Maia Arnold
SVP, scientific strategy, Spectrum Science Communications
Maia Arnold, SVP scientific strategy at Spectrum Science Communications,
joined the company in 2014 as a scientific executive. Since then, Arnold has been instrumental in moving Spectrum from a PR communications agency into a full-service healthcare communications agency.
After nearly eight years at Spectrum, Arnold was recruited by AstraZeneca to join the global corporate affairs team, helping lead science communications for the vaccines and immune therapies franchise. After a year she returned to Spectrum as one of the heads of the scientific strategy team.
With a Ph.D. from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an MBA in healthcare administration focusing on pharmaceutical strategy from the Johns Hopkins Carey School of Business, Arnold’s expertise is the perfect blend of science and business.
Nicole Benedetto
Director, customer experience and commercial acceleration, Organon
Nicole Benedetto, director of customer experience and commercial acceleration at Organon, goes full throttle into everything she does, but always with a strong thought process driving it.
Heading straight into pharmaceutical marketing after school, Benedetto worked at different healthcare agencies until joining GSK in 2012. There, she was responsible for one of the industry’s first HCP online influencer programs. She was promoted six times in 10 years.
Benedetto started at Organon in 2022, leading the company’s charge across all therapeutic areas orchestrating the prescriber’s customer journeys. Using data and technology, Benedetto created omnichannel programs delivering personalized content for patients.
Combating today’s glut of misinformation around contraception and access, Benedetto partnered with Google and social influencers to ensure the truth is available for those who need it.
Vanessa Cole
Executive director, CNS marketing, Purdue Pharma
Having studied cultural anthropology in college, Vanessa Cole has utilized that background, in combination with her years in pharma, to take a different, storytelling-style approach when educating people about healthcare.
Cole, who joined Purdue Pharma in 2017, and is now its executive director, CNS marketing, has used her non-traditional approach in launching new non-opioid and ADHD medications with collaborative TedTalks, as well as focusing on education including the ethical use and disposal of these medications. Today she is again using her marketing skills to highlight the distribution of new opioid overdose reversal medication to help deal with the country’s opioid crisis.
Cole started her career at Cardinal Health, in publication planning. After moving to the agency side, her client Shionogi, recruited her to join its brand team.
Dr. Alicia Cowley
Director, clinical content, Phreesia Life Sciences
Phreesia Life Sciences’ first physician to join the ranks, director of clinical content Dr. Alicia Cowley could not have joined at a more auspicious time— January 2020, just as COVID-19 took over. She immediately went to work creating screening questionnaires for COVID-19 helping keep patients and clinical staff safe.
Cowley developed Phreesia’s clinical content team, and last year she helped initiate Phreesia’s medication adherence solution as well as collaborating with the Prevent Cancer Foundation for a breast cancer screening reminder campaign.
Cowley’s main focus is using technology to improve the patient experience. Her ability to distill evolving clinical information and apply it in ways that could improve patient outcomes has enhanced digital patient-engagement and marketing campaigns on Phreesia’s intake platform.
Cowley is a thought leader, frequently speaking as a panelist on educational webinars and helping to publish white papers. Prior to joining Phreesia, she was an internist, as well as an assistant professor at NYU Langone Health. She earned an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business.
Nina DeLucia
Director, consumer brand marketing, Austedo, Teva Pharmaceuticals
Nina DeLucia, Teva’s director of consumer brand marketing for Austedo, is an endurance athlete and that mindset permeates everything she does.
DeLucia started as a pharma sales representative. After a decade in sales and marketing collecting awards and accolades along the way, she worked at advertising agencies and media partners before finally landing at Teva Pharmaceuticals in 2019.
Her personal experience as a caregiver gives her extra insight into catering to both the patient and the carer in the rare disease space. She uses this knowledge as the lead for Huntington’s disease and tardive dyskinesia drug Austedo.
DeLucia and her team created the award-winning Austedo In A Box, a one-stop information hub with everything a patient and/or caregiver needs to understand about the drug.
