78 hospital and health system chief marketing officers to know | 2024

Becker’s is excited to recognize 78 standout hospital and health system chief marketing officers.

These dynamic and strategic leaders are the forces behind powerful marketing and communications efforts, shaping how their organizations are viewed and experienced. Through brand building, data-driven campaigns and strong customer relationship strategies, these executives position their hospitals and health systems as market leaders and trusted voices in healthcare.

Note: This list is not exhaustive, nor is it an endorsement of included leaders, organizations or associated healthcare providers. Organizations cannot pay for inclusion on this list. We extend a special thank you to Rhoda Weiss for her contributions to this list.

We accepted nominations for this list. Contact Anna Falvey at afalvey@beckershealthcare.com with questions or comments.


Tanya Andreadis. Vice President of Patient Engagement and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Health System (Philadelphia). Ms. Andreadis drives strategic growth and digital transformation at Penn Medicine, an $11 billion organization ranking among the top 5% of academic medical centers in research grants. She plays a pivotal role in positioning health systems as industry leaders through data-driven marketing and by speaking nationally and globally on issues related to advancing brand, growth marketing aligned to business outcomes and digital patient experience. At Penn Medicine, she oversees brand, communications, physician outreach, business-to-business and business-to-consumer marketing, call centers, digital patient engagement, customer relationship management and customer analytics. Her expertise spans strategic planning, brand development, partnership marketing, marketing technology and digital innovation. She co-leads Penn Medicine’s mission to align and elevate digital patient touchpoints throughout the care continuum, including digital optimization, phone inquiries, texting, portal communications and beyond. She restructured and integrated teams across the broad geography Penn Medicine serves and created agile planning processes to maximize impact. Previously, as the former chief marketing officer at Los Angeles-based UCLA Health, Ms. Andreadis helped the system transform global branding, led award-winning influencer campaigns, and impacted financial and marketing attribution modeling.

Loreen Babcock. Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Montefiore Health System (Bronx, N.Y.). As chief marketing officer at Montefiore Einstein, Ms. Babcock leads integrated, multi-channel marketing strategies that blend behavioral science, advanced analytics and authentic storytelling to strengthen brand trust and community engagement. Her campaigns, including “Everyone Loves a Comeback” and “I Want to Live”, have powerfully highlighted patient journeys and the life-saving impact of Montefiore’s clinical innovations, particularly in transplant care. Ms. Babcock has established a strong “test and learn” culture within the marketing team, using real-time feedback and data to continuously optimize outreach and performance. She has also driven internal alignment by fostering a collaborative, mission-driven workforce that reflects Montefiore’s values of innovation, compassion and inclusivity. A veteran brand strategist with experience at global companies like Pfizer, Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson, Ms. Babcock also founded and led two successful agencies, one of which was acquired by global media company Omnicom. 

Lisa Badeau. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for UVA Health (Charlottesville, Va.). As chief marketing and communications officer at UVA Health since 2021, Ms. Badeau has led an overhaul of the health system’s marketing and communications functions. Reporting directly to the CEO, she oversees a 60-plus member team and has implemented UVA Health’s first enterprise marketing and communications plan aligned with the system’s 10-year strategic roadmap. Under her leadership, the organization launched its first marketing technology platforms, including customer relationship management, partner relationship management and AI-powered attribution, while enhancing digital patient experience through open scheduling, provider reviews and SEO-driven website optimization. These additions have resulted in major gains in organic traffic across service lines. Ms. Badeau has elevated UVA Health’s national reputation, growing its share of voice to No. 1 in Virginia and increasing brand preference to a five-year high through targeted campaigns and thought leadership visibility. She has also rebuilt internal communications, implementing new faculty and team member platforms such as “Hope at Work” and the “Let’s Have a Conversation” rounding initiative. She also serves as a guest lecturer at both the University of Virginia and Boston University. She is an active member of professional leadership organizations and brings prior experience in marketing healthcare from her time at Boston-based Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital.

Cara Bergendahl. Chief Marketing and Consumer Insights Officer at Ochsner Health (New Orleans). Ms. Bergendahl leads brand growth, demand generation, digital marketing, sponsorships and more across Louisiana’s largest academic health system, with proven success in patient acquisition and retention. In her eight years at Ochsner, a health system with 37,000 employees serving 46 hospitals and care sites, she has elevated the brand through strategic marketing and communications, significantly increasing brand awareness and affinity across all of the system’s service regions. Under her leadership, the system’s website grew to over 8 million users, its social channels grew from six to over 50 with a significant increase in followers, and blog health content subscriptions topped 100,000 regular email subscribers. Under Ms. Bergendahl ‘s leadership, marketing-driven patient acquisition more than doubled in leads, and five-year paid search and digital campaign traffic landing pages grew nearly 300%. Additionally, three-year marketing-driven revenue grew 170% through customer relationship management platform expansion, provider search, and a robust ratings and reviews program. The marketing department also provides full branding and marketing support for 21 partnerships. Ms. Bergendahl has expanded physician marketing, integrated opportunity data with quantitative and qualitative consumer insights, and optimized multiple marketing technology platforms to increase commercial business. She previously held marketing-related positions at Houston-based MD Anderson Cancer Center and Texas Children’s Hospital.

Mark Bohen. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Mass General Brigham (Boston). Mr. Bohen is responsible for building and leading all marketing and communications initiatives and ensuring research, clinical care, innovations and education at the 16-member health system founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Mass General Brigham features more than $20 billion in revenue, 80,000 employees, academic medical centers, specialty and community hospitals, a health plan, a healthcare professional school, and an innovations and ventures business. Its biomedical research organization has more than $2.7 billion of research revenue and five Harvard Medical School teaching hospitals. Mr. Bohen brings classical marketing principles, science and discipline to the organization. Upon joining Mass General Brigham in 2020, he led the enterprise transformation of disparate marketing and communications functions into a single, unified structure by integrating more than 10 individual departments across the system’s many entities. Under his leadership, Mass General Brigham embarked on its first national brand campaign. Mr. Bohen’s career has included marketing leadership roles at Southfield, Mich.-based Beaumont Health, Assurant and consumer-packaged goods companies.

