Who She Is
Mandy Zachgo is a Licensed Veterinary Technician (LVT) in Texas whose career has taken her from zoos to the classroom. She spent 12 years as a zookeeper and at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine, and later returned to school as an adult to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. Today she is a licensed veterinary technician supervisor at the Texas A&M School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, and since 2019 she has also taught as an adjunct instructor in Blinn College's Veterinary Technology Program. In 2023, licensed veterinary technicians across Texas elected her to a three-year term representing them on the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) Board of Directors, a board of 26 veterinarians and one LVT. In 2024, she received the TVMA President's Award and earned the Bridges Teaching and Service Award from Texas A&M's veterinary school.
Why She Matters
Mandy Zachgo shows how wide a vet tech career can be. Her path has included caring for zoo animals, working in a university veterinary hospital, supervising other technicians, and teaching the next generation of vet techs. As the only licensed veterinary technician on a statewide board made up mostly of veterinarians, she speaks for the state's licensed veterinary technicians when decisions about the profession are made, and she encourages other vet techs to get involved in state and national veterinary organizations. Her story also shows that it is never too late to start. She returned to school as an adult and built a career that combines hands-on care, teaching, and leadership.