Kate Gattuso Duffy
Global lead, media measurement, optimization, chief marketing office, Pfizer
Duffy’s background is not what you’d expect in the world of health data. Think working for Giorgio Armani — literally, the man — plus a startup technology firm, the finance industry and AOL, to name a few. Over the past six years, Duffy has taken all her varied experiences and applied them to her work at Publicis Health Media as SVP of business intelligence. She grew and evolved the department into a crack healthcare analytics team focusing on advising investment decisions about data-driven insights using patient data. She most recently joined Pfizer.
Madhuri Fletcher
SVP medical strategy, Heartbeat and Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness
It was her allergy to mice that took Madhuri Fletcher — who at the time was a postdoctoral fellow and medical/clinical researcher in neuroimmunology exploring drug classes related to the immune system — from the lab to the commercial side of pharma. In 2018, she arrived at Publicis Health (Heartbeat and Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness), where she is now SVP medical strategy.
At Publicis Health, Fletcher has assembled a team of more than a dozen Ph.D.s, M.D.s and medical strategists. She was integral in the rise of Roche/Genentech’s Ocrevus as the leading medication in treating multiple sclerosis. Her experience has also made her a top medical contact for cardiology, oncology and rare disease clients. Fletcher is also the lead for Heartbeat’s sister agency Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness.
Shivani Garg
Senior manager, U.S. prostate cancer, Xtandi, Pfizer
Shivani Garg started at Pfizer as a summer intern working in rare diseases. After getting her MBA in marketing and health sector management at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, she returned to Pfizer and has since worked in various areas such as vaccines and global product development, before landing in oncology, where she is today.
Garg’s focus as senior manager, U.S. prostate cancer, Xtandi, is educating the HCP community on the use of the pharma’s androgen receptor inhibitor. She also spearheaded the launch of a new indication for Xtandi and oversaw new and revised marketing materials.
Her work at Pfizer also included streamlining and working for more diversity in clinical trials.
Kaity Kalkbrenner
Managing director, integrated intelligence, Real Chemistry
During college in St. Paul, Minnesota, Kaity Kalkbrenner’s interest in how immigrant populations learned to communicate led her to a degree in sociolinguistics.
It’s something that combined with her natural curiosity, continues to fuel everything she does. Kalkbrenner was an early adopter of social media as a fertile source of raw unfiltered data — specifically linguistic data — and its use for strategic insights.
Since joining Real Chemistry in 2019, she has been promoted four times.
She is currently managing director, integrated intelligence, leading the company’s multimodal research department, applying different, novel data-collection methods, including qualitative and quantitative approaches, and getting full insight into people’s opinions. Under her leadership, the department has doubled its revenue. She’s also in charge of the primary market research practice, using traditional research models.
Kristen Klasey
Director, marketing strategy, breast cancer and women’s health, Novartis
Kristen Klasey, Novartis’ director of marketing strategy has been with the pharma company in various roles since 2015.
Starting in 2019, she has brought her more than two decades of experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device industries to the pharma’s breast cancer portfolio. Klasey and her team work with the breast cancer community to create and implement patient-focused creative campaigns to elevate brand awareness, education, engagement and experience. One such effort is the Kisqali (ribociclb) DTC campaign.
She also was part of the launch team for the multiple sclerosis drug Kesimpta (ofatumumab), which surpassed market share among competitors in its first year.
Before moving to Novartis marketing, she headed global and U.S. public relations and patient engagement across the Novartis solid tumor oncology product range.
Amanda Lawson
EVP, head of client strategy and growth, Publicis Health Media
Amanda Lawson, EVP, head of client strategy and growth, Publicis Health Media, has focused on initiatives to increase the company’s portfolio. She has used her experience in the industry to mentor other emerging talent at PHM.
Initially joining PHM in 2013 as an associate media director, she quickly rose to media director, then VP media, group VP and then senior VP, steadily climbing the ranks over eight years. She has a brief stint at Dentsu in 2022, before returning to PHM in November of 2022.
She also spent nearly five years at Digitas Health.
Spring Liu
VP, IM integrated insights, Novartis
Spring Liu, Novartis’ VP of integrated insights, is all about innovation. It’s literally her department — Novartis’ innovative medicines U.S. business. Using insights garnered from various data — primary research, competitive intelligence and pioneering analytics from a scope of therapeutic areas such as cardiovascular, renal, immunology, neuroscience and oncology, Liu distills this information to create stellar marketing outputs.
