Improving communication leads to healthier animals.
St Anna Advies was founded on this belief.
How it all began
Roeland Wessels ran a veterinary practice on St. Annastaat in Nijmegen together with his wife, Astrid. Alongside their day-to-day veterinary work, a new idea took shape: Roeland’s dream of helping the veterinary world through better communication.
What began in 2008 with a desk in the loft and a great deal of enthusiasm has grown into an organisation that has now helped thousands of veterinary professionals at home and abroad: St. Anna Advies – named after the street where it all began.
Science meets practice
Roeland developed the first training courses, consultancy programmes and communication models, and the number of commissions grew: more and more organisations realised that behavioural change begins with a good conversation.
A significant milestone followed in 2010, when Jolanda Jansen joined St Anna Advies. She came into contact with Roeland whilst conducting her PhD research into communication relating to cattle health. Their shared passion for communication, behavioural change and animal health proved to be the perfect combination.
Initially, she worked alongside her role as a communications adviser at Wageningen Livestock Research. However, from 2014 onwards, she made the full transition to St Anna Advies.
Together, Roeland and Jolanda developed training courses, dialogue models and policy programmes that are now used by a large part of the veterinary sector. St Anna Advies also played a key role in communications regarding the responsible reduction of antibiotic use in Dutch livestock farming.
Growing without losing sight of our roots
What began with a single person in an attic room has grown into a team of trainers, advisers, researchers and support staff.
Professionals such as Ivon Derksen and Saskia Nab brought their own expertise and practical knowledge to the table. At the same time, our activities expanded abroad, with training courses and projects in countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Scandinavia, as well as collaborations with international organisations in the field of animal health.
In 2021, St Anna Advies moved to new offices on Hogewaldstraat in Beuningen. A location that reflects the company’s continued professionalisation, whilst retaining the same personal atmosphere as in the early years.
Sharing knowledge
Sharing knowledge has been at the heart of what we do since the very beginning. Through books such as How Do I Make My Clients Wag Their Tails? and Tackle That Nightmare, the Veterinary Communication Club Day, and research and tools such as the ‘Fijn aan de Lijn’ Check and the Veterinary DialogueTrainer, St Anna Advies has contributed to the professionalisation of veterinary communication.
Recognised for quality
In 2025, Roeland Wessels and Jolanda Jansen were awarded the Anne Veenbaas Medal for their contribution to animal health and welfare: ‘They have carried out pioneering work by putting communication between vets and their clients on the agenda. At the same time, through a wide variety of activities, they have raised the communication skills of veterinary professionals to a higher level. Roeland and Jolanda work in a scientifically grounded way that is also practically feasible.’
A new chapter
Jolanda Jansen became a co-owner back in 2019. And in 2026, after eighteen years, founder Roeland Wessels handed over the reins to Jolanda Jansen and Ivon Derksen.
“When I started St Anna Advies, I hoped that communication would one day become just as second nature as specialist knowledge. We’ve succeeded in that, thanks to a fantastic team and the many clients who have placed their trust in us. I hand over St Anna Advies with complete peace of mind. The future is in good hands.”
Ready for the next twenty years
Today, we work both at home and abroad on veterinary communication, behavioural change and leadership. Our conviction remains the same: when professional expertise and people skills come together, it leads to better conversations, better collaboration and, ultimately, better care.