Alice Dawson

Alice Dawson is the Regional Manager (based in Wellington) supporting CareVets Gisborne, alongside other clinics in her region. She has been with CareVets since 2015 and has worked as a veterinary nurse for 17. She brings long-term, hands-on experience into how clinics are supported and sustained over time.

Alice doesn’t speak about Gisborne from a distance. Although she’s based in Wellington, she regularly visits the clinic and knows the team well. Her perspective sits above individual shifts or roles, focused instead on how support structures actually show up day to day — especially in a location that is geographically remote.

One thing she’s clear about is that scale doesn’t have to mean detachment. CareVets operates with each clinic as its own entity, and Alice sees that play out in practice through regular leadership presence and personal connection with teams.

“The CEO knows the team members by name and visits clinics often.”

For Gisborne, that ongoing connection matters. Alice talks about the clinic as a place where people don’t operate in isolation, despite the distance. Support isn’t theoretical — it’s visible, consistent, and personal.

When she visits the clinic, what stands out most to her is the team itself. She describes a group that is generous with their time, willing to help each other, and deeply committed to animal care. That sense of shared responsibility extends across vets, nurses, and support staff.

Alice also sees the value of investing in people’s development. She speaks about CPD being driven by interest and relevance — from advanced nursing education to clinical specialisations — with the aim of strengthening both individuals and the wider team.

Equipment and diagnostics are treated the same way: practical tools that allow the team to work efficiently and make decisions sooner, rather than adding unnecessary delay.

Looking at Gisborne from an outsider’s lens, Alice notes the lifestyle as well as the work. She talks about the climate, the people, and the variety of cases the clinic sees — from routine consults to emergencies — and describes it as a place where no two days look the same.

From Alice’s perspective, the people who thrive at CareVets Gisborne are those who want to be part of a genuinely team-oriented environment. Experienced nurses, supportive colleagues, and a social, connected culture all play a role in making the clinic work.

Her role may sit at regional level, but her insight reinforces what the team itself describes: CareVets Gisborne is supported, well-resourced, and connected — not just clinically, but as a place where people can grow and stay.