celebrating Pride at Banfield

It’s Pride Month! At Banfield, we’ve been celebrating Pride for a long time, and we’re so proud of our employee-led Pride diversity resource group (DRG) that has been making waves since 2018. 

In their short existence, Banfield Pride has helped to install gender neutral bathroom signage in standalone hospitals and at Central Team Support, they’ve helped push the initiative to include pronouns on name badges and email signatures, and they’ve also supported and advocated for Pride VMC’s Gender Identity Bill of Rights and Gender Affirmation Guide for all Associates and line managers. 

We interviewed Lee Barrow (he/him), who has been a part of the Pride DRG for over a year now, about how he leads with pride, why he loves being a part of Banfield Pride, and what he wants Associates to know about our Pride DRG. 

How long have you been with Banfield and what is your role? 

I've been with Banfield for almost two years now — May 24 marks my two-year anniversary. My role here is a Learning Experience Designer, which is just a fancy way of saying I create engaging learning materials. Before Banfield, I was teaching high school mathematics. After finishing my graduate degree in instructional design, I joined the Banfield team. My work involves designing various learning tools, from eLearnings to job aids, and even some content for [our company leadership meetings] — a variety of tasks to keep things interesting!

How long have you been a part of the Pride DRG?

I've been a proud member of the Pride DRG for a little over a year now. Time flies when you're passionate about something! My focus has been on education, overlapping with my personal passion. The meaningful impact we have is all about increasing knowledge and skills, having a real effect on people’s daily lives, both professionally and personally.

What is your favorite event or accomplishment through the Pride DRG? 

My biggest accomplishment has been working on and hosting the "Lead with Pride" podcast, an internal podcast for Banfield Associates. Initially, I was quite nervous, since public speaking isn't my forte, but it’s been a fantastic experience. I've had the opportunity to discuss sensitive topics and share inspiring stories from various individuals. 

Please tell us more about the Pride blog

The podcast has been quite a journey for me. I never imagined I'd become a podcast host, but after joining Pride and with my experience on the Learning & Development team, I noticed how everyone's attention is constantly pulled in different directions by work and a flood of text-based information. I wanted to connect with Associates in a more engaging way, and reaching their ears felt like a perfect approach. Hosting the podcast has given me the chance to chat with some truly amazing Associates within the LGBTQIA+ community, hearing their stories and learning how they've overcome various challenges. It's been a wonderful experience. While I’m still learning to be an effective host and reflecting on my own growth, the podcast serves as a relaxed and informal platform to communicate with the community. Our goal is to promote education through storytelling and shared experiences.

How do you lead with pride? 

For me, leading with pride means actively listening and observing to understand what people need. It’s about identifying the gaps and figuring out how I (or the DRG itself) can help, whether it’s bringing up a topic on the podcast or creating a micro-learning session. There’s always something going on, and my goal is to fill those gaps meaningfully, making a real impact on our community.

What would you tell other Associates to entice them to join the Pride DRG?

If you’d asked me a year ago, my answer would have been different, but now I see the immense value in joining a DRG (not that I didn't see value before, but it has definitely evolved). It's all about community, support, and professional growth. Coming from a rural teaching background in Florida where I had to hide who I was, joining Banfield and the Pride DRG has been liberating. The professional development opportunities are immense, and the effort you put in is reciprocated. You get what you give, and I've seen a lot of growth in myself through this network. So, what do you have to lose? Dive in and see where it takes you — you might just be surprised!