On the surface, Jennifer Kirk’s career path looks like a series of disconnected dots: a childhood defined by a serious medical diagnosis, a pragmatic pivot into the high-stakes world of Big Six accounting, a two-decade ascent through the finance ranks of an oil giant, and board seats at massive energy and environmental services companies. It’s a formidable, if conventional, trajectory. But to understand the real story, you have to look at the spaces in between, at the moments of quiet reckoning and the deeply personal missions that have guided her. You have to understand the story of the “throwaway” horses.
Today, Jennifer Kirk is the Chief Executive Officer of Exubrion Therapeutics, a veterinary medtech company on the cusp of revolutionizing how we treat osteoarthritis in our pets. It is a role that, five years ago, she could never have imagined. But it is also the role she has been preparing for her entire life. Her journey is a testament to the idea that our true calling often finds us not through a straight line, but through a series of unexpected detours—a health crisis, a family move, a chance conversation on a business trip. It is the story of how a lifelong love for animals and a deep sense of purpose finally converged with a lifetime of corporate discipline to create something truly transformative.
Forged in Grit
The story begins in California, where Jennifer was born and raised. At the tender age of one, she was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. The prognosis at the time was grim; doctors told her mother she would likely be blind or in kidney failure by the age of 20. But her parents, from a lower-middle-class background, were determined to defy those odds. They instilled in her a fierce sense of discipline and responsibility around her health and education. By age six, in an act of extraordinary childhood grit, she was giving herself her own insulin shots.
This early crucible forged the precision and resilience that would become the bedrock of her career. Her childhood dream was to major in linguistics and run a dog rescue, but the practical realities of her condition made solid health insurance a non-negotiable. She made a pragmatic pivot, choosing Economics with a focus in accounting. The decision not only gave her the stability she needed but also set her on a path that would lead, decades later, to the highest echelons of corporate finance. Becoming the first person in her family to graduate from college was not just a milestone; it was the foundation of everything to come.
The Corporate Ascent
After a stint at a Big Six accounting firm, Jennifer spent 22 years at Occidental Petroleum (NYSE: OXY), rising through a series of demanding finance roles that included VP of Finance, Chief Accounting Officer, and ultimately, Senior Vice President leading the integration of a $57 billion acquisition. The fast-paced, global energy sector was a powerful training ground, giving her opportunities to live in multiple locations and travel extensively.
During this time, she broadened her perspective by joining the boards of major public companies. In 2016, she was appointed to the board of Republic Services (NYSE: RSG), a leader in environmental services. In 2024, she joined the board of Sempra (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy company. Her reputation was cemented: a recognized financial expert with a deep understanding of risk management, M&A strategy, and corporate governance. She was a titan of finance, a master of a world of numbers and shareholder value. But a different calling was beginning to stir.
Hearts, Horses, and a New Direction
In 2021, amidst the global disruption of the pandemic, Jennifer felt a deep pull toward work that aligned more personally with her values. This led her to a senior finance role at Medtronic, the global medtech leader that, in a poetic convergence of her personal and professional lives, manufactured the very insulin pump she used every day. She relocated her family from Texas to Minnesota, embracing a new chapter.
It was there that her lifelong love for animals found a profound new expression. Seeking a grounding activity for their three daughters, Jennifer and her husband, Adam, took them to a local horse ranch. They met a woman named Bree, a guiding light who showed them the therapeutic power of horses—especially the overlooked and discarded ones. Jennifer witnessed firsthand the calming effect these “throwaway” horses had on her middle daughter, and everything shifted. “Once we saw it,” she recalls, “we knew we had to do something—not just to rescue the horses, but to give them purpose again by helping people heal.” This was the spark that ignited Healing with Horseplay, a rescue mission that became a deeply personal calling for her entire family.
The Call to Lead
The final, unexpected dot was connected on a Medtronic business trip. Jennifer met a woman named Laurie, who would once again change the course of her career. They connected instantly, and when Jennifer shared the story of the horse rescue, it sparked a deeper conversation—first about joint health in animals, then about a novel isotope called Tin-117m, and ultimately about Exubrion Therapeutics, a company Laurie had invested in.
One conversation led to another. Laurie eventually decided to lead the next round of funding for Exubrion, but with a critical condition: Jennifer had to agree to lead the company. Laurie saw in Jennifer a rare combination of strategic clarity, financial acumen, and a deep, personal passion for animals and medtech. The board and founding team agreed. In May of 2025, the finance titan who had started out dreaming of an animal rescue officially became the CEO of a veterinary medtech company.
Today, she leads a small but mighty team united by a single, resonant mission: improving the lives of pets living with osteoarthritis. Every member of the team is a pet parent, bringing a personal passion to their work. She is surrounded by a uniquely qualified team, including Eric, the CCO with 30 years of experience; Nigel, the COO and one of the technology’s original inventors; Bob, the empathetic Chief Veterinary Officer; and Tim, the seasoned production manager. At the top, Laurie serves not just as board chair, but as a trusted coach and thought partner. “It’s a lot easier to lead when you believe so deeply in the product,” Jennifer says.
A Legacy in Layers
At Exubrion, Jennifer is steering a revolution in animal health. The company’s pioneering treatment, Synovetin OA™, is not a painkiller; it is a targeted radiotherapeutic that addresses the underlying inflammation that causes arthritis. With a total addressable market of over $6 billion annually for the 20 million dogs suffering from osteoarthritis in the U.S. alone, the growth potential is enormous. Her goal is to more than double sales year-over-year for the next three years and expand into the equine market.
But for Jennifer, the legacy she is building is about more than market share. It is about integrating her life’s passions into a single, cohesive purpose. “I want to set an example that it’s possible to love your work and incorporate it naturally into your life,” she says. Her advice to aspiring women leaders in biotech is a reflection of her own journey: “Lead with both head and heart. In biotech, we deal with data and molecules, but ultimately we’re working to improve lives. That’s not a soft skill—it’s a strategic asset.”
Ultimately, her goal is to build a legacy of compassion, innovation, and integration, proving that it is possible to create meaningful change at work, at home, and in the community. The little girl who learned resilience from a chronic illness, the finance executive who mastered the art of the deal, and the mother who found purpose in a rescued horse have all converged into one remarkable leader, now poised to bring healing to millions of our best friends.
Also read: The Most Inspiring Women Leaders in Healthcare 2025
