What would you do if you didn’t work in healthcare?

I would be an art curator, helping unknown and young artists find an audience and gain exposure to their work. This is why I feel so privileged working in healthcare advertising — I consistently meet impressive creative individuals and their talent inspires me on a daily basis.

Can you give a shout-out to someone who helped you at a pivotal time in your career?

It takes a village … the list is long with much gratitude to the leadership at OHG, current and former bosses and colleagues, professors at school, clients and my ever-supportive family and friends who have walked by my side through every step of the career journey.

I especially want to give a shout out to Tom Edwards, Jeff Persinger and Jo Ann Saitta who showed me what leadership looks like and whose support I am truly grateful for.

How has the pandemic reset the rules on your work-life balance?

The pandemic forced me to be more deliberate about time management. Commuting provided a natural boundary between work (at the office) and personal (at home) but when everything was out of the home, the lines between work and home crossed, blurred and often were nonexistent. So I had to intentionally schedule breaks in my calendar (rather than hoping a natural boundary would arise) — like taking 30 minutes during the day to make sure I ate somewhere other than at my computer. Or scheduling a Teams call with a colleague so I can have a virtual coffee or lunch with them.

Share a moment when you left your comfort zone; what did you learn?

During a break between my first and second jobs, I spent about four months traveling by myself to Australia and New Zealand. I didn’t know anyone in either country but ended up making friends whom I still speak with today. The initial adjustment wandering around forced me to find ways to connect with people and pushed me to experience things I never have before (e.g., swimming with dolphins, glacier hiking, skydiving). Through it, I realized that no matter where I am or what I’m doing, it’s the relationships in my life that matter the most.

What do you find frustrating about working in healthcare marketing?

While the regulatory challenges may appear limiting, the opportunities to be creative in healthcare marketing are significant. I’ve witnessed beautiful, impactful campaigns resulting in brand growth that are a testament to what can be done, even in a highly regulated market.

What are you doing to send the career ladder back down?

I love supporting and helping to advance the careers of those I have the privilege of working with. As part of my mentorship approach, I try to make sure they feel valued, that they have a voice in the projects they work on, as well as finding opportunities to expand their network.

I also believe in education and upskilling our teams and as a result, have created a training series about data at OHG: Data University and Data Spotlights. And outside of work, I volunteer with organizations, including Don’t Walk By and Recettes de Vie.

What’s something your colleagues don’t know about you?

I used to play on a woman’s “touch” rugby team while I attended business school in France. It took a little bit of getting used to throwing backward but it was a great experience learning a new sport, meeting a wonderful group of friends (with whom I still keep in touch), while also traveling across Europe for matches.

What is one thing you would tell young women starting their careers in healthcare marketing?

I would say to become educated on the nuances in healthcare and flex your storytelling muscles. Healthcare has its very specific regulatory requirements that are distinct in the U.S. vs ex-U.S. markets and seeking out educational resources as well as collaborating with colleagues across different disciplines (e.g., payer, HCP, patient, media) will be important for a career in healthcare marketing.

Also, since marketing is highly data-driven (and healthcare is no different), the ability to translate healthcare data, apply the insights to help clients, while presenting in a simple story-like way will help those new in healthcare marketing to be consultative and guide internal teammates or clients.

The combination of being able to create a sense of trust with credible knowledge, to add value regardless of rank + storytelling with data sophistication = a solid foundation for success.

Favorite TV show/movie/song/book?

The last Broadway show I saw before the pandemic was Hamilton and I liked it so much, I saw it twice! I appreciated the way that Lin-Manuel Miranda translated history into a relatable story, which showed all of us that anyone from anywhere can make an impact.