Welcome
My name is Dr. Katie Ford, I'm a veterinary surgeon, speaker, coach, and entrepreneur. I often jokingly say that I accidentally became an influencer, but what I really learned was that when you dare to speak up about what you believe in, and you aim to use social media for good, incredible things can happen. I don't own the VETstagram community, I am a part of it, and proudly so. I love using my skills in event management and my extensive network to help to create, facilitate, support, and launch events. Following a slight global setback in 2020, we were proud to launch the VETstagram Veterinary Social Media Summit in March 2023. We aim to continue to create events for the veterinary community, as well as to support others along the way. These events are run under Katie Ford Ltd, and in collaboration with Introducing Events. We also offer a number of event services, find out more below.
Our Events
VETstagram is a play on words adopted by the veterinary community for those posting from VETerinary accounts on inSTAGRAM. Let us tell you, it is made up of a wonderful set of humans.
In 2020, Katie and vet student Heidi set out to create a Manchester-based meet-up for a group that has forged wonderful friendships online, yet had never met in real life. This grew with the intention of being a small conference, showcasing insights from those with larger followings such as Louisa The Vet, VSGD's Ebony Escalona and Elle aka The Positive Vet Nurse. Sadly with things outside of our control in March 2020 (IYKYK), we had to do a last-minute turnaround to take the event online.
In March 2023, Katie Ford, alongside her partner Simon Howard (director of Introducing Events) and awesome RVN Jen, brought the event back to life in Manchester with VETstagram 2023. The theme of the event was 'using social media for good', opening with a keynote from Portraits by Hercule and wrapping up with an awesome public speaking workshop from Calvin of SpeakEasy. In between saw up to three streams of content, catering for practices, solo content creators, and community chats - plus networking golf.
Now, will collaborations with larger conference providers, sponsors, and more - we have some exciting things on the horizon. We aim to continue to provide events, webinars, meet ups and more into 2024 and beyond.
Our Veterinary Event Services & Event Consultancy
Looking for support with running your veterinary-based event?
We have got you. From Autumn 2023*, we will be adding new services to help bring more of the veterinary community together.
Whether you are a smaller content creator keen to start launching your first webinar series, an influencer interested in running your own live event, or a larger company that needs help with team building or event consultancy, we have got you. In fact, we know that the thought of running an event brings up allsorts of questions and worries.
Dr.Katie Ford brings not only her veterinary expertise and access to her extensive network but also a Level 7 in Events Management, experience as a keynote speaker, and insights from her involvement in the events industry. Katie has led and been involved in supporting multiple live and virtual veterinary events and conferences, leading teams and sourcing sponsorship, including: The Global Vet Careers Summit, vtx:virtual, The VetLed Veterinary Human Factors Conference, VetEd 2021, VETworking, VSGD Live, Veterinary Voices, VetYou and more.
Katie is the calm, confident and reassuring voice that you need when you first start out in running your own event - whether virtual or live. She has a unique ability to see both bigger picture, and finer detail, as well as her creative mind and being aware of the nuance of this profession.
From Autumn 2023, Katie will be available on a consultancy basis to help with your veterinary-based event, with a limited number of spaces available for ongoing projects, and consultancy by the hour. If you're interested in floating an idea and putting it on her waiting list to discuss later in 2023, get in touch.
Alongside her, Simon Howard of Introducing Events brings nearly 20 years of live and virtual corporate event experience, hosting, team building, awards evenings, and conference management. From finding a venue to suit your needs to understanding your options in bringing a team together in a meaningful way, Simon is your guy. Simon has worked with some of the UK's largest companies and corporations, find out more on the Introducing Events website. Alongside this, he has been the chosen host for some of the events industry's largest and most innovative events.
(*Simon is available to take corporate and larger company enquiries immediately, get in touch today)
A bespoke approach
We can tailor packages and support your individual event needs. If you send us an idea of your brief, we can help you to understand how we could help and the options to have one or both of us on board. Get in touch.
You can read some of our testimonials below.