After graduating with a Master’s Degree in Public Health and Animal Welfare from the University of Bucharest in 2013, Ioana started her career in veterinary medicine. Dedicated to animal welfare, she worked as a veterinary surgeon in a poultry farm in Romania before moving to the Sultanate of Oman and taking a voluntary position at a veterinary practice with an animal rescue charity.

Looking for a change in career, she then made the decision to come to the UK and work in public health. After successfully completing the Official Veterinarian course in Glasgow, Ioana began her career as an OV. Working in abattoirs in the north of England, Ioana demonstrated excellent skills and strong ambition which did not go unrecognised by her peers. Eager to develop her existing skills and industry knowledge, Ioana joined the team of export certification vets, focusing on exports to China and the USA.

Dedicated to bettering her skills, Ioana was promoted first to the role of Area Resource Manager (ARM), then to the role of Area Veterinary Manager (AVM) and later to Business Development Manager. The implementation of Brexit found Ioana stepping into the position of Acting Head of Exports. For the first two years post-Brexit she was responsible for the successful development of new processes, implementation of EU SPS requirements and delivery of certification across England, Scotland and Wales.

Ioana thoroughly enjoys playing such a key role in veterinary public health, safeguarding the welfare of millions of animals, ensuring food is safe to eat and enabling international trade to continue unfettered.