Stacey Brandt. Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital. Ms. Brandt serves as executive vice president and chief administrative officer for one of the nation’s largest university-affiliated academic health systems, which includes Tampa General Hospital. She leads strategic planning, service lines and institutes, marketing, communications, business development and process transformation across six acute care hospitals and over 150 care locations. Ms. Brandt architected and now oversees the system’s five-year strategic plan, focused on clinical excellence, physician alignment, care coordination, market growth and academic partnership with the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine. Under her leadership, Tampa General’s market share rose from 19% to 24%, while service lines saw significant growth in patient volume and visibility. She restructured the marketing and communications functions, leading $20 million in omnichannel efforts that resulted in 60% year-over-year increases in brand impressions. Ms. Brandt also leads multiple enterprise offices and governance initiatives for Tampa General. 

Rebekah Brooks. Head of Sales and Marketing for Health City Cayman Islands (Grand Cayman). Ms. Brooks is head of sales and marketing at Health City Cayman Islands, where she leads domestic and international growth strategy, patient acquisition, brand positioning and business development. Under her leadership, the hospital has significantly increased patient volume, revenue and referral partnerships, while launching award-winning campaigns recognized by the Cayman Islands Marketing Professionals Association for both “community impact” and “video of the year”. She oversees a cross-functional team and spearheaded initiatives like the development of Health City’s first customer relationship management solution, culturally aware training programs, and data-driven sales analytics to expand market share and improve patient engagement. Ms. Brooks also plays a critical role in contract negotiations, stakeholder relationship management and digital storytelling to position Health City as a trusted, world-class provider. As chair of the Cayman Islands Cancer Society, she leads public health education and advocacy efforts, further amplifying her impact across the community. 

Laurel Burgos. Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Woman’s Hospital (Baton Rouge, La.). Ms. Burgos serves as vice president of marketing and communications for Woman’s Hospital, where she leads strategic initiatives to enhance the hospital’s visibility, strengthen brand reputation, and promote women’s and infant health services throughout the community. With 14 years of dedicated service, she has overseen key milestones, including marketing efforts for the launch of Louisiana’s first perinatal mental health unit in 2024 and the hospital’s move to a new campus in 2012. Ms. Burgos also pioneered the development of the hospital’s first pregnancy app in 2014. Her marketing and event strategies have played a vital role in expanding cancer care outreach and increasing treatment volumes. She manages a broad scope of responsibilities, ranging from advertising and social media to public relations and community engagement. She is also active in several professional and community organizations, including the Capital Region YMCA board and the Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development.

Ande Burke. Director of Marketing for Loudoun Medical Group (Leesburg, Va.). Ms. Burke, director of marketing for Loudoun Medical Group, leads strategic marketing initiatives across 35 medical and surgical specialties and 150 clinic locations in the mid-Atlantic. She drives digital, print and product promotion efforts, leveraging data-driven insights to enhance brand visibility, optimize marketing spend and support business objectives. Ms. Burke has spearheaded digital transformation projects, implemented marketing automation platforms and overseen the development of multiple new websites. She played a key role in launching The Williams Center for Wellness and Recovery and led its nomination as a finalist for the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce “Small Business Awards” in 2023. Additionally, she manages over 540 Google pages for the medical group, ensuring targeted patient outreach. A dedicated community leader, Ms. Burke is active in the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce and volunteers with UpsideDown Moments, a nonprofit benefitting foster kids and their families.

Kendra Calhoun. Senior Vice President of Marketing, Communications and Digital Strategy at Avera Health (Sioux Falls, S.D.). Ms. Calhoun has advanced brand, growth marketing, digital experience, communications and public relations at Avera since 2013. At Avera, she also oversees digital patient engagement, market insights, community partnerships and internal communications. Additionally, her scope of work includes marketing and workforce recruitment for Avera’s hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, long-term care facilities and 86-county home care operation. She is also responsible for patient education, physician communications, governance communications and community partnerships. She is currently working on an enterprise strategy to reinvigorate the system’s brand and increase recruitment and retention. Ms. Calhoun is also a member of Avera’s growth team, which advances partnership growth across the system’s 72,000-mile footprint and in contiguous regions. Ms. Calhoun leads a large, centralized team that has been recognized with several awards, including an international “Stevie award” for Avera’s suicide prevention campaign, “Ask the Question”. Ms. Calhoun is currently focused on optimizing the integration of a new EHR with Avera’s digital assets and helping to launch a new contact center in the coming year.

H. Wayne Capps, Jr. Director of Stakeholder Relations, Public Affairs and Congressional Relations at Ralph H. Johnson VA Health Care System (Charleston, S.C.). Mr. Capps leads a team of 16 public affairs, visual information and event planning specialists. He manages all of the systems public relations, congressional interactions and marketing efforts and is responsible for all marketing and branding campaigns from start to finish. He also manages two government marketing contracts for billboards, radio and advertising. He provides strategic vision for both internal and external communication efforts to align with strategic goals and communication goals. He has crafted an all-encompassing approach for managing public relations, congressional interactions and marketing initiatives. His strategic communications expertise lead the system to unprecedented growth across its social media channels. Under his leadership, the system has thrived in its media interactions, community engagement events and Congressional interactions. 

Andrew Chang. Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for University of Chicago Medicine. Since joining UChicago Medicine as vice president and chief marketing officer in August 2023, Mr. Chang has led a data-driven, patient-centric marketing strategy focused on accessibility, growth and digital transformation. He has optimized the health system’s marketing structure to promote efficiency while enhancing the visibility of its clinical and research programs, including Illinois’ top-ranked cancer center. Under his leadership, the organization expanded its global brand presence through a groundbreaking 2024 sponsorship with the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, the first known healthcare-provider partnership in Formula 1, complementing an existing partnership with the WNBA’s Chicago Sky. Mr. Chang also supports the strategic growth of the system’s joint venture with Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth and champions consumer experience-enhancing digital initiatives such as improved online scheduling.

Ken Chaplin. System Chief Marketing Officer for City of Hope (Duarte, Calif.). Mr. Chaplin serves as system chief marketing officer for City of Hope, leading strategic marketing initiatives to strengthen brand positioning and patient engagement. Following City of Hope’s acquisition of Cancer Treatment Centers of America, he successfully integrated the marketing teams and directed a comprehensive national rebranding to City of Hope, Cancer Center. Mr. Chaplin also revamped the centralized marketing structure to better support decentralized site-based teams, enhancing efficiency and alignment across the system. His leadership spans multiple industries, with prior executive roles at TransUnion, Experian, Crocs and The Walt Disney Company. 

