Dr. Laila Proença® is a board-certified specialist in Zoological Medicine with more than two decades of experience spanning clinical practice, academia, research, entrepreneurship, leadership, and professional education. She is the first South American Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine (DACZM) and is internationally recognized for advancing the standard of care in ZooMed (exotic) animal medicine.

Dr. Proença did her Zoological Medicine residency at the University of Georgia, where she developed a strong clinical and academic focus on ZooMed endoscopy and minimally invasive techniques. Her work in this area contributed to multiple peer-reviewed scientific publications. She has authored and co-authored numerous scientific articles and book chapters covering avian, reptile, and exotic companion mammal medicine.

Her academic training includes a PhD in Veterinary Medicine, a Master’s degree in Animal Biology, and a veterinary degree equivalent to a DVM from Brazil, along with U.S. licensure through ECFVG certification.

Dr. Proença has extensive experience in training and mentoring veterinary students, interns, residents, and early-career veterinarians, both in academic and private practice settings. She has served in faculty and leadership roles, including as Director of the Zoological Medicine Program at VCA Animal Hospitals, where she was responsible for developing clinical training frameworks, mentoring clinicians, and advancing ZooMed standards within a large multi-hospital system.

In addition to individual mentorship, Dr. Proença has worked closely with veterinary hospitals and organizations to build, expand, and refine their capacity to serve ZooMed (exotic) patients. Her work includes training veterinary teams, guiding hospitals in integrating ZooMed services into general and emergency practice, and supporting clinicians in developing confidence, protocols, and sustainable workflows for ZooMed (exotic animal) care.

Dr. Proença is also a serial entrepreneur in ZooMed. In Brazil, she founded Mundo Silvestre, one of the country’s early private practices dedicated exclusively to the medicine and surgery of zoological companion animals. The practice delivered specialized, evidence-based care for ZooMed (exotic) pets at a time when ZooMed services were rarely available in private practice.

After relocating to the United States, she continued to innovate in clinical delivery models by founding PETAHEAD, including the PETAHEAD Pop-Up Clinic in Vista, California, a specialist service dedicated exclusively to ZooMed (exotic) pets. This model was designed to expand access to board-certified ZooMed care while maintaining high clinical standards and supporting referring veterinarians.

To complement her clinical and entrepreneurial experience, Dr. Proença was selected and completed selective business and entrepreneurship programs at UCLA Anderson School of Management, including the Activate Incubator, Showcase, and Accelerator programs. Through these programs, she received formal training in business strategy, innovation, scaling, and leadership—bridging the gap between medicine, education, and sustainable practice development.

Dr. Proença is also the founder and CEO of VETAHEAD, an educational platform created to empower veterinary professionals through accessible, evidence-based ZooMed education. Through VETAHEAD, her consulting work, and her speaking engagements, she supports veterinarians and veterinary teams worldwide in building competence, confidence, and long-term sustainability in ZooMed practice.

A highly sought-after international speaker and educator, Dr. Proença has delivered hundreds of lectures, webinars, wet labs, masterclasses, and keynote presentations at major veterinary conferences and institutions in the United States and abroad. Her teaching emphasizes practical application, clinical excellence, and challenging outdated paradigms through evidence-based decision-making.

Beyond clinical and academic topics, Dr. Proença is widely recognized for her work in leadership, diversity, feminism, entrepreneurship, and professional empowerment, particularly within veterinary and scientific communities. She actively mentors professionals, serves on committees within national organizations, and speaks frequently on leadership development, inclusion, and personal branding in professional environments.

Across all aspects of her work, Dr. Laila Proença® is guided by a single principle: no species left behind—and no professional left unsupported.