CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
MOTHER NATURE

Even though Nikki Johnston was born in Lubbock, Texas, she’s been in Austin since 1984. She took a brief sabbatical to go back to Lubbock to attend Texas Tech University where she obtained a B.S. in Animal Science and Natural Resources/Chemistry. As a college student, she worked as a veterinary technician in a few practices (GP to Emergency. After graduating Texas Tech University, she left Lubbock (quickly!) to come back to Austin and picked up where she left off. She has worked in the veterinary field since 1994.

Over the years of being a technician, she developed a passion for practice management, and was promoted quickly as a practice manager in Round Rock, Texas. About a year later, she was promoted again as a Regional Operations Manager (same company) from Austin to Boston overseeing 16-22 practices. Nikki has managed over 63 practices all across the United States, and has felt privileged to have a career where she got to know and work with several veterinarians and their staff.

Nikki was itching to get back to her Austin roots, and in January 2020, Nikki joined Paz Veterinary as the Director of Operations, and in the summer of 2022, became Paz’s Chief Operations Officer. Nikki has a knack for operational strategy, building relationships in the veterinary industry, operational finance and project management- but what she really loves is curating and mentoring new leaders.

Nikki has a teenage son as well as 5 dogs (3 miniature dachshunds, a chihuahua and a chiweenie). She also has quite the green thumb, caring for her personal collection of over 800 plants, and has taken up crochet! She’s a sucker for keeping busy!