Matthew Clark. Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications for University of Maryland Medical System (Baltimore). Mr. Clark works closely with University of Maryland Medical System’s executive leadership team to set and implement strategic direction. Serving as senior vice president of marketing and communication since June 2020, he oversees the system’s internal communications, media relations, crisis communications, physician relations, web strategies, marketing and creative teams. He implemented a “system-first” approach to marketing and advertising, holding all organization marketing and branding under a single creative standard, which resulted in the system becoming “top-of-mind” for the consumers within the market area. He led the award-winning “Better State of Care” campaign, which has been crucial in raising awareness of the differentiated care UMMS provides. He has also managed successful service line campaigns with award-winning creative for transplant, neurosciences, nephrology, and heart and vascular service lines. Additional accomplishments include driving the system’s digital health strategy, which has brought online scheduling to the system for the first time and has brought significant engagement to the website, blog and podcast series. 

Sharon Line Clary. Senior Vice President of Marketing, Community Impact and Partnership Engagement at AdventHealth Central Florida Division (Orlando). Ms. Clary leads brand growth, strategic marketing, patient acquisition and retention, communications, issues management, community relations and investment, corporate sales, philanthropy and nonprofit, sports and entertainment, and other business partnerships for AdventHealth’s $8.2 billion Central Florida Division. The region’s largest, most comprehensive health system consists of 10 hospitals, including the system flagship and only children’s hospital, over 250 points of access, 35,000 team members and over 3.4 million annual patient visits. Leading a team of over 150 professionals, her leadership has yielded dominant brand awareness, preference and market share position for the past decade, along with return on investment ratios upwards of 103:1. The innovative partnerships she has helped form include Orlando Magic, where AdventHealth leverages sports science and predictive analytics to improve athlete performance; Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, where researchers explore intersection of the arts and health; and Walt Disney World, where AdventHealth World of Wellness provides guests an exclusive health ecosystem. Ms. Clary led AdventHealth’s rebrand across 20-plus hospitals and emergency rooms, dozens of urgent care centers and hundreds of outpatient facilities, exceeding all key performance indicators. She also led record-breaking philanthropic dollars at the annual fundraising event, a statewide economic impact study, and the launch of the first community wholeness report and impact initiative. She is currently president of Florida Citrus Sports and chair of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission, and has previously worked in marketing for the Olympics, World Cup Soccer and college sports.

Tracy Clouser. Vice President of Communications, Marketing and Planning for Carilion Clinic (Roanoke, Va.). Ms. Clouser is the senior leader of strategy, marketing, communications and brand for Carilion Clinic, a nonprofit health system serving nearly 1 million Virginians across seven hospitals. Since joining the organization in June 2023, she has led major initiatives including consumer brand and web research, internal and social media audits, and a revamp of market analysis to strengthen business intelligence and support strategic decision-making. Ms. Clouser oversees a 55-person team managing a wide scope of functions ranging from corporate communications and crisis response to service line marketing, digital strategy and creative services. She also established a cross-functional consumer experience steering committee to enhance the patient journey from provider search to post-care. With more than 30 years of experience, she previously held leadership roles at Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth, where she helped open the system’s most successful hospital and grow its West Florida Division to $3 billion in revenue. Her career also includes strategic marketing leadership for Shriners Hospitals for Children and Easter Seals Florida, both headquartered in Tampa.

Bob Davidson. Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Children’s Nebraska (Omaha). Mr. Davidson is responsible for leading the marketing and communications team at Children’s. Under his direction, the team leads corporate reputation, marketing/ communications/advertising strategy, campaign materials, digital and web site management, multimedia production, graphic design, internal communications, media relations, social media, community sponsorships and more. He works collaboratively with other leaders to advance the organization’s objectives locally, regionally and nationally. When he joined the system in 2022, the marketing department was newly formed and still growing. He helped to develop a more focused and sophisticated marketing approach, building a strong team. He brought a new way of thinking about outreach programs and new levels of collaboration with colleagues in operations, strategy and physician relations. Performance acceleration in marketing and communications began with development of a marketing assessment tool, to determine strategic clinical services to prioritize strategic marketing resources. This allowed development of detailed marketing and communications plans to drive strategic growth and patient acquisition. He also advocated for adding new technology to the team and expanded the leadership teams’ social media presence and engagement across sites including LinkedIn. 

Brian Deffaa. Chief Marketing Officer for LifeBridge Health (Baltimore). Mr. Deffaa, LifeBridge Health’s first-ever chief marketing officer, has transformed the organization’s marketing and communications since joining in 2018. Leveraging his background in consumer marketing with brands like Target and Ford, he has shifted LifeBridge’s approach from episodic outbound messaging to a holistic, patient-centric model focused on accessibility and engagement. Under his leadership, LifeBridge launched a new mobile app, a redesigned website and an advanced CRM system, significantly reducing friction in accessing care. He also spearheaded the “Care Bravely” movement, improving employee retention, recruitment and engagement. Additionally, he has championed innovative community health initiatives, including an $85 million investment in a Baltimore hospital and the “Stop the Iron Pipeline” campaign against illegal gun trafficking, developed in collaboration with Grammy-nominated rapper Logic. 

Laurel DiBrog. Chief Marketing and Communication Officer and Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (Buffalo, N.Y.). A leader in the field of cancer care for over three decades, Ms. DiBrog has transformed the way healthcare organizations communicate, market and expand access to essential cancer services. Since joining Roswell Park in 1997 from City of Hope in Los Angeles, she has built and led a full-service in-house agency renowned for its expertise in digital marketing, business strategy, public relations, crisis management, creative services and market intelligence. Her innovative approaches have reached more than 3 million unique web visitors, 2.2 million blog readers and 350,000 cancer information callers annually in a midsize market of less than 600,000 people. Under her leadership, campaigns like “Cancer Can’t Win” and “Living with Fear” have garnered national acclaim, enhancing Roswell Park’s brand recognition and patient engagement. Her extraordinary contributions to the Public Affairs & Marketing Network of National Cancer Institute-designated centers were recognized with the creation of a national award named in her honor. Through her efforts, Ms. DiBrog has not only advanced Roswell Park’s mission but also elevated cancer services marketing into a sophisticated, data-driven domain by aligning strategic marketing with cutting-edge innovations.

