Laura Rust

As the Vice President of Talent Relations for the American Veterinary Group, I focus on attracting the best veterinary talent to our hospital teams. This includes overseeing our veterinarian, practice management, and support staff recruitment efforts for both our general practices and UrgentVet locations nationwide.

Prior to joining AVG, I spent over a decade working in people-centric roles in recruiting, event planning, and secondary education, and I have recruited general practice and emergency veterinarians for some of the largest veterinary acquisition companies in the country. One of my greatest accomplishments (prior to AVG) includes spearheading a nationwide campus recruiting strategy to support over 500 hospitals and create a pipeline of top veterinarian talent to the company.

With my background in education, I enjoy partnering with the colleges of veterinary medicine to offer educational programs to students to guide them through the seemingly overwhelming job search process. I also enjoy the fulfillment that comes with hiring the perfect team member for practice and watching them flourish in their new role.

Be yourself! Often times, candidates are so nervous during the interview process that they forget to show their fun side and what makes them so unique! Yes, part of the interview process is to see if you have the skills required to do the job, but a large part of the interview process is for both the interviewer and interviewee to see if this is a 'fit'. Part of that process is for the interviewer to understand the 'whole person' that comes to work each day, as well as for the interviewee to understand the culture of the company and team that they will work with.