Life made better for 5 million pets: Kim Van Syoc, Executive Director of the Banfield Foundation

Kim Van Syoc has spent over a decade improving the lives of what matters most to many - pets! Today, she serves as the Executive Director of the Banfield Foundation, a 501c3 public charity and charitable arm of Banfield Pet Hospital, one of the largest general veterinary practices in the world. I had the pleasure of ‘meeting’ Kim at a distance last spring during coronavirus craziness. This introvert prefers small intimate gatherings, but don’t be fooled. She’s no wallflower. Kim is making a big impact for more than 5 million pets with her talented team and proudly sharing behind-the-scenes stories to inspire others who want to make a difference. 

First of all, where are you right now and how are you? 

I am at home in Lake Oswego, Oregon (just outside of Portland, Oregon). Despite everything happening in the world right now, I am doing well – I am incredibly grateful for my health, my family, my friends and a job that brings me purpose. Like many of us, I am rediscovering the joy that comes from simple things – but I continue to dream of a day when we can once again travel, (actually) smile at strangers, gather safely in groups and work from somewhere besides my kitchen table.

Would you say Portland is the ideal utopia for introverts like you? 

Actually no – believe it or not, Portland is too small for me. I am a big(ger) city girl at heart – give me all the culture, restaurants and shopping of a really big city but let me live far enough away from the center of it so I can properly enjoy peace and quiet. I love the idea of a bustling city by day and quiet tree-line streets by night.

An ideal Friday night for you would include... 

I will never be disappointed by a Friday night if it includes one of these options: getting together with a small group of friends and their families for dinner (complete with kids running around giggling and squealing with delight); a long run (+ a favorite playlist) followed by movie night at home with my family; attending a Broadway show or charitable gala with girlfriends and having coffee, drinks or dessert afterwards.

When did you first understand what made someone an introvert? 

Earlier this year, I had the privilege of hearing Susan Cain, best-selling author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking speak. She said something that resonated to my core—she said, “introverts are capable of acting like extroverts for the sake of the work they consider important, people they love, or anything they highly value.” This completely embodies who I am! 

Interestingly, when I was younger, I assumed I was an extrovert, but as I matured, I realized I show up as an extrovert in my professional life and I skew introvert in my personal life. I came to this realization when I realized how draining it is to engage in small talk or be thrown into a large group setting at the end of the day. Conversely, I am recharged by socializing in small groups, having in-depth conversations with a close friend, running or shopping by myself, and having quiet time to organize and plan my homelife, my work and my thoughts.   

We both currently work for Mars and actually connected for the first time at a distance during COVID through LinkedIn. You’re the executive director of the Banfield Foundation. For those who aren’t familiar, can you tell us a little bit about Banfield? 

Banfield Foundation is a 501c3 public charity and is the charitable arm of Banfield Pet Hospital. Banfield is one of the largest general veterinary practices in the world—it has more than 1,100 hospitals in the United States as well as Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. I actually started my career at Banfield in 2009 in Corporate Affairs—I led external communications as well as crisis and issues for nearly 10 years. My role evolved over the years to include focusing on corporate social responsibility and ultimately, the creation of the Banfield Foundation.

What inspired you to create the Banfield Foundation?

The belief that all pets deserve access to veterinary care regardless of their circumstance. As a foundation, we focus on enabling preventive and urgent care for vulnerable pets—we also focus on disaster relief and providing temporary shelter for pets and the people who love them. Since our inception, we’ve granted more than $10 million and have helped nearly 5 million pets. I’ve had the great honor and privilege of serving as its Executive Director since the foundation’s inception (which as you noted, I also helped create). It’s truly a dream job when you get to match your passion in life to your work and dedicate your career to serving an incredible purpose: A Better World for Pets.

Building a foundation that can make a tangible difference in the world is admirable and takes hard work. What do you wish you knew at the beginning? 

As a nonprofit, realize no organization can (or should) do it alone—partnerships are critical to making an impact, especially when you’re tackling societal issues that may never be fully solved. As a leader, remember to build deep relationships with an inner circle of mentors, advocates, thought leaders and colleagues that are smart, resourceful, well-connected and big thinkers—these are the people who will enable the best work to get done.  

For those working in nonprofit management, what strengths can introverts bring to the field? 

My extroverted side tends to come out in my everyday work and leadership style. However, I get to experience the strength of introverts every single day thanks to some brilliant introverted leaders on my team—my favorite strengths of introverts include being introspective, thinking before speaking, not jumping to conclusions, thoughtful problem-solving, active listening,  and being self-motivated and directed.  

I’ve been blown away by how the Banfield Foundation has stepped up to help pets and pet owners during this challenging year. When you think about the Foundation’s work amidst the pandemic, what makes you most proud? 

I am incredibly proud of how we’ve delivered on our belief that all pets deserve access to care regardless of their circumstance. While many of our regular grant programs and initiatives were put on hold in 2020, we found really impactful ways to deliver critical care to pets who need it most and we did it by partnering with other nonprofits we’ve never worked with before. Here’s a great example: the foundation recently partnered with other Mars Petcare charities (PEDIGREE Foundation and VCA Charities) as well as Royal Canin to help fund the largest pet rescue flight in history! Greater Good Charities and Wings of Rescue responded to a critical need in Hawaii to help at-capacity shelters move 600 pets to the mainland—we funded 100 percent of the preventive care for those pets and enabled 600 second chances at life. We started 2020 with processes, plans and budgets in place and this was never on our radar. As a result, we’re actually reimagining how we work in 2021 in order to keep some of these newfound partnerships intact and at the core of how we operate.

What do you think is the most powerful benefit pets bring to our lives? 

Companionship and comfort. Pets have always been experts in these areas but the current state of the world has shown us that isolation, loneliness and sadness can be combated by the pure joy of pet ownership. Without a doubt, pets need people—we feed, love and care for them—but increasingly, I believe we are beginning to understand that people equally need pets.  

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Favorite dog breed?! Standard Schnauzer, but I also really love Wheaten Terriers and Wirehaired Pointing Griffon (apparently, I have a thing for dogs that weigh roughly 50 pounds, do not shed and have a beard and bushy eyebrows).

Introvert guilty-pleasure? If I’m home, I love getting up really early to drink a pot of tea and catch up on a favorite show or book. If I’m traveling, I also love getting up early to explore a city, its shops, sites and neighborhoods, by foot with a hot cup of coffee.

Write or speak, why? Both, it depends on the reason and the audience (and truthfully, how much time I have and what I am trying to accomplish). There is something so powerful about a well written note, story or email. But, there is something so special about a great conversation with great friends. I really love to  walk during meetings or while I catch up with friends—it blends the best of both worlds and is incredibly efficient.

Favorite fictional introvert? Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. Iris in The Holiday. And, Gabriel from Emily in Paris.

Favorite self-care activity? Running and walking my dog (while listening to music, podcasts and audiobooks), traveling (I also love the process of planning travel), playing tennis, catching up with a friend over coffee, reading cookbooks, trying to stay awake long enough to watch one of my favorite shows.