CO-FOUNDER/CEO & VETERINARIAN

Our CEO, Dr. Kirra Balmanno, is a veterinarian, endurance athlete, and the driving force behind Vetli.

Born in Australia, with an innate love for nature and its diverse inhabitants, Kirra's journey began with rehabilitating native wildlife in her homeland and some work with the big cats in South Africa. This early passion set the stage for a remarkable career dedicated to the well-being of animals.

Graduating as a veterinarian in 2013 from the University of Queensland, Kirra's inquisitive nature and love for exploration has taken her around the globe, practicing as a veterinary surgeon from Melbourne & the Sunshine Coast, Australia to the United Kingdom and Hong Kong in both general practice, emergency & critical care, and telemedicine.

In addition to her commitment to veterinary medicine, Kirra is an ultra runner and a valuable member of On's international trail team. Her endurance runs through challenging landscapes, including Nepal's Himalayas, the Swiss Alps, Georgia's Caucasus, the desert mountains of Oman, and Dog's Tooth on Lantau Island, not only satisfy her curiosity for pushing limits but have opened her eyes to the importance of accessibility to veterinary care in remote places on earth.

Kirra's approach to life is defined by compassion, curiosity, and a relentless drive to learn and challenge the status quo. As the CEO of Vetli, she is dedicated to revolutionising the way veterinary care is delivered by leveraging technology to provide accessible and quality healthcare for animals everywhere. Kirra's leadership is characterised by a deep commitment to the well-being of animals, coupled with a passion for embracing innovative solutions in the ever-evolving landscape of veterinary medicine.

To learn more about Dr. Kirra Balmanno beyond her commitment to advancing veterinary care, visit her personal website.

Kirra is a registered member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons; the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Hong Kong, the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland and the Hong Kong Veterinary Association.

CO-FOUNDER & CTO

Emilio is a seasoned software engineer with over two decades of extensive experience. Notably, he co-founded the ticketing company Eventioz, successfully navigating its acquisition by Eventbrite in 2013. Emilio's expertise extends beyond entrepreneurship, as he has played a pivotal role in the open-source community, earning recognition as a Ruby on Rails core contributor. His contributions, numbering in the hundreds, have left an indelible mark on numerous projects.

Hailing from Argentina, Emilio spent six years as a Principal Engineer at Eventbrite before embarking on a sabbatical and relocating to Spain. Passionate about animal welfare, he is a dedicated vegan with a longstanding commitment to advocating for the well-being of animals.

Beyond the tech realm, Emilio's interests are diverse. Whether meditating, participating in sports, strategising in a game of chess, or immersing himself in continuous learning, Emilio brings a well-rounded and dynamic approach to both his professional and personal pursuits.

Emilio is also the dog-dad of his beloved French Bulldog, Loki.

VETERINARIAN

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Janet has now resided in Brisbane, Australia.

Graduated in year 2013 at the University of Queensland, Janet has practiced in various clinics in Hong Kong and Brisbane, as well as in animal shelters. She enjoys taking care of sick and stray animals, and the joy of rehoming them to a forever home. Janet is a compassionate veterinarian with lots of experience in preventative medicine, emergency and critical care for patients. She has a great interest in ultrasonography and soft tissue surgeries.

Being a mum of two young kids and a beloved greyhound, Janet understands the importance of having someone to take care of your babies especially when they are sick.

During her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, doing pilates, scuba diving, playing tennis and travelling.

Janet speaks Cantonese, English and Mandarin.

Janet is registered with the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Hong Kong and the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland.

VETERINARIAN

Growing up in the small farming town of Nueva Ecija in the Philippines, Dr. Avelino Verdadero, helped his family raise pets and livestock, including goats and carabao (local buffalo). The Scarcity of veterinary care practitioners in his community helped Ave to realise that he wanted to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. 

In 2013, Avelino graduated from Central Luzon State University with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Husbandry and shortly after that, with his Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine in 2016. Immediately after graduation, Ave worked in the Philippines as a veterinarian at an NGO promoting stray animals' humane population control and rabies eradication. In 2022, Avelino finished an intensive process of obtaining a Certificate of Veterinary Qualification from the American Veterinary Medical Association,  which enabled him to practice in North America and different parts of the world.

In his field of work, Dr. Verdadero enjoys being able to see patients go home happy and healthy. Volunteering is also very important to Dr. Verdadero; mainly contributing his time to mass neutering and providing veterinary care for rural communities in areas without access to a veterinarian.

When not helping out our animal friends, Avelino enjoys scuba diving, hiking, trail running, road biking, camping, and a variety of outdoor sports.

Avelino is excited to join the Vetli team in supporting pet owners when they need help working through pet concerns.

Currently, Dr. Verdadero is a registered member of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association; Saskatchewan Veterinary Medical Association and the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Hong Kong.

VETERINARY TECHNICIAN

Emily grew up in a national park South UK, surrounded by animals and nature. This has influenced her passion in animals, nature and people..

Registered as Veterinary Nurse in 2015 . She trained in general practice and moved to Emergency and critical Care. Since then she has worked in Referral clinics in the UK and Hong Kong. Gaining certificates in Behaviour and ECC.

In the last couple of years Emily has traveled to different parts of the world, volunteering for charities and small communities.

She advocates for the best in pet care through education and helping support people with access to information. She is excited to join the Vetli team in the vision for a healthier future for our pets and veterinary industry.

She loves nature, all creatures and a passion particularly for the preservation of our oceans. She enjoys freediving, scuba, photography and a range of land sports..