Stephanie Ebken. Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Cincinnati Children’s. Ms. Ebken, senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer at Cincinnati Children’s, has dedicated over 20 years to the organization and played a pivotal role in shaping its brand and strategic direction. Since officially assuming leadership of the marketing and communications department in 2018, she has built a world-class, 70-person team spanning brand strategy, digital, media, creative and internal communications. As a key member of the 11-person executive team, she also serves as chief of staff to the president and CEO, providing trusted counsel and ensuring continuity across leadership functions. Her accomplishments include leading strategic planning, supporting international growth and overseeing communications for the critical care building’s launch. Ms. Ebken was recently honored with selection to Leadership Cincinnati, an exclusive, year-long opportunity for city executives.

Lee Echols. Vice President of Marketing and Communications for Northside Hospital (Atlanta). Since 2014, Mr. Echols has served as vice president of marketing and communications for Northside Hospital, one of Georgia’s largest health systems with over 5.3 million annual patient encounters. He leads all marketing and communications functions, including advertising, media relations, digital strategy, community partnerships and brand management, while also contributing to planning, real estate and foundation initiatives. Mr. Echols spearheaded a complete brand overhaul focused on enhancing the patient, family and employee experience, and has since led data-driven campaigns that align with evolving community needs. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he launched the impactful “Healers, Helpers, Heroes” and “#TalkAboutIt” campaigns, the latter generating Northside’s highest-ever social media engagement. Most recently, his award-winning “Look to Northside” campaign, which featured 48 patient stories and garnered more than 57 million media impressions, helped restore public confidence in healthcare post-pandemic, leading to increased digital engagement and brand visibility. 

Fernand Fernandez. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Children’s Health (Dallas). Mr. Fernandez serves as chief marketing and communications officer for Children’s Health, where he leads enterprisewide strategies that elevate brand visibility, foster community engagement and support organizational growth. Since joining in 2023, he has played a key role in major system milestones, including leading the communications strategy for the largest expansion in Children’s Health history, a new pediatric campus in partnership with UT Southwestern. He also drove record-breaking engagement with over 450 media stories and a 64% rise in social impressions. In addition, he launched “MarCom Reimagined,” restructuring the marketing and communications team into three integrated pillars focused on operations, activations and digital transformation, which enhanced collaboration and innovation without increasing headcount. He also had a hand in introducing community-facing initiatives like Spanish-language content and partnerships with the Hispanic/Latinx Organization of Leaders in Action employee workgroup to better serve the region’s Hispanic population. Under his leadership, Children’s Health has redefined its social media strategy, achieving significant year-over-year engagement growth. 

Jeremy Floyd. Chief Communications Officer and Vice President of Marketing for Covenant Health (Knoxville, Tenn.). Since joining Covenant Health in 2022 as chief communications officer and vice president of marketing, Mr. Floyd has led initiatives that have significantly elevated the health system’s brand, digital presence and community engagement. He oversaw a systemwide rebranding effort, developed a unified visual identity and launched a new, streamlined website consolidating over 80 domains to enhance user experience. Mr. Floyd also helped launch key service lines, including emergency medical services and urgent care, expanding access to care across a 25-county region. Under his leadership, the organization introduced a customer care call center, reduced wait times and improved the overall patient journey. He spearheaded an internal innovation program that empowers employees to contribute ideas for system enhancement, many of which have already been implemented. His marketing and branding work has earned Covenant Health multiple awards, including Telly Awards, and his efforts to strengthen community ties have included partnerships with youth sports programs and the naming of Covenant Health Park, home of the minor league baseball team the Knoxville Smokies.

Tomi Galin. Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs for Community Health Systems (Franklin, Tenn.). Ms. Galin has served for 16 years on the executive committee of Community Health Systems, a national healthcare organization with 39 distinct healthcare systems across 15 states, including 69 hospitals and about 1,000 other sites of care. Last year, the system delivered care for nearly 13 million patient encounters and generated approximately $12.5 billion in net revenue. Ms. Galin and her teams are responsible for facilitating growth-based marketing, digital and online presence, consumer and patient engagement initiatives, reputation management, public relations, strategic communications and philanthropy. She also has responsibility for a patient call center serving nearly 1,000 providers. Under her leadership, the system ranked No. 1 among the nation’s largest health systems for online reputation three straight years in the annual healthcare report from the review management platform Reputation. Ms. Galin supports the CEO in driving clarity and organizational alignment, plans the annual CEO leadership meeting and community impact report, and supports initiatives that engage and celebrate employees. She also serves on the board of governors for the Federation of American Hospitals. 

Jennifer Gilkie. Chief Communications and Marketing Officer of Dartmouth Health (Lebanon, N.H.). Since joining the system in 2017, Ms. Gilkie has headed systemwide communication and marketing strategy and initiatives across Dartmouth Health. She is tasked with building brand reputation and recognition, marketing, and paid and earned media campaigns. She also oversees digital services, creative productions, and content development. Most recently, she led the system through a successful and comprehensive rebrand from 2019 to 2022. She also helmed Dartmouth Health’s award-winning public-facing and internal Covid-19 campaigns. Additionally, Ms. Gilkie serves on the boards for Northeast Delta Dental, the New Hampshire Women’s Foundation and the New Hampshire Business Council for the Arts. 

Lauren Green-Caldwell. Vice President of Communications and Chief Communications and Marketing Officer at National Jewish Health (Denver). With over 30 years of healthcare communications and marketing leadership, Ms. Green-Caldwell leads a team responsible for brand strategy, marketing, public affairs, government relations, internal communications, web and physician outreach at National Jewish Health. First opened in 1899, the hospital is recognized for care and research of respiratory-related illnesses, with its researchers credited with major discoveries like IgE, the molecule responsible for allergic reactions. Ms. Green-Caldwell led the development of national brand and regional targeted marketing campaigns that contributed to the organization’s national leadership recognition, which has more than doubled over 10 years. The hospital now partners with health organizations around the country to advance knowledge and understanding, including the creation of Respiratory Institutes with New York City-based Mount Sinai Health System and Jefferson Health. Ms. Green-Caldwell joined National Jewish Health in 2011, and has previously served in similar roles at Anthem (now Elevance in Indianapolis) and The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati. She was inducted as a fellow of the Public Relations Society of America. 

