Having spent more than 30 years working for the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary Medical Center (VMC), Connie Eshenko has come to know the animals and clients she serves well. 

In her role as executive operations/student services specialist for the Piper Equine Hospital, she is a connector. Her duties include scheduling appointments, answering client questions, passing on patient updates, working with insurance companies, and answering emergency calls for West Metro Equine Practice—the University’s ambulatory service. 

She also forges connections with clients and patients during visits. 

“It’s such a joy to see them and their owners come in, so we can catch up on how they are doing,” Eshenko says. “When a client comes in with a patient, they tend to become like family to us. When you tend to talk to them as much as I do, you become close and enjoy hearing about how they are doing since the last time they came in and see photos of their family.”

Not every patient visit is a routine one. Serious medical diagnoses may mean difficult decisions for clients and long stays in the hospital for patients, but one of Eshenko’s favorite parts of her job is seeing a patient go home with their family and the happiness it brings to all involved. 

Working in a career helping animals has been Eshenko’s goal since childhood. At 6 years old, her family’s first dog, a lab, passed away. 

“At that time, I decided that I was going to do whatever I could do to help all pets and be there to help others go through what I went through as a child,” she says. 

Her first role within the VMC was spent as a technician in the radiology service for 10 years. She then worked in general practice/primary care, small animal surgery, and dental services before finding her calling in operations and services. Eshenko spent time assisting clients for the VMC’s Customer Call Center before settling into her current position at Piper. 

When she’s not at work, Eshenko enjoys spending time with her family, going camping and hanging out with the wildlife, traveling, riding four-wheelers, riding horses, fishing, and watching her kids show their animals.

Have you had a positive experience with Connie? Send a note of thanks to brighten her day.