Senani Ratnayake is an RVT who discovered her niche after realizing that many of her colleagues had chosen veterinary medicine because they loved animals, and didn’t really like humans that much! She has been educating veterinary professionals on customer service, communication and team building for over 14 years and is the founder of Motivatum Consulting. Her experiences in practice, combined with time spent working in Industry, have given her a unique perspective. Having received multiple awards for her contributions to the profession, Senani is noted as a relatable and thought-provoking story-teller, capturing hearts and attention to inspire change! As the Director of Learning and Engagement at P3 Veterinary Partners, her focus is on supporting and coaching team members, managers and Medical Directors on how to provide the ultimate Client/Patient Experience all while maximizing business potential and genuinely getting along. In her “spare” time Senani works as a facilitator for Learn2 Solutions; work that stimulates her knowledge from a non-vet perspective. While veterinary medicine is an integral part of her identity – acting, Netflix, nail art and hosting e-gaming events are things she makes time for! Senani’s passion for animals is unbridled (her rabbits literally have their own bedrooms) and with her husband and pets by her side, she is ready to empower the veterinary profession –one team member at a time!
Nicole Pitulia
BSc., MSc., BVM&S, MRCVS
Dr. Nicole Pitulia earned her veterinary degree from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland in 2018. Prior to becoming a veterinarian, she completed her BSc in Human Nutrition at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, after which she went on to complete an MSc in Preventive Cardiology at Imperial College London, UK. Following graduation from veterinary school, she worked in small animal general practice in London, UK and Toronto, Canada. Her passion for nutrition led Dr. Pitulia to join Hill’s Pet Nutrition Canada in 2021, and in early 2022 she became the Professional Consulting Veterinarian for Central Ontario, Canada.
Tanya Van Der Pryt
BSc, DVM
Dr. Van Der Pryt graduated with a Honours Degree in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Prince Edward Island in 2004 and went on to earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Atlantic Veterinary College in 2008. Having always had a special interest in nutrition, she focused on nutrition electives during her training and upon graduating, she pioneered a personalized pet nutrition program for a single practice in Bedford, Nova Scotia and eventually extending her services into a group of practices in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This nutritional counseling service focused on nutritional intervention in many disease states, including renal disease, dietary sensitivity and obesity. The weight loss segment of the program experienced a 92% success rate under her supervision. Dr. Van Der Pryt’s success in nutritional counseling and continued passion for personalized pet nutrition led her to join the Hill’s team as Veterinary Account Manager for Atlantic Canada in 2011 during which time she worked with veterinarians and their healthcare teams to use the power of nutrition to enrich and lengthen the lives of pets. Since 2011, Dr. Van Der Pryt has focused her continuing education exclusively on nutrition and internal medicine and in 2015 she was offered the position of Professional Consulting Veterinarian for Western Canada. Dr. Van Der Pryt believes that every pet can benefit from a yearly nutritional assessment and continually strives to find ways to help veterinarians to incorporate successful nutritional discussions into their day to day practice.
Tamara Brown
DVM BSc
Dr. Brown graduated from the Ontario Veterinary College in 2014, after which she returned to her home town of Montreal to work as a companion animal veterinarian.
In 2016, Dr. Brown was offered a teaching position at Vanier College in Animal Health Technology. She taught a variety of courses including Laboratory Animals, Pathology, Research Methods, and Nursing and Radiology.
Vanier College provided Dr. Brown the opportunity to be a member of the Universal Design for Learning task force, focusing on accessibility and providing educational tools to the entire college community. Dr. Brown quickly developed a love for all things pedagogy and as such she took up a part-time position as a Pedagogical Counsellor at the college while still teaching in Animal Health.
In the summer of 2018, Dr. Brown took the position of Professional Consulting Veterinarian with Hill’s Pet Nutrition Canada, bringing her passion for education to the company.
