
Ginny Weissman
Is an Emmy-nominated producer and director, television writer, journalist, author and publisher who has been an activist for pro-social and positive entertainment during her diverse career. She has developed, sold and supervised programming for cable and the networks focusing on issue-oriented topics. Ginny's acclaimed documentaries have appeared on A&E, The History Channel, Discovery Health Channel and PBS. Her views have been published in USA Today, The Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Time magazine.
Ginny began her career as a journalist at The Chicago Tribune. During her eleven-year tenure at the Tribune, she held a variety of management positions including editor of the TV Week magazine (circulation 1.2 million). She interviewed hundreds of celebrities and wrote personality profiles and articles about the importance of family programming. . She is the author of two critically acclaimed, best-selling books, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Anatomy of a Classic (St. Martin's Press) and Champagne Music, The Lawrence Welk Show (St. Martin's Press).
As an adjunct professor at Northwestern University, Ginny taught writing for film and television. She believed that the future of the entertainment industry would be determined by the work of today's students and taught ethics and responsibility along with technique.
Her numerous television credits include "Investigative Reports," "American Justice," and "Bonds of Survival" for "The Unexplained" on A&E, "Wrath of God" for The History Channel, "Chicago's Lifeline" for The Discovery Health Channel and "Highway to Heaven" starring Michael Landon for NBC.
Ginny was the Supervising Producer and Director for two Emmy Award-winning children's PBS specials and music videos featuring Gaia who sings while performing American Sign Language. She also wrote and produced an Emmy-nominated documentary, Magic by the Lake: The Edgewater Beach Hotel, for the PBS series, "Chicago Stories.” In addition, she was a producer for the PBS magazine series, "Chicago Tomorrow."
Ginny co-founded Transformation Media Books which to date has published 16 books in the mind, body spirit genre. She currently is Publisher Emeritus.
Humanitarian work plays a large part in Ginny's life. After the Terrorist attack on September 11th, Ginny organized fundraisers for the ASPCA Disaster Fund and Canine Rescue effort. After a trip to Peru, she organized a Christmas toy drive for the children living in poverty near the mountains of Machu Picchu.
In 2009, Ginny began The Pet Ministry-PS. She raises the funds for the Angels in Fur Coats to receive medical attention and be spayed or neutered and then put up for adoption. In the past 16 years, Ginny and her volunteers have found loving, forever homes for nearly 500 precious pets who were lost, abandoned or surrendered by their owners in the Palm Springs area. Pet Ministry-PS has adoption events at Center for Spiritual Living-Palm Springs when adoptable pets become available or through “Meet & Greets.”
As the Executive Director of the Pet Ministry-PS, Ginny identified two pressing needs: The need for homes for senior pets and affordable housing for Seniors and families with pets, which is needed now more than ever in the current affordable housing crisis. Ginny is working with Developers to acquire land in Palm Springs to build affordable housing with Pet-Ministry-PS services for low cost spay/neuter and lower vet fees and making sure residents pets are cared for in their time of need.
She is known for her valued, long-time commitment to non-profit organizations such as the Easter Seal Society and served as co-host for their annual telethons for fifteen years. The Easter Seal Society honored her with the "Communications Award" for outstanding public service supporting the needs and rights of persons with disabilities. She was honored again by The Easter Seal Society with the "Outstanding Service Award" for 15 years of dedication and service. Ginny also was the recipient of the Mother Theodore Guerin High School McManus Alumna Award which honors an outstanding graduate who has "distinguished herself in service to the community and achievement in her career."
Ginny served for eight years on the Board of Governors for the Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and was elected second vice-president. She chaired two committees: the popular monthly luncheons featuring prominent broadcast personalities from across the country and the media literacy/scholarship committee. She has served as a judge for the Emmy Awards, the Humanitas Prize, a prestigious national award for television writing and Script, a film writing competition held by the Illinois and Chicago Film Offices.
Ginny was one of the Producers of the Annual Chicago Film Critics Awards, known as the "Chicago Oscars." Stars who participated included: Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Ellen Burstyn, Kathy Bates, Hillary Swank, Gene Hackman, to name a few.
Born and raised in Chicago, she also has lived and worked in the television industry in Los Angeles. She co-founded Windy City West and hosted ten annual parties for transplanted Chicagoans working in the Hollywood entertainment industry, and produced a television special about Windy City West for NBC 5 in Chicago.
Ginny is a literary and media consultant. Her clients include: Author and Radio Personality John St. Augustine, former Host and Producer, Oprah Radio, Rev. Dr. Terry Cole-Whittaker, author of "What You Think of Me is None of My Business" and "Live Your Bliss" and Mark DeCarlo, author of "A Fork on the Road" and on iTunesPyschic.com and Laura Meeks, author, "Loving without Limits" and author Rev. Dale Olansky, "Fear to Faith."
In 2020, Ginny was a Partner and Vice President, Marketing & Development and helped to launch Environment Protection Solutions LLC (EPS), a professional service company with a higher standard in sanitizing and disinfecting without harmful chemicals.
Ginny lives in Palm Springs.

Riley 2005-2019

Poppi, 2004 -2023

Trixie 2003- 2022

