Rhonda Ponder | Veterinary Nurse and Educator
Awarded VNCA National Veterinary Nurse of the Year 2023

Rhonda Ponder RVN, AVN, DipVN(GP), DipVN(Surgery) With over 20 years of experience in the veterinary industry, Rhonda’s career encompasses general practice, specialty surgery and anaesthesia, emergency and critical care, management and professional development. She holds Diplomas in Veterinary Nursing in both General Practice and Surgery, has maintained unbroken VNCA Accreditation since 2009, and was among the first in Australia to become an AVNAT Registered Veterinary Nurse. Rhonda is also RECOVER certified and an accredited Mental Health First Aid Officer. She is currently the Clinical Manager of a newly integrated primary care, emergency and referral centre in South Australia.  In 2023, Rhonda was honoured with the VNCA National Veterinary Nurse of the Year award – a career highlight recognising her clinical and professional excellence. Beyond her clinical work, Rhonda is actively engaged with the veterinary community both in Australia and internationally. She is passionate about advancing veterinary nursing and is dedicated to lifelong learning, regularly lecturing and teaching in seminars, conferences and workshops across the country. Her clinical interests include anaesthesia, loco-regional analgesia, surgery and critical care. Rhonda is a firm believer that there is always something new to learn in this industry and continually seeks that new knowledge whenever she can.