Dr. Niccole Bruno is the CEO & Founder of blendvet™, a veterinary hospital certification program in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). As an Afro-Latina, Dr. Bruno’s navigation into veterinary medicine has had its share of challenges. During her career, the experiences of racism, misogyny, and stereotypical behaviors, caused Dr. Bruno to develop
a sense of disengagement from a profession she once loved. Nevertheless, her perseverance
prevailed, and her passion for veterinary medicine resumed when she was offered the role of Medical Director for a veterinary hospital in Long Island, NY. For roughly eight years, her sincere and dedicated service as a hospital leader in NY and Houston fueled her heartfelt endeavors to ensure a culture of diversity and inclusiveness.Today, Dr. Bruno continues her diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts through speaking engagements, mentorship, and building a pathway for BIPOC students (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) into the profession. Following completion of the Purdue University Diversity and Inclusion program in 2020, her awareness,
continual exploration, and study into the diversity deficiencies of her profession
ignited her vision to create blendvet™. Blendvet™ was launched as a DEIB conference
track in December 2021. Over the last two years, blendvet™ has provided training and
support to veterinary academic institutions, conferences, and hospital groups. In
addition to veterinary educational training, blendvet has executed several pathway
events in partnership with veterinary conferences and academic institutions to help improve diversity in veterinary medicine. Dr. Bruno is an Advisory Board member for Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine and Pawsibillities, a mentorship platform for BIPOC students interested in veterinary medicine. She enjoys activities with her family, traveling, her Peloton, football, and binge-watching her favorite shows in her spare time. Dr. Bruno has a 15-
year-old dog named Jimmy and a 3-year-old cat named Sushi.