Jeremy Harper. Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer for Corewell Health (Grand Rapids, Mich.). Mr. Harper leads systemwide marketing for Corewell Health and its coverage arm, Priority Health, driving strategic initiatives that enhance brand awareness and consumer engagement. Following the integration of Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health, he spearheaded the Corewell Health rebranding, encompassing 21 hospitals and over 300 outpatient locations. His leadership in the “We Can” marketing campaign propelled spontaneous brand awareness to 35% within two years, securing the top position in two of three key markets. Mr. Harper has also advanced performance marketing and reputation management while refining data-driven models to optimize marketing investments. Under his guidance, Priority Health has also strengthened its emotional connection with members.

Suzanne Hendery. Chief Marketing and Customer Officer at Renown Health (Reno, Nev.). Ms. Hendery works with Renown Health’s CEO, executive team and key stakeholders to create engaging communications and exceptional experiences for customers. She oversees marketing and communications, the customer service call center, customer experience and community health for the largest integrated health system in Nevada, with hospitals and outpatient centers serving 1 million people. Their brand campaign, “Fight the Good Fight”, new website and online physician ratings led Renown to become a premier brand position in the market and a statewide leader. A recent employee referral and recruitment campaign yielded 1,000 new clinicians in just one year. Ms. Hendery has implemented a new initiative focusing on online scheduling for adult primary care and pediatric visits, with the goal of reaching 80% of all patients via online scheduling. This initiative allows patients to learn about different physicians, as well as schedule and receive appointment reminders in both English and Spanish.

William “Skip” Hidlay. Chief Communications and Marketing Officer for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (Columbus). Mr. Hidlay serves as chief communications and marketing officer for The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, The James Cancer Hospital and the College of Medicine, where he leads integrated communications, marketing and digital strategy for one of the nation’s leading academic health systems. Since joining in 2020, he has overseen the transformation of the department into an AI-trained, innovation-focused team, recognized with nine 2024 eHealthcare leadership awards for excellence in digital marketing, content and video. With over 20 years of healthcare and media leadership experience, Mr. Hidlay brings expertise in brand storytelling, public relations, internal engagement and digital strategy. Prior to Ohio State, he held senior marketing roles at University of Chicago Medicine and Wichita, Kan.-based Ascension Via Christi Health, following a distinguished 30-year journalism career. He was inducted into the Hospital Marketing National Hall of Fame in 2019. 

Stephanie Hogarth. Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Ms. Hogarth leads an enterprise marketing and public relations team focused on driving growth and elevating the brand of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. With two hospital locations, more than 600 beds and an ambulatory network with over 50 sites, the system is consistently ranked one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. Working in close collaboration with the system’s strategy, clinical and foundation leadership, and leveraging a data- and insights-driven approach, Ms. Hogarth’s teams deliver strategies that surpass growth, revenue and cross-platform engagement goals for key priorities. With a continual focus on elevating the brand’s market position locally, nationally and internationally, the system maintains 98% awareness in its primary service area, a top-ranked national reputation score, and industry-leading metrics for media coverage and website traffic. Throughout her tenure, Ms. Hogarth has remained committed to building a best-in-class team of in-house experts, including marketing and public relations strategists, consumer insights and creative professionals, digital experts, and project specialists who are committed to creating meaningful experiences and engagement with the system brand among a variety of audiences.

Colin Jeffries. Vice President of Marketing and Communications for BrightView (Cincinnati). Mr. Jeffries, vice president of marketing and communications at BrightView, has played a pivotal role in transforming how addiction treatment is marketed and experienced. He has led the development of stigma-free, compassionate branding and patient-focused digital tools like online scheduling and “let us call you” options, significantly increasing patient volume and improving access to care across BrightView’s 87 centers in five states. Internally, Mr. Jeffries has enhanced employee engagement and culture through initiatives such as the BrightStar peer recognition program, the BrightView intranet, and the “RISE” recognition program. He has helped shape the organization’s core values and mission while overseeing critical platforms including the website, internal communications and patient engagement frameworks. His leadership has directly supported the organization’s rapid expansion from four locations to serving over 25,000 patients, and he has been instrumental in improving recruitment and retention.

Chaka Jordan. Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Cape Fear Valley Health System (Fayetteville, N.C.). Ms. Jordan oversees all marketing, communications and community outreach for the Cape Fear system and the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation. She has more than 20 years of experience in healthcare marketing and planning across all models, including nonprofit, for-profit, academic and faith-based. She is adept at using data to strategize marketing and public relations campaigns. Since joining the system in 2020, she has changed its approach to public relations, marketing and digital communications. Under her direction, the department has undertaken web updates and increased positive media relations. She is committed to helping her team excel, championing professional development opportunities and work-life balance initiatives. 

Mark Klein. Chief Communications and Marketing Officer for El Camino Health (Mountain View, Calif.). Mr. Klein serves as the inaugural chief communications and marketing officer at El Camino Health, where he leads strategic initiatives across marketing, brand, public affairs, digital engagement, media relations and community sponsorships. Thus far, he has helped El Camino Health align brand identity with organizational mission, elevating the health system’s presence both locally and nationally. Appointed to his current role in July 2024, Mr. Klein brings decades of leadership experience, including his previous position as senior vice president of public affairs and communications at Chicago-based CommonSpirit Health, where he led a major rebranding effort that boosted consumer preference and employee engagement. Mr. Klein’s foundation in strategic communications was built during his tenure at public relations and marketing firm Fleishman Hillard, advising high-profile clients across industries. 

Christine Kotler. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Baptist Health South Florida (Coral Gables, Fla.). Ms. Kotler leads all branding, marketing, communications and reputation management efforts for the region’s largest healthcare system, encompassing 12 hospitals, more than 200 outpatient sites and over 28,000 employees. Under her leadership, Baptist Health South Florida achieved the No. 1 spot for brand awareness, preference and trust in South Florida, and is ranked among the “Top 10 Most Trusted Healthcare Brands” nationally by brand agency Monigle. Ms. Kotler has advanced the organization’s marketing capabilities through investments in personalization, automation and a robust content strategy powered by an in-house production team. Her reputation management initiatives have driven a 376% increase in review volume. She is also a lecturer at the University of Miami Herbert Business School and actively serves on numerous professional and community boards.

