Leading the Charge in Blood Bank Program Innovation
January 17, 2025Spotlight on Jessie Brown, LVT
Director of Blood Banking
Veterinary medicine professionals like Jessie Brown, LVT, director of blood banking at Ethos, are making life-saving differences every day. A leader in veterinary blood bank programs, Jessie has spent over 20 years in veterinary medicine with the last 10 focused on improving access to life-saving blood products and helping veterinary teams feel confident in their transfusion decisions.
A Calling Rooted in Compassion
Jessie’s path into veterinary blood bank programs began during her time in an emergency veterinary hospital, where she faced the challenges of limited blood product access, a problem she felt compelled to help solve. “I remember spending hours calling around to hospitals and universities, trying to track down blood products for patients,” she recalls.
One special case that has stayed with her involved an elderly woman who brought in her West Highland Terrier urgently needing a transfusion. Without blood products available and unable to drive at night, the woman was forced to make the heartbreaking decision to euthanize her beloved pet.
Years later, Jessie found herself in a similar situation but at a large-volume specialty hospital with its own blood bank. With the necessary resources, her team was able to save the patient. This experience fueled her passion. When she later returned to her former veterinary hospital as personnel manager, Jessie started a volunteer blood bank to support the ER hospital’s transfusion needs. “This experience opened my eyes to the life-saving potential of in-house blood bank programs,” she explained.
Facing Challenges with Innovation
Jessie’s journey continued at BodeVet Inc., where she advanced her transfusion knowledge by producing FDA-approved advanced veterinary blood products sold worldwide, working with donor colonies, and training veterinary professionals about blood banking. During this time, she experienced the personal impact of transfusion medicine when her dog, Dagny, was diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma.
“Normally, the only option in such cases is humane euthanasia,” Jessie said. “However, my boss reminded me that I had spent four years helping develop StablePlate RX®—a product that could save her life. It was a full-circle moment, and I experienced firsthand how life-saving blood products could be. We were gifted three more wonderful months with Dagny, created a bucket list, and said goodbye on our terms.”
One of the biggest challenges facing veterinary blood bank programs today is a nationwide shortage of blood products. “Currently, the veterinary industry is facing a nationwide crisis in blood product supply,” Jessie explained. “A limited number of commercial vendors are serving an industry that has recently doubled in size, leaving some hospitals waiting as long as 20 weeks for blood products. Red cell blood products have a shelf life of just 28 to 42 days when stored under refrigeration, meaning hospitals must continuously restock these vital supplies each month.”
Despite these hurdles, Jessie remains optimistic. She will be exploring new ways to improve transfusion outcomes, not just for animals but for humans as well. “It’s an exciting time for this field,” she says. “We have so many opportunities to push boundaries and set new standards.”
The Rewards of Saving Lives
For Jessie, the most rewarding part of her work is seeing how blood bank programs make a real difference. Whether it’s performing advanced apheresis procedures or ensuring hospitals have access to critical blood products, she’s motivated by knowing her efforts save lives.
“I love helping veterinary professionals gain the skills and confidence to manage successful blood bank programs,” Jessie says. “Watching them grow and seeing the impact they make is incredibly fulfilling. Our profession knows how to treat our patients, and we shouldn’t be forced to make supply-driven transfusion decisions. I stay in this field to help remove those barriers and elevate our practices, enabling veterinary professionals to offer the best possible treatment to their patients.”
Leading the Charge for Change
Jessie is committed to mentoring others and sharing what she’s learned. She credits her mentors for guiding her early on and creating a collaborative environment. “I vividly remember being the sole blood banker in my room, unsure if I was doing things correctly,” Jessie recalled. “Under my mentorship, I grew both professionally and personally. Now, I share that knowledge to help others supply hospitals with life-saving products, improving patient outcomes nationwide.”
Beyond her professional role, Jessie is known for her compassionate and thoughtful nature. A wife, dog and cat mom, sister, aunt, and friend, she values kindness and creating connections. Whether it’s through personalized gifts, cooking for loved ones, or making others feel comfortable, Jessie always leads with a sense of care.
She’s also working to change perceptions of veterinary blood bank programs. “A common misconception is that veterinary blood bank programs is a passion project that doesn’t require as much attention or support as other areas of the hospital,” she says. “At Ethos, we are working hard to ensure our programs are properly structured and supported. We recognize that blood bank care teams are some of the most compassionate and hardworking professionals in veterinary medicine, and they produce life-saving blood products that directly impact patient care.”
Building a Better Tomorrow
Looking ahead, Jessie hopes to see reliable blood product access in every veterinary hospital. She’s also passionate about creating a Veterinary Technician Specialty (VTS) in blood banking to further professionalize the field. Her advice for anyone interested in this career: “Get involved. Read the literature, join groups like the Academy of Veterinary Transfusion and Hematology, and never stop learning. It’s challenging work, but it’s so rewarding.”
Through her dedication, Jessie is making veterinary blood bank programs a key part of patient care. Her work ensures that when a pet’s life is on the line, veterinary teams have the tools and knowledge to act. “Every pet deserves the best possible care,” she says. “And every veterinary professional deserves the resources to provide it.”
Jessie lives in Virginia, with her husband, Atom, their three dogs, Vinnie, Atlas, and Clover, and their two cats, Gary and Kevin. She enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, biking, and gardening, as well as practicing yoga and Pilates to maintain her health.