MEET THE TEAM
ALISON LAMBERT – FOUNDER OF ONSWITCH
A Yorkshire farmer’s daughter, Alison qualified from Liverpool University in 1989. She worked in practice for several years before pursuing a career with Hills Pet Nutrition and MARS, discovering the customer experience passion that her award-winning company, Onswitch, is renowned for today. Established in 2001, Onswitch promotes customer-centred practice so pets, horses and livestock receive better care; providing research, marketing, CPD and business consultancy with an effective, innovative, straight-talking and client-led approach.
Alison is published widely, regularly speaks at key international veterinary congresses and events, and was given the AVA’s Veterinary Business Thought Leader award in 2019 and the RCVS Impact award in 2021.
SOPHIE CURTIS – GENERAL MANAGER
Sophie first started at Onswitch 2016 as an intern, continuing to work here throughout her university course until graduating with a first-class honours degree in Business. Her first role was Sales and Marketing Executive, and she has since progressed to become Research Manager, with particular focus on the Onswitch Index. In this crucial area she works with practice teams across the UK and Europe to deliver a great client experience on the phone and improve caller conversion.
Away from the office she has thrown herself into her community as a Governor of a local secondary school. In her spare time Sophie is a keen traveller, having recently interrailed through Europe and travelled to North Africa to build a school. You can be sure she is currently planning the next adventure!
SOPHIE DAINTY – OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
After taking up an internship with Onswitch in 2014 during her degree at Nottingham Trent University, Sophie continued working with the team throughout her studies, and has never left! Graduating with a first-class honours degree in Business Management and Entrepreneurship stood Sophie in good stead for her first official role of Project Coordinator and helped her develop rapidly into her current position of Operations Director; managing Onswitch’s operations across UK, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
She lives in Leicestershire with her partner and loves to travel to new places.
CAROL PALMER – ADMINISTRATION MANAGER
After a break of around 10 years, in the summer of 2023 Carol rejoined Onswitch as Administration Manager. She has worked within the veterinary industry for over 20 years, from managing publications and events planning, to producing assessment materials and results within the education sector. Prior to her return, she was involved in awarding qualifications and end-point assessments for Veterinary Nurses and associated professionals.
Outside of work Carol has an allotment, which is still a work in progress after many years! Tomatoes are a favourite crop, and the yields are getting bigger each year/ Her household has been completed with the addition of Toby, a young (very lively!) cocker spaniel who makes sure that there are plenty of walks i the evenings and weekends.
CLARE BUTLER – WRITER
Clare first met Alison in 1998, whilst working at MARS. She took a while to accept that she wasn’t really cut out for corporate life, but when the opportunity arose in 2005 to move to rural Norfolk and write for a living, she jumped at it. Many years, two grown-up daughters and Stanley the labradoodle later, she is still there.
Clare is our go-to person for ‘word stuff’ – reports, blogs, web copy and the like. Her balanced, common sense approach is very Onswitch, but is contradicted by an enthusiastic appreciation of exclamation marks which she works hard to contain. Most of the time she manages it!
JO ABLETT – TRAINER
Jo has been an Onswitch trainer since September 2020. She loves meeting delegates and helping them gain new skills and increased confidence.
Jo lives in Malvern, Worcestershire and enjoys running and walking on the Malvern Hills with her two lurchers Lola and Speck. She worked for 26 years as a small animal vet, whilst also bringing up three daughters who are now young adults.
Alongside her Onswitch training, Jo is a certified coach, supporting those working in the veterinary profession to lower their stress levels and rediscover enjoyment and meaning in their demanding lives.
CASSIE BROUGHTON – TRAINER
Cassie has been a Registered Veterinary Nurse for 24 years, joining Onswitch in 2015 initially as a mystery shopper. Now that her two sons are a little older she is able to give back to the profession she loves as valued member of the Onswitch training team, sharing her own extensive experience and coaching practical skills to veterinary teams.
Cassie has a dog called Lottie and also runs her own pet care business.
VERITY JOHNSON – TRAINER
A qualified Registered Veterinary Nurse of 20 years, Verity is passionate about delivering an excellent experience for clients. Her extensive experience nursing in small animal, equine, first opinion and referral practice is complemented by commercial skills gained at Novartis, as Brand Manager for Milbemax.
In 2012 Verity bought Sandhole Veterinary Centre in Kent with her vet husband. After seven years of year-on-year growth, plus gaining the Petplan Veterinary Practice of the Year, the time felt right to do something different, and Verity joined the Onswitch training team.
Outside work Verity keeps active through netball and gym sessions and always aims to always act kindly, making a positive difference in the world.
CARLA FINZEL – TRAINER
Since qualifying as a veterinary nurse in 2001, Carla has deployed her passion for nursing in varied roles across primary care, emergency and critical care, referral and district veterinary nursing. In 2015, she established the District Veterinary Nurse (DVN) role, improving patient outcomes and alleviating caregiver burnout for both pet owners and vets. As an Onswitch trainer she is perfectly placed to impart practical skills to help veterinary team members address these challenges.
Carla works hard to improve inclusivity across animal health, campaigning for One Welfare-One Health, a movement that brings together the goals of human healthcare, animal healthcare and environmental stewardship.
INKA PATTERSON – TRAINER
Inka qualified as a veterinary nurse in Germany in 1999. Passionate about people and education, she has worked in people-facing roles ever since – training nurses in laboratory techniques, educating clients in nurse clinics, software training for two PMS providers, and now training with Onswitch. She would love to see more managers and team leaders attending our workshops, learning how improving the customer experience improves patient outcomes and team engagement.
As a native German speaker Inka has delivered Onswitch training in both Germany and Switzerland. She currently lives in Ireland, where she is adding another string to her already-impressive bow – studying personal training and integrative nutrition health coaching.
MIRIAM MAIN – TRAINER
Since graduating from vet school in 2010, Miriam has worked in a variety of locations and practice types, including charity settings, mixed practice, feline-only, emergency and critical care, and small animal practice.
She lives in Edinburgh with her husband, two kids, two cats and Fell pony, describing herself as very much a ‘cat person’. Fortunately for us, Miriam is also very good with people and loves teaching new skills – in addition to her Onswitch training she works as a breastfeeding counsellor.
RUTH GRAY – TRAINER
Ruth graduated from the RVC in 1987. She worked and locumed as an assistant in small animal practices in the South of England before buying a practice in Scotland with her vet husband in 1990, ultimately expanding it to 11 sites. Ruth has considerable commercial experience, co-founding the VetShare Buying Group and VETisco surgical equipment and instrument provider, managing and growing both until their sale in 2015.
Ruth lives in rural Scotland with a menagerie of pets, working as a trainer for Onswitch and as a veterinary business consultant and mentor to vets who own, or want to own, a practice.
GILL GADD – TRAINER
Gill was in vet practice for 25 years - initially qualifying as an RVN, Gill undertook further training to take on the role of Practice Manager in 2012.
With a special interest in bereavement support, Gill set up a bespoke "Farewell Room" at her practice and introduced new ways of thinking to support those going through this difficult time. She also trained in counselling techniques with Cruise Bereavement Care in 2006 and joined them as a volunteer.
After retiring in 2022 to up sticks and move to Wiltshire, she joined Onswitch to keep in touch with the profession and use her experience to continue to train and support teams in practice.
Gill enjoys walks with her lurcher Macy, fair weather gardening and dressmaking. She also loves books and runs a volunteer home service for the library.