some others have to do with, we hear in veterinary mental health support all the time that individuals who go through those programs, either individual sessions or sessions with groups, they come out feeling that they have a way of looking at their concern and bringing it into something that they can manage and look at positively. So I think those are key. I don’t know how many people I talked to who’ve been in our forums and say, it’s just nice to see other people who are challenged by something and getting their feedback. So those are a few stories. I mean, there’s so many, but those are the ones that are coming to mind right this minute.

Yeah, that’s very impactful. Well, Gigi, you have also built a consulting and coaching practice along the way. What are some of the most common challenges leaders face when trying to create healthier organizational cultures?

Well, first, change is hard. It doesn’t matter if it’s positive or not, change is hard. So leadership takes listening at all levels, creating space at all levels where people can share what’s truly meaningful to them. So for example, in our Clear Blueprint program, we set it up so that we have to hear from every aspect of the organization in order to complete the assessment. We want to know from everybody in that workspace how they’re seeing that workspace. And I think as in leadership, it’s hard one to help manage change. It’s hard sometimes to think you’re on the right path and feel like you have to divert or not feel like you have to, but learn that you have to make some switches. And across leadership, what I see, what people come to me to talk about is just that. How do I work and change management? How do I listen? How do I not bring all the answers to the table? And how do I ensure that I’m continuing to develop? It doesn’t stop. And so those are a few things.

Well, looking ahead, what is your vision for the future of mental health support in the veterinary field and how can listeners get involved or support the mission?

Well, in general, I think one thing that the mental health world and veterinary world, those of us who are mental health professionals working in the veterinary world right now, we’re working really hard to collaborate, and I think that makes a huge difference. So I see that continuing going forward. I think systematic change, systems change is key so that the industry innately starts to provide wellbeing as part of how they set up their business structure, how they think about client interactions, what they can do to support their team members, et cetera. And I think how can people get involved with NOMV? We have volunteer opportunities. We have Race Around The World coming up in May, which is a fun event in a completely online event where we have people from around the world moving for mental health and sharing resources and building community. That’s one thing that I think is super important.

So thinking about volunteering with us, thinking about participating in race around the world, but simply as a human to meet our mission, letting others know and knowing yourself that you are not alone, that helps us meet our mission.

How can those get involved with the race around the world?

Sure. On our website, you can go to NOMV.org and under events, there’s a Race Around The World page. You can also just email us [email protected] and we’ll help you get to where you need to go. But yeah, so we’d love to have anybody on, so please join us.

Yeah, that’s fantastic. Well, Gigi, what has been the most surprising thing to you so far during your career in the veterinary profession?

Surprising. I was thinking about this question. I think the most surprising thing has been that it’s such a diverse profession. I think we all, even if you’re born into a farm family, you still kind of… The closest veterinary team to me is the one who works with my companion animals. So I think I have that picture and I’ve learned so much about the diversity, and I just am so honored that this profession of people, they take to heart and they have to learn so many different species and so many different things, and that’s been just really exciting to learn. And also it is a big community that loves each other. I mean, I feel so welcome in the community, even though I am not a vet or a tech, and that has been really fun to become a part of as well.

There’s a lot of support.

Yes.

Well, during the time that you’ve been involved, how have you seen the profession change?

So again, I haven’t been involved as long, but NOMV itself, when we go back to 2014, when NOMV was founded, and we look at now and look at statistically, we’re seeing that people are saying that they’re more comfortable speaking about mental health and wellbeing, and we’re seeing improvements in that arena and access to services. So in that time, we’ve seen this statistically, we can find that. In the couple of years that I’ve been involved, I think what I’ve seen is that collaborative nature of us really growing together to say, how do we make this movement something that we can spread across the industry no matter what type of industry you’re in? And I’ve also seen that systemic change be a key factor in where we go.

Gigi, what does your crystal ball say about the future of the veterinary profession? What do you think the future will look like?

