5 Things Vet Tech, #BossMom and Travel Queen, Shannon Gervais, Never Travels Without
The Nova Vet co-founder, the Business Unit Director of Solvet, and Vet Candy's 2026 Design and Innovation Award winner reveals her WVC Vegas essentials
As the continuously traveling Business Unit Director for Solvet, Shannon Gervais doesn't pack light. But when you're a veterinary technician who just co-founded NovaVet, an Art Deco masterpiece of a clinic in Alberta, Canada, and you're heading to WVC Vegas, you're allowed to bring your whole world with you.
And for Shannon, that world includes her phone (loaded with photos of her kids and pets), her computer, her makeup bag, her signature pink fuzzy slippers, and always, always her pearls.
"People think I'm high maintenance," Shannon laughs. "But these five things? They're non-negotiable. They keep me grounded, they keep me connected, and honestly, they keep me sane when I'm away from home."
Shannon’s Five Musts Haves
So what does this #bossmom pack for the biggest veterinary conference of the year? Turns out, it's a mix of practicality, sentimentality, and unapologetic self-care.
1. My phone (My entire life lives here)
"This one's obvious, but also the most important," Shannon says. "My phone has all the photos of my kids and my pets, including Nova. She's the inspiration for everything we built at NovaVet, so she comes with me everywhere, even if it's just in picture form."
For Shannon, the phone isn't just about staying connected to work or scrolling Instagram. It's about carrying her family with her when she's on the road.
"I look at photos of Nova and my kids probably 50 times a day when I'm traveling," she says. "It reminds me why I'm doing this. The clinic, the travel, the conferences. It's all for them."
2. My lap top(The second brain I can’t function without)
Shannon is equal parts veterinary technician and entrepreneur, which means her computer is basically her second brain.
"I can't live without it," she says simply. "Between managing the clinic, responding to design inquiries, prepping for presentations, and keeping up with emails, my computer is how I stay on top of everything."
Even at WVC Vegas, she'll be balancing conference sessions with clinic operations back home in Alberta.
"The clinic doesn't stop just because I'm at a conference," Shannon notes. "My team is incredible, but I'm still checking in, reviewing cases, making sure everything runs smoothly. The computer makes that possible."
3. My makeup bag (Equally as functional as my computer)
Here's where Shannon's priorities get real.
"I know people will judge this, but I don't care," she laughs. "My makeup bag is equally as important as my computer. I'm not apologizing for that."
For Shannon, makeup isn't about vanity. It's about showing up as the version of herself she wants to be, especially when she's representing NovaVet.
"When I feel put together, I feel confident," she explains. "And when I'm walking into a room full of veterinary professionals, I want to feel like the best version of myself. Makeup is part of that."
It's a refreshing honesty in a field that sometimes expects women to downplay anything perceived as "too feminine" or "not serious enough."
"Veterinary medicine needs to make space for all of us," Shannon says. "The technicians who show up in scrubs with no makeup and messy hair? Amazing. The ones who show up with a full face and styled hair? Also amazing. We don't all have to present the same way."
4. My pink fuzzy slippers (my hotel room essential)
This might be Shannon's most endearing travel essential.
"My pink fuzzy slippers come everywhere with me," she says. "I don't care if I'm staying at a five-star hotel or an overnight at my relatives house. The second I get to my room, the slippers go on."
For Shannon, the slippers represent the transition from "public Shannon" to "private Shannon." They're the signal that she can finally relax.
"Conference days are long," she notes. "You're on your feet, you're networking, you're presenting, you're taking in so much information. When I get back to my hotel room and put on those pink fuzzy slippers, that's when my brain knows it's okay to decompress."
It's a small ritual, but it matters.
"Self-care doesn't have to be expensive spa treatments or elaborate routines," Shannon says. "Sometimes it's just fuzzy slippers and permission to be off-duty for a few hours."
5. My pearls
If there's one thing that defines Shannon's personal style, it's her pearls.
"Always have the pearls," she says with a smile. "They're classic, they're elegant, and they go with everything."
The pearls are more than just an accessory. They're a connection to the Art Deco aesthetic that defines the way Shannon designed NovaVet, with glamour, sophistication, and bold design choices. The pearls are Shannon's way of carrying that ethos with her.
"When I wear my pearls, I feel connected to what we've built," she explains. "They remind me that we didn't play it safe with NovaVet's design. We went bold. We chose beauty. And it paid off."
The pearls will absolutely be part of Shannon's look when she accepts the Design and Innovation Award at WVC Vegas.
"I'm definitely wearing at WVC Vegas," she confirms. "It feels right."
What the packing list reveals
Shannon's five travel essentials tell a story. They reveal someone who is deeply connected to family, unapologetically professional, committed to self-care, and proud of what she's built.
"I think a lot of people in veterinary medicine feel like they have to choose," Shannon reflects. "You're either the serious professional or the person who cares about style and self-care. You're either focused on your career or focused on your family. But that's not real life. Real life is messy and it is all of it at once."
Her packing list proves it. The phone for family. The computer for work. The makeup and pearls for confidence and style. The slippers for rest and restoration.
"I'm not trying to be everything to everyone," Shannon says. "But I am trying to be whole. And for me, that means bringing all these pieces with me, even when I travel."
The WVC Vegas Moment
As Shannon prepares to head to WVC Vegas, she's reflecting on how far NovaVet has come in such a short time.
"We opened our doors in mid January, and we're already being recognized nationally," she says. "That's not just about the design. It's about what the design represents. We're proving that veterinary medicine can evolve. That clinics don't have to look a certain way. That beauty and function can coexist."
She's also excited to connect with other veterinary professionals who are rethinking traditional clinic models.
"I want to talk with other practice owners, other technicians, other designers who are thinking about how spaces impact patient care and team wellbeing," Shannon says. "This award isn't the end of the conversation. It's the beginning."
And when she's not at conference sessions or networking events? You'll find her back in her hotel room, pink fuzzy slippers on, pearls carefully placed on the nightstand, scrolling through photos of Nova and her kids on her phone.
"That's the whole point," Shannon says. "You can build something incredible professionally and still make space for the things that matter personally. You just have to be intentional about both."
And honestly? Veterinary medicine is better for it.
Want to see NovaVet's award-winning Art Deco design? Follow @myvetcandy for exclusive behind-the-scenes content from WVC Vegas 2026, including Shannon Gervais accepting the Design and Innovation Award. And if you're at the conference, find Shannon at the Vet Candy meetup. She'll be the one in pearls and probably talking about her pink fuzzy slippers.