Liu is both multicultural and multilingual, having studied and lived all over the world. She has a Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from Boston University with research experience in computational neuroscience, neurophysiology and bioinformatics. She has taken her wide-ranging experiences and innovated a varied and storied career covering: strategy and operations, product launches and marketing, sales force effectiveness, AI solutions, new ventures, and corporate startups.
Megan Lotorto
Group director, communications design, HCP, Initiative
Megan Lotorto is Initiative’s group director of communications design, HCP, and is an expert across crucial treatment areas such as oncology, immunology, infectious disease and neurology.
Lotorto uses her skills to initiate HCP media campaigns, adapting strategies across brands as necessary. One focus is the development of innovative
omnichannel media approaches — synergizing clients’ efforts in their non-personal and personal promotion efforts.
Be it first-to-market product launches, or mature blockbusters, Lotorto has been integral to amalgamating the DTC and HCP connection through EHR, ConnectedTV and point of care, generating 360 campaigns for clients.
Since joining in 2020, Lotorto has led teams of 20 and managed media planning for more than 17 brands at once, helping launch market and life-changing products for eosinophilic asthma and HER2 negative breast cancer.
Melissa Neal
Group VP, client services, Relevate Health
Melissa Neal, Relevate Health’s group VP of client services, is known for many accomplishments.
In 2023 she delivered $51.6 million in engagement solutions (73% of total revenue). She heads a team in charge of customization and delivery for more than 13 engagement solutions for 50 plus brands. She led her team of 26 people to massive customer service and employee satisfaction scores, but what she’s famous for at the company is a happy little ditty about working at Relevate.
“A B C, it’s easy as …1 2 3, as simple as …Do re mi, A B C, 1 2 3 … Rel-e-vate, you and me.”
Neal has been with Relevate Health since 2005, and as the company has expanded and progressed so has she. That’s something to sing about.
Nicola Partridge
Product and strategy director, IQVIA Digital Enablement
Nicola Partridge, product and strategy director, IQVIA digital enablement has had an impact on the pharmaceutical industry on both sides of the Atlantic.
She started her career in 2012, in pharma/healthcare policy at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. There she partnered with stakeholders across the pharmaceutical industry, National Health Service, and academic community in advising the UK government.
Partridge joined IQVIA in 2014 and spent five years in strategy consulting leading global teams in the design and delivery of consulting projects.
In 2020 she was promoted to strategic planning for all IQVIA North America and relocated to the US.
Her work is so stellar that she’s been awarded IQVIA’s CEO Award — twice — at a global company with more than 80,000 employees.
Kathleen Perley
Managing director of innovation, Unlock Health
Kathleen Perley, managing director of innovation at Unlock Health, is steering the future of healthcare marketing via a mix of artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital transformation and good old-fashioned innovation.
In 2013 Perley founded Decode, a digital marketing agency that would serve health systems spanning 17 states and representing more than 4,000 hospitals and care locations.
In 2023 Decode merged with Unlock Heath, a technology and marketing services growth platform for providers. The combination of disciplines has been a winner — literally with the new Unlock winning 92 awards, including 21 awards in 2021.
This year, Perley is going to share her knowledge as an adjunct professor teaching an MBA course on Applied AI in Business at Rice University.
Alix Rancier
Managing director, writing, Minds + Assembly
Alix Rancier, managing director, writing at Minds + Assembly, has spent more than two decades using writing to change minds, brands and lives.
Over the last six years, she has used her skills in combination with communication planning, strategic development and creative execution to bring the agency’s client’s brands to life. But she adds even more to the mix, including new business and Minds + Assembly’s rebrand in 2022. Working in conjunction with the other managing directors and executive leadership, she works to continue the agency’s success, including expanding the writing department from three people to more than 30.
Her recent work overseeing the Society of Valued Minds campaign for Otsuka America Pharmaceutical earned a glut of awards including Silver for Best Use of Social Media, Paid, at the 2023 MM+M Awards.
Alana Ringler
VP, group director, client advice and management, Initiative
Alana Ringler, Initiative’s VP, group director of client advice and management, is committed to DE&I. Her work with Merck includes orchestrating Keytruda oncology’s inaugural Equity Media Day in 2022.
