Financial tools like pet insurance and financing are becoming more integrated into the moments of care, driving deeper trust and sustained engagement for both clients and vets. This panel explores how insurance, wellness plans, embedded benefits, and flexible financing are broadening access to care for all including those traditionally underserved. We’ll examine the expanding role of these tools in a care ecosystem that includes retail, tech, and finance, and ask who are we reaching with these innovations—and who’s still being left behind?
Miles Thorson
Christie Horvath
Christie Horvath is CEO and Founder of Wagmo, a modern pet healthcare company redefining pet benefits in the workplace. Christie holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics from Northwestern University. She began her career in the Financial Institutions Group at BlackRock before launching Wagmo in 2017.
Recently, Christie was named to the Inc. Female Founders 500 list, and in 2024, Wagmo was recognized with the Benefits Trailblazer Award for Best Lifestyle Solution.
Etienne Legangneux
With over 15 years of expertise in pet care and consumer brands, Etienne has combined private equity and operational leadership across global markets. He was involved in investments in leading companies such as Edgard & Cooper and Vita Coco, before co-founding Wolf Spring, a U.S. pet supplement business. He is now leading Vet-AI, where technology and veterinary expertise converge to deliver innovative solutions for pet owners and industry stakeholders.
Nick Loring
Nick Loring is the SVP GM of Pet Insurance & Investments at Synchrony. In his role, Nick partners with leading brands to create insurance and wellness experiences that are integrated with CareCredit, the trusted brand and leading financing solution for pet parents and clinics. Prior to his current role, Nick held a variety of leadership positions in product management, client relationship management, corporate strategy, and M&A consulting.
Nick holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BSBA degree from UNC Chapel Hill.