Gwyn Donohue
(PRESS RELEASE) BELLEVUE, WA — Pet Partners, the nation’s leading nonprofit serving people and communities in need through therapy animal interactions, announces Gwyn Donohue has joined the organization as chief marketing officer and director of marketing for the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals (AAAIP).
“Gwyn makes a great addition to our team with over 25 years of professional experience in marketing, communications, and public relations for nonprofits, trade associations, and consumer product businesses in sectors including animal health and youth development,” said C. Annie Peters, president & CEO of Pet Partners. “We are excited to add her expertise and enthusiasm to our talented staff as we advance our mission to improve human health and well-being through the human-animal bond, and work to grow the impact of both Pet Partners and AAAIP.”
In her role, Donohue will create and guide execution of comprehensive marketing strategies focused on positively influencing awareness, perception, and engagement with Pet Partners’ and AAAIP’s programs, events, services and products, including therapy animal team registrations, fundraising support, education offerings, certifications, and memberships.
Donohue comes to Pet Partners from the Pet Advocacy Network where, as vice president of communications and membership, she led a successful total rebrand of the organization and oversaw advocacy campaigns, member recruitment and retention efforts, and media relations. Prior to that, she ran the National Association of Home Builders’ Remodelers’ Council as executive director and executed homeownership public awareness campaigns as director of public relations. She has also developed branding strategies for National 4-H Council and marketing plans for animal health products such as Nutramax Laboratories’ Cosequin.
“The mental and physical health benefits of pet ownership and interacting with therapy dogs and other therapy animals are scientifically proven,” said Donohue. “I am thrilled to be able to combine my professional skills with my personal passion to help Pet Partners and AAAIP enable more people and communities to improve their well-being through animal-assisted interventions.”
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A lifelong animal lover, Donohue currently resides in Alexandria, VA, and shares her home with a three-year-old golden retriever and a 15-year-old retriever mix. She has volunteered with Golden Retriever Rescue, Education and Training (GRREAT) in the Washington, D.C., area for over 20 years.
About Pet Partners
Pet Partners is the leader in the therapy animal field for registering volunteer teams. Since 1977, we have supported thousands of teams in making millions of meaningful visits across the country and around the world. Through the human-animal bond, we can improve the physical, social, and emotional lives of both the people and animals involved. Pet Partners supports volunteer teams by offering the highest quality preparation, an unmatched approach to evaluation and registration—for nine different types of animals, and a focus on connections. We elevate the importance of therapy animal visits, and our teams help build a healthier and happier world for us all. Whether or not you have a pet, learn more about sharing the human-animal bond by visiting petpartners.org.
About AAAIP
The Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals is a community of professionals who value the human-animal bond and the power of animal-assisted interventions. Created by Pet Partners, one of the world’s largest and most esteemed therapy animal organizations, AAAIP’s mission is to empower professionals to responsibly integrate therapy animals into their practice while advancing the field of animal-assisted intervention (AAI). Members of AAAIP are professionals who are passionate about the human-animal bond with a shared vision for safe and effective practice in a professional setting. AAAIP welcomes all levels of professionals working with therapy animals or those who plan to work with them in the future. We also welcome individuals who may work in a field that requires knowledge of AAI. We envision a future where AAI is practiced widely, ethically, and successfully. aaaiponline.org
