MM+M is proud to present its 5th annual Hall of Femme and Women to Watch classes. Each of these senior and aspiring healthcare commercial and marketing execs is leaving her own indelible mark on the medical, marketing and media industry.
Join us for a day of inspiration and celebration at the virtual MM+M Hall of Femme event on September 22.
Hall of Femme
- Dania AlarconChief medical officer, Wunderman Thompson HealthDania AlarconChief medical officer, Wunderman Thompson Health
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
I’d be a chef making international cuisine for six months a year. The other six months, I would be hard at work — traveling internationally, gathering recipes and researching ingredients — to make sure my restaurant customers experience the best world cuisine with me.
- Ester BanqueSVP, intercontinental, commercial, Bristol Myers SquibbEster BanqueSVP, intercontinental, commercial, Bristol Myers Squibb
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
As an outgrowth of my global work with patients, I would like to further humanitarian efforts in worldwide organizations such as the United Nations.
- Dr. Charlotte Jones BurtonOtsuka PharmaceuticalDr. Charlotte Jones BurtonOtsuka Pharmaceutical
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
I am an entrepreneur and own indoor cycling studios with my husband.
- Kristin CahillPresident, North America, GCI HealthKristin CahillPresident, North America, GCI Health
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
I always wanted to be a sports broadcaster because I love watching sports and memorizing all the statistics associated with them. While I don’t get to talk about sports all day in healthcare, I do get to channel my experiences as a student athlete into how I approach leadership, teamwork and work/life balance. Nothing has taught me more about business than playing sports.
- Judy CapanoManaging partner, chief operating officer, CalciumJudy CapanoManaging partner, chief operating officer, Calcium
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
There are so many things that I would love to pursue outside the healthcare marketing field: I would love to teach a class as a visiting professor. I would love to write a book. I would love to run a nonprofit directed at education needs for learning disabled kids. I’m not interested in the concept of retirement so I look forward to exploring all of these other interesting paths as I move to the next stage in my life.
- Michelle CarnahanActing CEO, Sunbird Bio and senior advisor, Thirty MadisonMichelle CarnahanActing CEO, Sunbird Bio and senior advisor, Thirty Madison
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
I really enjoy teaching and the energy of youth, so a college professor.
- Alyson ConnorPresident, MicroMass CommunicationsAlyson ConnorPresident, MicroMass Communications
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
I’ve spent my entire career in healthcare. It’s my passion and where I feel I can use my strengths to make an impact. I guess if I could do anything else I would be a professional global food critic specializing in desserts. If I could get paid to travel the world, sample the local confections, all while satisfying my sweet tooth, that would be a very satisfying career. I also think I could fall back on being a professional comedian. With three boys and three dogs, the chaos in my house creates comedic material I just can’t make up.
- Kate Croninco-president, Ogilvy HealthKate Croninco-president, Ogilvy Health
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
If I didn't work in healthcare, I think I would have gone into the art industry. In college I majored in biology and minored in art history and I always loved the way art reflected the history of humanity over the course of time. When you think about it, there is an art and science to the work we do in healthcare and so I think I picked the right career.
- Diane Gomez-ThinnesWorldwide president, Johnson & JohnsonDiane Gomez-ThinnesWorldwide president, Johnson & Johnson
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
I’d be involved in educating disadvantaged students. I was born to hardworking immigrant parents who encouraged me to take every chance to get ahead. With their support, I took advantage of the mentoring and educational opportunities that were offered to children in our small, Hispanic, Spanish-speaking city in New Jersey.
- Jennifer GottliebGlobal president, W2OJennifer GottliebGlobal president, W2O
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
I would only work in healthcare because it’s my passion. I’m a total science geek and love solving problems. If I were working as a scientist or biologist today, I would want to be on the front lines of finding solutions for the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m fascinated with how it’s spread, why it’s so contagious, and finding the best ways to develop solutions to prevent and treat it.
- Joanna JacobsManaging director, Klick HealthJoanna JacobsManaging director, Klick Health
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
I feel it’s a true privilege to work in healthcare because healthcare is one of the great democratizers of the world, reflecting a need that people of all walks of life have in common. I’ve always been interested in helping people access things that both they and their families need to live well, so for this reason, if I hadn’t found my calling in healthcare, I would probably be part of an organization like the Peace Corps.
- Susan ManberChief patient officer, Publicis HealthSusan ManberChief patient officer, Publicis Health
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
Healthcare has become so much a part of me that this is a hard question to answer! I would work in journalism because much of what I love about health I also love about journalism. Both fields require asking good questions. My father was an editorial science writer, so I learned how to ask “why” early and never stopped. I love getting to the heart of a problem.
- Marissa McNally-CostelloHead of strategy, Cambridge BioMarketingMarissa McNally-CostelloHead of strategy, Cambridge BioMarketing
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
I’ve been doing this so long, I don’t even know. I’d love to write TV sitcoms. I’d love to be a travel blogger and photographer. I’d love to work at a Google think tank. I’d love to partner with local governments to try to combat homelessness and food insecurity. I’d love to be a famous movie star. Am I qualified to do any of it? Probably not …
- Andrea PalmerPresident, Publicis Health MediaAndrea PalmerPresident, Publicis Health Media
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
If I were 100% out of healthcare, I’d probably be an interior designer. Maybe if I could spend my energy designing other people’s homes, my own would have fewer chandeliers and rugs on rotation!