Janice Lamy. Chief Marketing Officer for Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System (Baton Rouge, La.). Ms. Lamy serves as chief marketing officer for Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, where she leads a team of more than 50 professionals responsible for brand strategy, advertising, digital marketing, internal and external communications, public relations and consumer research across one of the region’s largest healthcare systems. With over 25 years of experience in healthcare marketing, Ms. Lamy has a track record of driving growth, consumer engagement and revenue through data-driven, innovative strategies. She joined the system in 2018 and assumed her current role in 2022. Ms. Lamy is also the author of Creating Your Success Plan: A Career Success Guide for Women and is a dedicated mentor for future leaders.

Jamie Leszczynski. Senior Vice President of Communications and Chief Brand Officer at Oswego (N.Y.) Health. Ms. Leszczynski leads Oswego’s emerging brand and communications division with direct responsibilities for internal communications, external communications and media public affairs. Her leadership team spans both hospital based acute clinical care and outpatient ambulatory services across 17 locations. She is also responsible for community partnerships and coordinating all system sponsorship of events. Under her leadership, Oswego was honored by CenterState CEO as a “Business of the Year” for 2023. Previously, she served as senior director of communications for the system. 

Frank Lococo. Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Nebraska Medicine (Omaha). Mr. Lococo leads an interdisciplinary team in multi-audience marketing, communications and outreach strategies. His areas of responsibilities include advertising, brand, internal communications, marketing operations, media relations, reputation management, retail, social media, and two clinical programs for the health network that features an academic medical center, community hospital and more than 70 primary and specialty care sites. In collaboration with capacity management and the EHR team, he is helping Nebraska Medicine grow the digitalization of the consumer experience, with more than 18% of primary care appointments scheduled online. Last year, referrals to specialty care programs exceeded 9%. Mr. Lococo’s team, partnering with human resources and utilizing colleague input, launched a reimagined employment brand in the spring of 2024. Thus far, the initiative has led to a 44% increase in career site visitors and a 22% increase in external candidates hired in the fourth quarter over the previous fourth quarter.

Blake Long. Vice President of Brand Marketing and Communications for Allina Health (Minneapolis). Mr. Long serves as the foremost marketing, communications and media relations leader at Allina Health, where he drives innovative, people-centered strategies that enhance brand visibility, employee engagement and organizational growth. With more than six years of executive-level healthcare experience, Mr. Long oversees a high-performing team focused on digital marketing, customer relationship management, analytics and storytelling. Under his leadership, Allina Health has launched successful initiatives such as the “Healthy, Set, Go” e-newsletter, which boasts a 47.1% average open rate and led to over 1,200 appointments in 2024 alone. He also championed the health system’s strategic partnership with Minnesota United FC, advancing mental health support for young athletes through the award-winning “Change to Chill” program.  Mr. Long’s focuses on values-driven storytelling via platforms like All Together Better magazine and a robust video content strategy that reduces reliance on earned media. His leadership has also cultivated internal culture through initiatives like “All Together Better Month”, fostering team connection across the workforce.

Sandra Mackey. Chief Marketing Officer of Bon Secours Mercy Health (Cincinnati). At Bon Secours Mercy Health, Ms. Mackey leads initiatives that elevate marketing and communications as a strategic driver of stakeholder engagement. She successfully branded the system following the 2019 merger and introduced the “Universe of You” campaign to reinforce patient-centered care. Under her leadership, the Agile Testing Lab was created to enable marketing sprints, and a dynamic primary care campaign that launched during the Covid-19 pandemic has generated millions of leads. Ms. Mackey also spearheaded the in-housing of digital, social media and creative services, yielding substantial cost savings. She implemented a data-driven scorecard system to optimize marketing and communication performance and led the development of a business-to-business marketing structure supporting incubated businesses. Additionally, she serves as board chair for the FC Cincinnati Foundation.

Megan Mahncke. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of Intermountain Health (Salt Lake City). Ms. Mahncke leads brand development, marketing and public relations campaigns, and internal strategic messaging for Intermountain Health. She also serves as president of the Intermountain Community Care Foundation, where she is responsible for strategically aligning and streamlining community health efforts across the system. In 2022, upon the merging of Intermountain and SCL Health, she was tasked with implementing a new brand to unite the systems’ identities. She helped guide each hospital and region to build on their existing strengths and community health needs, while adhering to a strong corporate brand. Prior to the merger, Ms. Mahncke most recently served as the senior vice president of marketing and communications at SCL Health.

Anne Martino. Chief Marketing Officer for Endeavor Health (Evanston, Ill.). Ms. Martino, chief marketing officer of Endeavor Health, is recognized for her insights-driven omnichannel strategies that enhance brand reputation, build relationships and drive organizational growth. Since joining in 2020 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ms. Martino has led transformative marketing efforts through multiple mergers and the unification of four health systems into one, which culminated in the 2023 rebrand to Endeavor Health. Her leadership fueled the launch of a new brand identity and advertising campaign in early 2024, achieving nearly 60% brand awareness in just three months. She oversees strategic direction across brand, marketing, digital strategy, communications and public relations, bringing more than 25 years of experience in brand-building, mergers and acquisitions, and change management. Previously, she served as system vice president of consumer insights and strategy at a major health system and held leadership roles at advertising agencies. A dedicated mentor, Ms. Martino also serves on the boards of the University of Wisconsin’s School of Journalism and the Women’s Philanthropy Council.

Paul Matsen. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Cleveland Clinic. Mr. Matsen oversees an international team of 250 professionals across Cleveland Clinic. Under his leadership, Cleveland Clinic has grown to be one of the most recognized and respected healthcare brands in the world. As a leader and innovator in digital and content marketing, Cleveland Clinic has become an industry-leader in website content, social media, mobile apps and search engine marketing programs. Mr. Matsen has overseen some of the health system’s largest projects to date, including its centennial campaign in 2021, Covid-19 communications and the development of the system website. Mr. Matsen joined the Cleveland Clinic in 2006 after serving as executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Delta Airlines.

Deena McAllister. Senior Vice President of Brand Experience for Texas Health Resources (Arlington). Ms. McAllister serves as senior vice president of brand experience at Texas Health Resources, where she leads brand strategy, marketing, digital experience, communications, public relations and advertising across more than 400 access points, including hospitals, physician groups, virtual care and urgent care clinics. With over 25 years at Texas Health, she has played a pivotal role in several major initiatives, including the 2010 system rebrand, branding of primary and specialty care practices, and the 2020 launch of the Breeze Urgent Care brand, which has grown to 26 locations. In 2021, she led a digital marketing and customer relationship management transformation, enhancing the system’s consumer engagement capabilities. Known for her data-driven approach and collaborative leadership, she aligns multidisciplinary teams to improve the patient experience and drive business outcomes. Her responsibilities expanded in 2024 to include marketing and communications for Southwestern Health Resources, the clinically integrated network formed with UT Southwestern.

