Director Of Communications

• Jul 2020 - Present

ICM Media Relations Manager - Health Security and Caregiving

• Jun 2014 - Mar 2020

Led media relations strategy on a wide range of national health care advocacy and policy issues, including the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, Medicaid, prescription drug pricing, long-term care, and caregiving. Provided strategic communications counseling on messaging and timing of key reports. Conducted media coaching/training for subject matter experts and executive leadership. Served as media relations lead on LGBTQ aging issues. • Consistently earned positive national media coverage for AARP positions on health care policy and legislation. Earned top-tier national media placements of key AARP reports and advocacy campaigns on prescription drug prices, health care reform repeal, Medicare reform, and repeal of the SGR include AP, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, NBC News, POLITICO, and FOX, and many others. • Directed national satellite media tours with AARP subject matter experts resulting in widespread earned television and radio media coverage of key consumer messages. • Worked collaboratively with executive leaders and colleagues across AARP, including AARP Public Policy Institute, Government Affairs, Campaigns, Office of the General Counsel, Publications, AARP Studios, AARP Foundation Litigation, Programs, and Thought Leadership to produce optimal messaging of major AARP reports and policy positions to reporters, legislators, and consumers. Show less

Director of Media Relations & Communications

• Jan 2012 - May 2014

Led national media relations outreach for The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the ob-gyn specialty, including evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, legislative priorities, and consumer education. Supervised internal staff and freelance writers, designers, printers, and vendors. Served as spokesperson on key issues. Oversaw editorial content development and design as Deputy Editor in Chief of pause, an award-winning magazine for peri-menopausal and menopausal women. (Awards included: International Academy of the Visual Arts, Society of National Association Publications, and Communications Concepts.) Collaborated with other health organizations/government agencies (American Board of Internal Medicine, American Academy of Pediatrics, and US Department of Health and Human Services) on joint public education campaigns and other initiatives.• Developed content, edited, and directed layout and design as Deputy Editor in Chief of Pause, a patient education magazine reaching over 1.5 million women annually. • Directed Annual Clinical Meeting (ACM) press office operations that generated enormous earned media coverage of news briefings and scientific research presentations. Partnered with ACOG President-Elect on writing draft speech for ACM and directed teleprompter coaching.• Selected newsworthy scientific research in monthly peer-reviewed medical journal, Obstetrics & Gynecology, to promote to health journalists. Helped significantly raise the journal’s impact factor by increasing earned media. Show less

Associate Director of Communications

• Apr 2005 - Dec 2011

Responsible for managing five junior level Communications staff. Supervised all aspects of media relations, including the tracking of and responding to incoming media queries. Primarily responsible for circulation, marketing, advertising, printing, and distribution of Pause magazine.• Achieved annual ad sales of more than $500,000 for Pause magazine and monthly ACOG Today newsletter.• Authored letters to the editor and op-eds published in The New York Times and The Washington Post.• Created and cultivated a master list of several hundred experts in obstetrics-gynecology, maternal-fetal medicine, reproductive endocrinology, and gynecologic oncology across the country willing to speak to journalists. This list greatly increased efficiency when responding to reporters on deadline. Show less