- Ahnal PurohitCEO, Purohit NavigationAhnal PurohitCEO, Purohit Navigation
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
Sometimes I think I’d be happy to go back to where this all started for me and resume my “prior life” as a university professor. Other times, I think that I would go into research — maybe focusing on individual or organizational behavior. And, every once in a while, I have a wild thought to leave all structure and just travel the world taking candid photos of people at airports for a coffee table book!
- Nandini RamaniCOO, Outcome HealthNandini RamaniCOO, Outcome Health
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
I would likely stay the course in healthcare and leverage my experience from Twitter to build consumer connected solutions. If I had all the money in the world, I’d be solving world hunger.
- Kate ShamsuddinChief product officer, Definitive HealthcareKate ShamsuddinChief product officer, Definitive Healthcare
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
I would likely either own a specialty food shop or a café — I have a passion for making tasty food and sharing that with others, which comes on the heels of a desire to run a small, local business that I have learned from my parents!
- Kim Wishnow-PerPresident, McCann Health Managed MarketsKim Wishnow-PerPresident, McCann Health Managed Markets
What would you do if you didn't work in healthcare?
If I didn’t work in healthcare and these were different times (non-COVID-19) I would love to be a Mountain Ambassador at a ski resort out west in the winter and a swim instructor for babies and little kids in the summers.
Women to Watch
- Pam CaputoAssociate VP, media and engagement, PrecisioneffectPam CaputoAssociate VP, media and engagement, Precisioneffect
In just four years at Precisioneffect, Pam Caputo has gone from being the sole media strategist to building a media team as the associate director of media to overseeing the fast-growing and ever-evolving media and digital engagement department.
- Arielle ChavkinGroup associate media director, Greater Than OneArielle ChavkinGroup associate media director, Greater Than One
Arielle Chavkin is a media expert who helps clients push out of their comfort zone.
- Jazzy DanzigerCreative director, 2eJazzy DanzigerCreative director, 2e
Jazzy Danziger draws on her poetry background to distill complex ideas into concise, memorable campaigns.
- Christine DouglassDirector of communications, Komodo HealthChristine DouglassDirector of communications, Komodo Health
Christine Douglass earned her health-tech bona fides while helping communicate the launches of Komodo Health and IBM Watson Health.
- Deanna FedickDirector, media, CMI/CompasDeanna FedickDirector, media, CMI/Compas
In her six years in the business, Deanna Fedick has established herself as one of the health media world’s most adept strategists and tacticians.
- Catherine FitzpatrickEVP, Weber ShandwickCatherine FitzpatrickEVP, Weber Shandwick
Catherine Fitzpatrick has been a key figure in the evolution of Weber Shandwick’s health practice and especially its longstanding relationship with Sanofi/Regeneron.
- Amanda HartzmarkSenior marketing intelligence director, AbelsonTaylorAmanda HartzmarkSenior marketing intelligence director, AbelsonTaylor
At AbelsonTaylor, Amanda Hartzmark wears many hats.
- Jessica HillAccount group supervisor, Ogilvy HealthJessica HillAccount group supervisor, Ogilvy Health
Jessica Hill has displayed an uncommon level of professional maturity, particularly in her brand experience.
- Samantha KonkusDirector of operations, MicroMass CommunicationsSamantha KonkusDirector of operations, MicroMass Communications
Samantha Konkus turned her passion for project management into a promising agency career.
- Rita LebedevaDirector of product marketing, Rightway HealthcareRita LebedevaDirector of product marketing, Rightway Healthcare
A desire to help people led Rita Lebedeva to VirtualHealth in 2016.
- Cait LongAccount Supervisor, Vivo AgencyCait LongAccount Supervisor, Vivo Agency
After only three years as a healthcare marketer, Cait Long has moved from an associate project manager to an account leader managing half of the business at Vivo Agency.
- Jennifer MatosMedical strategy, New Jersey, FingerpaintJennifer MatosMedical strategy, New Jersey, Fingerpaint
A Ph.D.-level scientist turned pharma-advertising pro, Jennifer Matos has been described by colleagues as an “incredible force.”
- Sarah MinderGroup account supervisor, Digitas HealthSarah MinderGroup account supervisor, Digitas Health
Sarah Minder’s lightning-fast ascension is driven by natural instinct, a zealous work ethic and the creation of meaningful relationships with those around her.
- Christine MuldoonVP marketing strategy, WebMD Health ServicesChristine MuldoonVP marketing strategy, WebMD Health Services
A 20-plus-year veteran of the healthcare business, Christine Muldoon assumed the lead marketing role at WebMD Health Services in January 2019.
- Lauren RautiolaAccount director, JB AshtinLauren RautiolaAccount director, JB Ashtin
Lauren Rautiola has distinguished herself through leading the agency’s publications projects and via her work boosting sales, providing client service and growing accounts.
- Amanda PhranerDirector, public relations and social media, Horizon TherapeuticsAmanda PhranerDirector, public relations and social media, Horizon Therapeutics
With a career spanning pharma, agencies, advocacy organizations and government health agencies, Amanda Phraner has become an expert in policy, digital health and pharma communications.
- Cam WalkerVP, director, HeartbeatCam WalkerVP, director, Heartbeat
As VP, director of production at Heartbeat, Cam Walker is a natural leader.
- Anna WaltkeGroup account director, Intouch GroupAnna WaltkeGroup account director, Intouch Group
Anna Waltke has climbed the agency ladder within Intouch Solutions.