Susan Milford. Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at OSF HealthCare (Peoria, Ill.). Ms. Milford is senior vice president of marketing and communications for the $4.1 billion Catholic health system, which features 16 hospitals, over 200 locations, and 24,000 employees. She has built a 74-member, results-driven marketing and communications team that supports nearly 1.1 million patients annually. For nearly a decade, Ms. Milford has advanced patient-centered care through innovative strategies. She has overseen the creation of a “digital front door,” improving access to care and addressing critical pain points. Her team drives service line growth, market share and return on investment through cutting-edge campaigns informed by robust analytics and market research. In fiscal year 2024, her evolved content strategy led to a 19.81% engagement growth, achieving 7.6 million blog views, a 5.91% web action conversion rate and a 6.81% social engagement rate. Her national media strategy garnered $412.3 million in media value, representing a 28.6% increase from fiscal year 2023 and solidifying the reputation of OSF for innovation and patient care. 

Richard Mills-Tetteh. Chief of Marketing and Engagement for Bethany (Okla.) Children’s Health Center. As chief of marketing and engagement at Bethany Children’s Health Center, Mr. Mills-Tetteh leads all internal and external communications, community development, and the Bethany Children’s Foundation. He has elevated the organization’s presence through dynamic social media storytelling that highlights patient journeys, staff stories and major initiatives, including the construction of a new outpatient tower. Under his leadership, Bethany Children’s earned multiple 2024 Public Relations Society of America-Oklahoma City chapter awards, including top honors for its “Landmark of Hope” capital and awareness campaign. He has also overseen national award-winning internal communications, including recognition for best inspirational video, best crisis communication and the nation’s best staff intranet. His career at Bethany Children’s has spanned roles ranging from digital media specialist to director of corporate communications, aiming to shape and amplify the brand of Oklahoma’s only pediatric inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Raj Mohan. Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing and Digital Experience Officer for Ascension (St. Louis). Mr. Mohan is senior vice president and chief marketing and digital experience officer for Ascension, a nonprofit healthcare system with approximately 131,000 associates and 37,000 affiliated providers across 136 hospitals. He leads marketing as well as digital access strategies to reduce friction and accelerate growth. As a brand, digital, loyalty and data leader, Mr. Mohan has global experience leading the strategy, development and growth of consumer-oriented digital products and experiences, across the airline, healthcare, hospitality and media industries. Having previously served as chief digital officer for Ascension, Mr. Mohan stepped into his newly expanded role in March 2024.

Michelle O’Keefe. Chief Communications Officer and Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications for Eskenazi Health (Indianapolis). Ms. O’Keefe heads communications and public affairs efforts for Eskenazi Health, a health system that serves as a vital training ground for the Indiana University School of Medicine. Along with other senior leaders at the system, she directs strategic communications, messaging, operations, culture and DEI. Research-based public and media relations, issues management, branding, marketing, employee and physician communications, events and outreach, music and arts programming and values-aligned community sponsorship efforts all fall under her jurisdiction. To drive the growth of the system, Ms. O’Keefe has implemented methods ranging from grassroots outreach to major advertising campaigns. Her successes include a voter approval campaign for a new hospital campus in 2009, a rebranding effort to rename the system following a $40 million gift from Sidney and Lois Eskenazi in 2011, and an upcoming campaign to promote a long-term plan to combat barriers to health equity in three vulnerable zones of Indianapolis. 

Teresa Olsen. Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Children’s Mercy Kansas City. Ms. Olsen is senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Children’s Mercy, where she is responsible for overseeing the planning, development and execution of business marketing strategy, including all internal communications and external marketing initiatives. She leads a team of more than 40 marketing professionals and has a budget accountability of over $15 million. She also plays a role in the organization’s growth strategy, with responsibilities ranging from patient experience design to the implementation of strategic partnerships. Ms. Olsen is also passionate about guiding and mentoring other women in the healthcare industry. She has extensively participated in women’s leadership forums and spearheaded workplace culture initiatives. In her time with the system, she has created numerous brand-strategy and national consumer marketing campaigns.

Kimberly Ovitt. Vice President of Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Fred Hutch Cancer Center (Seattle). Ms. Ovitt leads strategically-focused brand, marketing, media relations, internal communications, content, UX and digital engagement initiatives for Fred Hutch Cancer Center, an independent cancer center that also serves as the cancer program for UW Medicine. Fred Hutch is the birthplace of bone marrow transplantation, has produced three Nobel laureates and is a leader in developing immunotherapies. Upon joining Fred Hutch in 2022, Ms. Ovitt built an integrated marketing and communications team from previously separate clinical and research organizations, then launched comprehensive strategies that increased brand preference by 121%. Her efforts include dually promoting clinical care and the extensive cancer and infectious diseases research programs at Fred Hutch. Her executive experience includes similar roles and impact for academic health systems, children’s hospitals and cancer centers. Previously, she helped generate a 70% increase in national consumer media coverage in her first 18 months of marketing and communications leadership at Memphis, Tenn.-based St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; solved brand identity challenges resulting in a 309% increase in brand name association at Washington, D.C.-based Children’s National Hospital; and developed a national strategy for the $1 billion, Beaverton-based Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Center Challenge, which set a national record for fundraising success.

Jenny Owen. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University (Atlanta). Ms. Owen, chief marketing and communications officer for Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, has revolutionized the institution’s marketing and communications strategy, earning 22 industry awards for her team’s achievements. She led the award-winning integrated campaign for Winship at Emory Midtown, generating over 3,300 leads, 352 million media impressions and unmatched consumer recall, with nearly half of surveyed consumers expressing a strong likelihood of choosing the new facility. Ms. Owen’s strategic leadership spans branding, public relations and multi-channel outreach, leveraging market research to drive data-informed decisions. She has redefined Winship’s storytelling through award-winning platforms such as Winship Magazine, a redesigned website and impactful social media campaigns. Her efforts have not only strengthened consumer engagement but also aligned institutional goals across Emory University and Emory Healthcare, fostering donor support and community partnerships.