I think it’ll look amazing. I think veterinarians, I think veterinary teams are growing and changing. And I think what I see is community building that is creating the opportunity for wellbeing. Now, we know worldwide, mental health is becoming more and more of a topic, but what I see is this is a profession of strengths that are going to continue to grow. And what I see is the industry really taking it on as a team and thinking about how mental health and wellbeing support people who support our animals.

What are a few of your daily habits that help you with having a positive mental health and just in general to be successful?

Yes, I have five four-legged animals that I spend a lot of time with. Three of them are Boston Terriers, and we go walking every day. I think that’s key. I wish I could say that I was on my exercise routine as much as I want, but I do know that when I do movement well, I feel better and I come to work better, as well as eating well. Trying to really think that through is something that’s really important to me, and connection. So connection to my team at NOMV, to the community at large, to my friends, to my family, those things are what I think makes a big difference. And it’s amazing to me how much a glass of water can make my mood change in a positive way. So just those basic things, this isn’t hard. Sometimes it’s harder to have better mental health, but I think starting with those basics really has made my life a lot better.

Well, we know that everybody encounters challenges and adversities along the way. What’s been an adversity that you’ve had to deal with throughout your career?

My career? Yeah. Well, we’ll go back to Radiant Futures. So they continue to be an organization in an arena where there’s several organizations that have similar structures, different but the same. And I think we had to learn who we were to fit to become within our community what we needed to be. We couldn’t emulate something else, but we could partner with that. And so we really structured that diversity. And it was hard at first because I think we needed to first know who we were. And I think NOMV is in the same place. We need to know what we do well and what we can partner with others. And so that kind of adversity has come up before. I’ve also had heartaches as far as career or life that have made it more challenging. I mean, this is such a veterinary world thing to say, but several years ago in the same week, three of my animals passed away and it was my birthday.

Oh, I’m sorry.

I have to tell you, thank you. I know that sounds very different, but I think this community will understand that. When you have a loss of that kind of magnitude, it impacts you. And I think that too was a time in my career too where I had to take a step back and say, “What is it that I want?” And it helped lead me to this path. So yeah.

Well, thank you for sharing that. Gigi, what advice would you give the younger version of yourself?

Oh, gosh, slow down, smell the roses, enjoy everything and take all the learnings in and bring them with you going forward and realize that everybody makes mistakes and you are not alone.

Life goes fast. So take the time to slow down.

Yep. Yep.

Well, what message or principle do you wish you could teach everyone listening to our podcast today?

I’m going to go back to this, and this is a great NOMV… I think NOMV did really well thinking this. You are not alone. Nobody is alone. And I think that to me is a principle that we can all try to remember because we’ve all felt that. We’ve all felt like I’m the only one going through this or my life is harder or this or I just don’t think anyone will understand, but you are not alone is just such an easy thing to remember. And I think everybody should keep that in the back of their head. And attached to that is if you’re worried about yourself or someone else, reaching out is okay. There’s no right or wrong way to do it. I just always say do it without judgment and just be there.

Yeah, just be there. That’s good. Well, some of our guests say they’ve had a key book they read that helped them along the way. Do you have a key book in your life that’s impacted you?

You’re going to laugh at me because it really has nothing to do with work or what I do in my life. And I’ve read so many books and so many social work things and so many, so many things. But my favorite book of all time, and I will never change this, is Where The Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.

It’s classic.

Yeah, it’s classic. And I actually have it in 12 languages. It is my favorite book. And I just think Max’s story just is the story of so many of us trying to figure things out. So I always go back to it. There’s so many other books I could say, but I’m just going to be real. And a child’s book is the book that makes me the most happy and I go back to it quite often and I try to remember that journey.

I read that book as a child. It’s been a while since I’ve read it. Well, I love that.

Gigi, you’ve got the mic. What is one thing you want to share with our listeners of the People of Animal Health Podcast before you drop the mic today?

I’m going to go back to “you are not alone,” be there and thank you. Thank you for being there.

Well, Gigi, thank you for being here today as my guest on the People of Animal Health Podcast. I’ve enjoyed this time together.

Me too, Stacy. I really am so honored that you thought of me and just love to continue conversations like this.

I do as well. Thank you, Gigi.