Lea-Ann Germinder, APR, Fellow PRSA is President and Founder of Germinder & Associates, Inc. and Editor and Publisher of GoodNewsForPets.com, one of the most established B2B publications in the veterinary and pet industry. She is available for speaking engagements and consulting on responsible AI in veterinary medicine, pet industry communications, and AI ethics literacy for PR professionals and veterinary organizations. To reach Germinder, email lgerminder@germinder.com.
About Germinder & Associates, Inc.
Germinder & Associates, Inc. is a woman-owned public relations agency founded in 1998 with offices in the New York City area and Kansas City, Missouri. The agency specializes in veterinary medicine, animal health, and pet industry communications and has created over 125 campaigns to educate pet owners and veterinary professionals. GoodNewsForPets.com is a Germinder & Associates brand, launched in 2000 and now in its 27th year of publication.
About GoodNewsForPets.com
Germinder launched GoodNewsForPets.com at the Western Veterinary Conference (now Viticus Group) in 2000 and has published over 3,000 posts since. What began as a resource for freelance journalists to find good news about veterinary medicine became an industry institution. As she often says, “pets.com didn’t last, but GoodNewsForPets.com is still here.” The site covers pet industry news, veterinary medicine, responsible AI in veterinary practice, and the human-animal bond.
Academic Positions
Germinder serves as a Graduate Instructor at the Missouri School of Journalism, University of Missouri (2023–2026), where she has taught Strategic Communication Research and Audiences and Persuasion. She also serves as Adjunct Instructor and Capstone Advisor at New York University School of Professional Studies (2026).
Expertise Areas
Germinder’s content development background spans 46 years in veterinary and pet industry communications. She and her teams have created over 125 campaigns in animal health, educating pet owners and general veterinary practitioners. Key work includes:
- Creation of the iconic “Pets Need Dental Care, Too!” campaign on behalf of Hill’s Pet Nutrition, the American Veterinary Medical Association, and the American Veterinary Dental College, which helped build the oral care category for pets
- The KNOW Heartworms campaign on behalf of Zoetis (formerly Pfizer Animal Health), the American Heartworm Society, and the American Association of Feline Practitioners
- The CATalyst Summit, which evolved into the CATalyst Council, on behalf of Zoetis
Her work has included extensive collaboration with pharmaceutical companies on vaccines and product launches, pet food and pet insurance companies, and a host of veterinary organizations.
Research Focus: Responsible AI
Germinder holds a Master of Science in Communication Management from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications (2023), where her capstone project focused on Generative AI and Public Relations. She is a doctoral candidate in Strategic Communications at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, a recipient of the G. Ellsworth Huggins Fellowship, the Dr. Mary E. and Ruth Williamson Fellowship for Women Ph.D. Students and the Joseph G. Muir Scholarship. Her dissertation research focuses on responsible AI in public relations and organizations.
Selected Responsible AI Coverage on GoodNewsForPets.com
- Responsible AI in Veterinary Medicine
- VMX 2026 Wrap-Up: Why Education, Experience, and Responsible AI Are Shaping the Future of Veterinary Medicine
- Dr. Bailey on AI in Veterinary Dentistry, Pet Dental Awareness & More
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Germinder, L.A. & Capizzo, L. (2025). A strategic communication practitioner imperative: contextualizing responsible AI as part of responsible advocacy. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 19(2), 340–356. https://doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2024.2430959
Germinder, L.A. & Capizzo, L. (2024). Applying practitioner perspectives to ethical codes for the use of generative artificial intelligence in public relations. In A. Laskin & K. Freberg (Eds.), Public relations and communication trends in 2050. Wiley.
Germinder, L.A. (2022). Pets need dental care, too. In J. Salvatore & J. Eggensperger (Eds.), Strategic public relations writing: proven tactics and techniques. Routledge.
Conference Presentations
Germinder, L. (2026, May). Communicating About Responsible AI in Veterinary Medicine. Symposium on Artificial Intelligence in Veterinary Medicine (SAVY), Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY.
Germinder, L. (2025, June). The Quest for Responsible Public Relations for Responsible AI. 32nd International Public Relations Symposium (BledCom), Lake Bled, Slovenia.
Germinder, L. & Cropp, F. (2025, March). A Global Study of Public Relations Practitioners’ Responsible Use of Generative AI. 28th Annual International Public Relations Research Conference (IPRRC), Orlando, FL.
Capizzo, L., Martinez Gonzalez, A., & Germinder, L. (2024, June). Decoupling, dissensus, and deliberation in organizational public relations. International Communication Association 74th Annual Conference, Gold Coast, Australia. (Top Faculty Paper, PR Division)
Selected Media Appearances
- Communicating About Responsible AI in Veterinary Medicine. Veterinary Innovation Podcast (2025). https://veterinaryinnovationpodcast.com/
- Responsible AI for Public Relations Practice Chapter Highlights. Alexander V. Laskin Podcast (2025).
- You Absolutely Have to Use AI: AI Researcher on Czech-US Alignment and More. Radio Prague International (2025, February 7). https://rozhl.as/dtJ
Academic & Professional Affiliations
- International Public Relations Association (IPRA) — AI Chapter, U.S. Representative (2026)
- International Communication Association (ICA), Member (2023–present)
- Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), Member (2023–present)
- Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPRA), Member (2023–present)
- National Communication Association (NCA), Member (2022–present)
- Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, Member (2025–present)
- Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Fellow — Member since 1991
- Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), Member (2019–present)
- Dog Writers Association of America (DWAA), Member (2000–present)
- Cat Writers’ Association of America (CWA), Member (2000–present)
- Veterinary Management Association Executives (VMAE), First Associate Member (2015–present)
Professional Leadership
Germinder is an Accredited Fellow of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), one of the most prestigious honors in the public relations profession. She has served on the PRSA National Board of Directors and as a Trustee of the PRSA Foundation, and has held numerous leadership positions, including President of PRSA-NY and PRSA Kansas City chapters. She co-founded the Inez Y. Kaiser GKC-PRSA Memorial Scholarship Fund in 2021 with the Greater Kansas City PRSA chapter to honor a pioneering African American PR practitioner.
She serves as a senior judge for the PRSA Silver Anvil Awards (AI and Digital Category) and as an International Campaigns Judge for IPRA.
Recognition
Germinder’s work has been recognized by the PRSA Silver Anvil Award of Excellence, the VMX Vetty Awards, the American Animal Hospital Association Gold Key Award, the IABC Bronze Quill, and dozens of communications awards. She has been named Roger Yarrington PR Pro of the Year by GKC-PRSA, earned the PRSA-NY Excellence in Mentoring Award, the CWA Michael Brim Distinguished Service Award, the Women Who Mean Business Award from the Kansas City Business Journal, and an Enterprising Women of the Year Honoree Award.
Updated: April 11, 2026
Dr. Bailey on AI in Veterinary Dentistry, Pet Dental Awareness & More
