NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Aug. 15, 2026 — Strong organizations are built by strong leaders. This month, the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America (NAVTA) brought District Representatives together in Nashville for its District Representative Leadership Workshop, a professional development program designed to strengthen the skills, confidence and leadership capabilities they need to represent NAVTA, serve their communities and help advance the veterinary technology profession.
District Representatives are an important link between NAVTA, state associations, veterinary technicians and the broader veterinary community. They help build relationships across the profession, elevate the perspectives of veterinary technicians and serve as a bridge between local communities and the national association. As visible leaders within the profession, they help foster engagement, encourage collaboration and bring valuable insight from the field back to NAVTA.
The workshop was designed to help District Representatives grow as leaders and become more effective communicators and advocates within their communities. Through interactive discussions, peer learning and realistic practice scenarios, participants explored how to represent NAVTA with consistency and credibility while engaging with a variety of audiences.
The training emphasized practical application over presentations. Participants worked through structured exercises designed to strengthen their skills in real-world interactions, practicing how to listen effectively, understand different perspectives, tailor their approach to different audiences and foster productive conversations.
“Strong leadership is essential to a strong profession,” said NAVTA president Jennifer Serling, MVEd, BVSc, AAS, CVT, RVT, VTES, FVTE. “By investing in the development of our District Representatives, NAVTA is strengthening the connections between the national association, state organizations and veterinary technicians across the country. These leaders help build relationships, elevate the voices of veterinary technicians and create stronger connections throughout the profession.”
Participants left the workshop with practical experience they can apply immediately, along with individual leadership action plans focused on putting their new skills into practice.
Investing in strong leaders is part of NAVTA’s broader commitment to supporting veterinary technicians and advancing the profession. Through leadership development and a strong national network, NAVTA is empowering the leaders who will help shape the future of veterinary technology, strengthen the profession’s voice and support veterinary teams in delivering high-quality patient care.
