Marketing Innovation Lab Workshop

Collaborate & Connect

Team up with some of the most creative minds in the pet industry for a day.

Showcase Your Skills

Present your strategic ideas to leading industry marketing pros and peers.

Support Worthy Causes

Provide actionable resources to pet industry non-profits through campaign building.

HOW IT WORKS

Collaborate and Compete with Strategic Campaign Building

Small groups of pet industry professionals will develop a campaign concept that communicates a nonprofit’s mission through powerful storytelling and clear messaging. The focus is on creativity, emotional resonance, and alignment with the nonprofit’s goals. Workshop attendees will hear from participating non-profit organizations. Then, groups will work together to create a campaign concept that aligns with their mission and aims to achieve their stated goals.

Monday Workshop Agenda | 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM

Kick-off and Briefing

Hear from each participating non-profit to understand their goals.

Storytelling Crash Course

A quick session on nonprofit storytelling frameworks will set the foundation for your task.

Campaign Development

Teams work together to brainstorm, refine and shape their campaign pitch.

Lunch Break

Take some time to fuel, refresh and reflect on the morning.

Prototype & Practice

Groups prepare campaign story elements (presentations, copywriting, or role-play).

Pitch Presentations

Each group will present for 5-7 minutes.

Networking Happy Hour

Kick back and network with participants and industry guests as the judging process kicks off.

The Pet Care Trust administers the Pets in the Classroom and Dogs in the Classroom programs to support student learning and personal growth through meaningful interactions with animals. By providing teachers with financial assistance and educational resources, these programs help bring pets into the classroom in ways that enrich instruction and create positive learning environments. Through these experiences, students develop empathy, compassion, responsibility, and stronger social skills while also benefiting from increased academic engagement and confidence. Classroom pets can also help reduce anxiety and negative behaviors, supporting both student well-being and teachers’ ability to achieve their instructional goals.

The Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) is a non-profit organization supporting scientific research on the health benefits of pets for people and advocating for a healthier, more pet-friendly society. Through a partnership with Mental Health America (MHA), the nation's largest mental health screening organization, HABRI recently launched the Pets and Mental Health Resource Center. Designed for both current and prospective pet owners, the resource center offers trusted information on the mental health benefits of pet ownership, mental health screening tools, and practical guidance on pet acquisition and care.

Project K-9 Hero is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to serving those who protected our families, our communities, and our America. We provide medical care, rehabilitation, rehoming, and lifetime support to retired Police K-9s & Military Working Dog Heroes, ensuring they receive the dignified post-service life they deserve.

We are the policy voice of the responsible pet care community, advocating for pet care priorities at the local, state, federal and international levels.

Brother Wolf Animal Rescue's mission is to better the lives of companion animals and the people who love them. Through adoption and pet retention programs.

Nicole Massey

Vice President Pet Marketing, Innovation & RGM, The J.M. Smucker Company

Nicole Massey is a data-driven business leader with a proven track record of building high-performing teams and growing iconic, category-leading brands like Meow Mix, Milk-Bone, Uncrustables, Jif, and Smuckers.
Nicole brings deep experience across innovation, marketing, and sales at The J.M. Smucker Company, Big Heart Pet Brands, and Del Monte Foods. Earlier in her career, she developed a strong strategic foundation as a consultant at The Boston Consulting Group.
She holds an MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College. Nicole lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two teenage sons, and two cats.

Lashonda Geffard

Founder & CEO of Black Pet Business Network

Lashonda Geffrard is a brand strategist and the Founder & CEO of the Black Pet Business Network (BPBN), a national community empowering Black entrepreneurs and leaders in the pet industry. With more than two decades of experience, she helps founders build bold, culturally authentic brands that connect deeply with their audiences and stand out in the marketplace. Through BPBN, Lashonda is creating new pathways for representation, economic empowerment, and leadership in the future of pet care.

Beke Lubeach

CEO - DOGTV Networks

Beke Lubeach is CEO of DOGTV Networks, home to DOGTV—the first television network scientifically designed to relax and enrich dogs—and Unleashed by DOGTV, an expert-led channel created for pet parents and dog lovers. A veteran media and marketing executive, she has built her career at the intersection of media, the pet industry, and professional sports, developing global media brands through strategic partnerships, innovative marketing, and international distribution. Today, she leads DOGTV Networks’ expansion across streaming, DTC, and connected TV platforms while championing the power of the human–animal bond.

Kristen Levine

President, Kristen Levine Media

Kristen Levine has dedicated her career to connecting pets, people, and the brands that serve them. As a pet expert, marketer, and media personality, she has built trusted platforms that give pet parents access to expert guidance and credible products.

With decades of experience in public relations, content creation, pet parenting education, and brand partnerships, Kristen bridges the gap between brands, experts, and families. Her strength lies in creating expert-driven content that educates and inspires pet parents—helping them make confident choices for their pets’ health, happiness, and wellbeing.

Peter Scott

President & CEO, American Pet Products Association

Peter Scott is a proven leader with over 25 years of experience in growing global non-profit organizations and individuals specializing in creating partnerships that increase engagement, drive revenue, and amplify the organization’s impact.

Pete's ability to merge creative strategy, business acumen and board governance consulting has earned him the ear of those at some of the world’s largest organizations, including Microsoft, Wyndham, Hershey, Ford, Swiss Army, Kraft and others His efforts have received recognition from media outlets including ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, The Wall Street Journal, Associations Now, Internal Auditor Magazine and Compliance Week.

Pet Marketing Innovation Lab

Flex Your Creative Muscles and Make Lasting Connections