That work continues as well as a coordinated effort with the Magna equity Upfronts, pushing for better outcomes in diverse populations disproportionately affected by cancer conditions such as prostate, TNBC, gastro, and cervical.
Ringler also worked to consolidate Merck’s HCP oncology business into one team. It’s no wonder she won the internal Initiative award for outstanding execution/outreach for her work on Keytruda.
Previously Ringler was at Havas Media, where she pushed year-over-year growth (about 20%) in agency earnings through the expansion of HCP and DTC paid search. At CMI, she was awarded the first AbbVie Excellence award in 2015.
Charline Shan
VP, strategic consulting, Precision AQ
Charline Shan, Precisionadvisors’ VP of strategic consulting, started her career as a clinician pharmacist, she then moved into managed care as a pharmacy benefits manager. Switching again three years later she started consulting with pharmaceutical manufacturers. She says the impetus for that change was to see the impact of her decisions from “the dark side” in the real world.
In 2016, Shan joined Precisionvalue as part of the access experience team, comprised of former payer decision makers helping pharma and life science clients understand the payer acumen.
Climbing the ladder swiftly from senior director to VP to VP, director, she shifted again four years later to sister organization Precisionadvisors. Here she helps clients build models from the payer POV for better results.
Daphne Teo
Communications lead, U.S. rare disease, UCB
Daphne Teo, UCB’s U.S. rare disease communications lead, takes big swings and usually lands them.
She was the first PR/communications agency professional to be transferred from Singapore to New York to work for Ruder Finn. She then spent a decade at Omnicom PR.
In 2022 Teo joined UCB, where using gap analysis to discover new media opportunities, She was instrumental in getting UCB rare diseases earned media coverage in outlets that previously did not cover the pharma.
Last year, Teo led UCB’s in-house media+PR/communications to two FDA approvals for two targeted therapies within four months for rare disease Myasthenia Gravis.
Teo is writing a book about stepping outside your comfort zone of country and language to embrace a career somewhere new.
Jennifer Van Brunt
VP, Program director, Klick Health
Jennifer Van Brunt, Klick Health’s VP, and program director, is described as a “kick-ass” role model by junior colleagues.
At Klick Health, Van Brunt has spent the last decade of her more than 18-year career overseeing a variety of pharma client programs encompassing: neurology, dermatology, oncology, immunology vaccines and OTC products.
Her vast knowledge has made her an integral part of the pitch process. She is credited with transforming Klick’s staff-planning templates, optimizing efforts and strengthening the partner relationship.
Van Brunt’s work on a vaccine-hesitancy campaign focused on Hispanic and other underserved markets created a nearly 200% spike in vaccine search volume in target markets.
Natasha Vega
Senior client experience manager, Phreesia Life Sciences
Natasha Vega, senior client experience manager at Phreesia Life Sciences, recently moved from OMD Media where she held the role of director, digital activation.
Vega has racked up numerous awards in her career, including recently being nominated for the inaugural Phreesia Advisory Board.
Vega graduated from The Pennsylvania State University’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications with a double major in advertising and public relations as well as a double minor in Spanish and sociology where she focused on survey data and analytics. Then, while working full-time, Vega earned her Master of Science in advertising and applied communications focused in healthcare from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.
Vega started as senior client experience manager at Phreesia in January 2024.
Kelley Yoder
EVP, Central region healthcare lead, Weber Shandwick
Kelley Yoder, Weber Shandwick’s EVP, Central region healthcare lead, has spent a jam-packed decade at the firm.
In her first year as SVP, she managed a $5 million program for a global pharmaceutical company, running a team of 30 plus across nine countries.
She heads the Chicago and Central region healthcare practice, and corporate healthcare throughout North America, including as client relationship lead for Walgreens, which the agency won last year under her guidance.
Yoder is credited with growing Weber Shandwick’s healthcare business and reputation — giving a 66% win rate in North America. The company boasts a 15.5-year average tenure among top clients.
In 2019, Yoder oversaw a biotech’s award-winning communications program and launched the biotech industry’s first podcast, Two Scientists Walk into a Bar.
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