Ashley Arnold, PhD, client services section head, is the 2023 recipient of the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) Director’s Excellence Award in the professional category.
Dr. Arnold joined the College Station laboratory in 2022. As section head for client services, she oversees staff who work closely with TVMDL’s 6,000-plus clients. Each day, her team is tasked with answering approximately 165 phone calls and accessioning an average of 650 cases.
Dr. Arnold, along with her team, work closely with clients to ensure their needs are met.
“Dr. Arnold works with clients proactively to improve their submissions, which increases efficiency and accuracy in the lab,” Bailey Schulz, administrative coordinator and Dr. Arnold’s nominator, said. “This collaboration has helped develop a relationship with our submitting clients that didn’t exist before.”
Shortly after joining TVMDL, Dr. Arnold’s section underwent an external audit. She ensured all quality assurance documents were not only updated, but were created, if needed, and that her team was prepared. Her section successfully passed the audit and continues to use her documents in everyday operations.
Dr. Arnold has dedicated much of her time to increasing her team’s knowledge of TVMDL and frequently coordinates in-house “field trips” for her staff to visit other testing sections. These visits give team members the opportunity to gain valuable perspective into the needs of testing sections in an effort to better serve them and TVMDL’s clients.
Dr. Arnold is commended by her team for her hands-on and proactive management style. She provides each team member with timely, practical feedback and ensures the line of communication between her and them is always open.
“Dr. Arnold is the driving force behind our section’s success,” Schulz said. “Since joining our team, she has helped usher in many positive changes. She is a leader who makes us feel heard, appreciated, and encourages us to work hard.”