a team of communication professionals with complementary skills and experience

Meet the Team Color Bar Hero

a team of communication professionals with complementary skills and experience

steve kirton

founder

Steve has amassed impressive marketing and business insights in both human and animal health, beginning with 6 years of hands-on laboratory work as a clinical microbiologist. Fifteen years ago, he founded Circa Healthcare, and quickly fell in love with animal health and began focusing on this dynamic and growing area. Steve is fully immersed in animal health and has invested in a start-up companion animal veterinary clinic and in nurtur, which he founded because of his sincere belief in the importance of veterinary communication skills.

Steve Kirton
Steve Kirton

steve kirton

founder

Steve has amassed impressive marketing and business insights in both human and animal health, beginning with 6 years of hands-on laboratory work as a clinical microbiologist. Fifteen years ago, he founded Circa Healthcare, and quickly fell in love with animal health and began focusing on this dynamic and growing area. Steve is fully immersed in animal health and has invested in a start-up companion animal veterinary clinic and in nurtur, which he founded because of his sincere belief in the importance of veterinary communication skills.

karin jager

ceo and trainer

Karin is a passionate people manager with solid experience in managing businesses. With an educational background as journalist, twenty-five years ago she switched careers and began work in the animal health industry, and she knew she was ‘home’.  Having worked for over 10 years in global marketing roles in animal health pharmaceutical companies, she moved from a marketing focus to managing businesses at a commercial leadership level, including a clinical services company for animal medicines. Born in The Netherlands, she has lived in several countries, including Norway, and Germany and she now lives in the USA. Since 2015 she has been a part-time teacher of business skills for veterinary medical students at the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands. Karin manages the overall activities of nurtur and participates in the delivery of engaging and eye-opening in-person communication training for veterinary teams.

 

mickey mcdermott

president

Mickey has spent over 30 years in marketing and marketing communication positions in pharma and animal health. While in a global marketing role at Novartis Animal Health, he completed a PhD in veterinary communication with the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science. For the past 4 years, he put his training and background to work in the development and delivery of veterinary communication skills training and the conduct of veterinary communication research.

alyssa mages

director of veterinary team strategy

Alyssa has spent nearly 20 years in multiple disciplines of veterinary medicine practice coaching and teaching, most recently as co-founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Empowering Veterinary Teams LLC. She is an accomplished public speaker, content creator, and collaborative coach focused on the growth and development of veterinary professionals. Alyssa is certified in RECOVER (BLS/ALS) and Fear Free (Level II/Leadership) and is the author of multiple RACE-approved CE lectures. She is also the guiding force behind the culture and energy of nurtur.

caitlin keat

director of commercial operations

Caitlin is an accomplished engineer with experience in the management of complex programs, including time spent as Program Manager at Lockheed Martin and as Chief Operations Officer at Empowering Veterinary Teams, where she worked side by side with Alyssa keeping their veterinary training and education engine running. Using her formidable operations skills and knowledge, Caitlin helps ensure that the design and delivery of nurtur’s communication training is best in class.

karin jager 

ceo and trainer

Karin is a passionate people manager with solid experience in managing businesses. With an educational background as journalist, twenty-five years ago she switched careers and began work in the animal health industry, and she knew she was ‘home’.  Having worked for over 10 years in global marketing roles in animal health pharmaceutical companies, she moved from a marketing focus to managing businesses at a commercial leadership level, including a clinical services company for animal medicines. Born in The Netherlands, she has lived in several countries, including Norway, and Germany and she now lives in the USA. Since 2015 she has been a part-time teacher of business skills for veterinary medical students at the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands. Karin manages the overall activities of nurtur and participates in the delivery of engaging and eye-opening in-person communication training for veterinary teams.

mickey mcdermott

director of content and research

Mickey has spent over 30 years in marketing and marketing communication positions in pharma and animal health. While in a global marketing role at Novartis Animal Health, he completed a PhD in veterinary communication with the University of Nottingham School of Veterinary Medicine and Science. For the past 4 years, he put his training and background to work in the development and delivery of veterinary communication skills training and the conduct of veterinary communication research.

Mickey Mcdermott
Alyssa Mages​

alyssa mages

director of veterinary team strategy

Alyssa has spent nearly 20 years in multiple disciplines of veterinary medicine practice coaching and teaching, most recently as co-founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Empowering Veterinary Teams LLC. She is an accomplished public speaker, content creator, and collaborative coach focused on the growth and development of veterinary professionals. Alyssa is certified in RECOVER (BLS/ALS) and Fear Free (Level II/Leadership) and is the author of multiple RACE-approved CE lectures. She is also the guiding force behind the culture and energy of nurtur.

caitlin keat

director of commercial operations

Caitlin is an accomplished engineer with experience in the management of complex programs, including time spent as Program Manager at Lockheed Martin and as Chief Operations Officer at Empowering Veterinary Teams, where she worked side by side with Alyssa keeping their veterinary training and education engine running. Using her formidable operations skills and knowledge, Caitlin helps ensure that the design and delivery of nurtur’s communication training is best in class.

Caitlin Keat​