Matthew Pinzur. Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Jackson Health System (Miami.). Mr. Pinzur directs Jackson Health System’s patient acquisition and loyalty strategy while overseeing media relations, marketing, community outreach, branding, internal communications and digital experience. He also directs the system’s strategy group and holds matrix responsibility for business development. His impact on the system’s strategy and tactics contributed to the massive financial turnaround that reversed over $425 million in losses over five years to an unbroken streak of multimillion dollar surpluses beginning in 2012. He played key roles in managing the Covid-19 pandemic and in directing a 2013 campaign to secure voter approval for a $830 million bond program to renovate, modernize and expand Jackson’s facilities. Mr. Pinzur also serves on the board of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, the executive committee of the Chapman Partnership for the Homeless, and is on the steering committee for Vizient’s Chief Marketing Officers Network as well as the executive committee for Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center.

Shweta Ponnappa. Chief Marketing and Digital Experience Officer for Providence (Renton, Wash.). Ms. Ponnappa is responsible for driving overall customer strategy and ensuring seamless, high-quality experience across all customer touchpoints for Providence. Her leadership spans all system and regional marketing efforts, call center and digital experience initiatives, including over 25 consumer-facing websites that serve tens of millions of visitors annually and contribute to 18% of patient Providence outpatient visits. She is entrusted with accelerating revenue growth, enhancing engagement and positioning Providence as industry leader in customer-centric care. Her team of strategists, technologists, engineers, marketers and data scientists drive enterprisewide growth through innovative marketing campaigns, advanced analytics and transformative digital platforms. She oversees marketing platforms, web compliance, onsite and offsite digital experiences, and personalized patient engagement strategies. She adopts cutting-edge tools like machine learning and AI. Under her guidance, predictive analytics model patient preferences, allowing for highly personalized marketing campaigns and healthcare solutions that enhance patient engagement and contribute to measurable growth. She also spearheaded development of a proprietary, HIPAA-compliant marketing technology stack and implemented a state-of-the-art consumer data platform that integrated over 50 data sources. This resulted in over $1 million in annual cost savings and accelerated responsiveness to patient needs, which has driven measurable increases in patient satisfaction and engagement.

Tadd Pullin. Senior Vice President of Institutional Affairs and Chief Brand and Communications Officer for The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (Houston). Mr. Pullin is the senior vice president of institutional affairs and chief brand and communications officer at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he leads a 200-person team focused on marketing, communications, public relations and philanthropic engagement. He has implemented a multi-year marketing strategy that significantly increased MD Anderson’s national awareness by 20%, its brand value by 66% and its cancer message share by 22%, with marketing now accounting for 20% of new patient arrivals. Mr. Pullin also led a consolidation of the institution’s social media presence, a revitalization of internal communications and the rollout of a branded merchandise initiative that deepened stakeholder engagement. He guided the expansion of the organization’s arts experience program to create healing environments in new clinical facilities, while his digital initiatives tripled annual website traffic to 23 million visitors. His leadership emphasizes data-driven performance and employee brand ambassadorship, resulting in award-winning content and a 2024 media publicity value of $95 million.

Kelly Rabalais. Vice President of Communications and Strategy at St. Tammany Health System (Covington, La.). Ms. Rabalais leads strategy and communications on behalf of the St. Tammany system. She is also a member of the executive leadership team. She leads a staff of six colleagues who specialize in strategy, marketing, advertising, business development, communications, public relations, governmental relations and community relations. When Ms. Rabalais joined the role, she helped to centralize the system’s communication and marketing efforts. 

Nick Ragone. Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Jefferson (Philadelphia). Mr. Ragone serves as chief marketing officer for Jefferson, where he is responsible for the oversight of marketing, branding, public relations, internal communications and digital strategy across the $15 billion health system, academic institutions and health plans. He leads integrated efforts supporting Jefferson Health’s 32 hospitals and 700-plus care sites, the National Cancer Institute-designated Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health Plans, which serves over 370,000 members. A nationally recognized marketing executive and published author, Mr. Ragone played a key role in Jefferson’s recent acquisition of Allentown, Pa.-based Lehigh Valley Health Network and is helping guide strategy during the system’s bicentennial celebration, driving initiatives like the 200,000-hour volunteer service campaign and a scholarship-focused bicentennial fund. At Jefferson, Mr. Ragone centers his work on expanding access to care, strengthening community engagement, and addressing health equity across a diverse patient and stakeholder base. Previously, he led the largest rebranding in U.S. healthcare at St. Louis-based Ascension. He is also the founder of Your Move Chess, a nonprofit bringing chess programs to underserved schools.

Deborah M. Reiner. Senior Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at HCA Healthcare (Nashville, Tenn.). Ms. Reiner has spent 23 years with HCA Healthcare, fulfilling various roles related to marketing and growing service lines. As senior vice president of marketing and corporate affairs, she oversees communications, marketing, and community relations. She has worked to upgrade the system’s digital experience, including leading the launch of the patient portal, introducing an enterprise platform, and combining five call centers under a shared service model. She was also a guiding force during HCA Healthcare’s rebrand. Ms. Reiner is also a board member for HCA Healthcare Foundation, the HCA Healthcare Hope Fund, United Way of Greater Nashville and St. Luke’s Community House. 

Jeana Rettig. Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for Keck Medicine of USC (Los Angeles). In her decade at Keck Medicine of USC, Ms. Rettig has transformed the marketing and communications department into a high-performing, data-driven team of 50 professionals overseeing media relations, digital strategy, analytics, content and physician business development. Her leadership has contributed to a 15.4% increase in financial performance year-over-year and played a key role in aligning patient acquisition strategies with the system’s financial goals, particularly through targeted managed care initiatives. Ms. Rettig also built a physician referral network that generates an average of $1.2 million per representative from new referral sources. She spearheaded a major 2022 rebrand and helped elevate Keck Medicine’s rankings in U.S. News & World Report through strategic physician engagement. Under her guidance, the team won eight 2024 PRism Awards, including the prestigious “President’s Award” from the Los Angeles chapter. Ms. Rettig’s career spans more than 30 years, including 15 years in marketing roles at Maywood, Ill.-based Loyola University Health System.

Adam Rice. System Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications and Chief Marketing Officer at CommonSpirit Health (Chicago). Mr. Rice is responsible for providing growth-oriented strategic marketing across the CommonSpirit system. He is accountable for leading and scaling the enterprise marketing strategy, roadmap development and function transformations necessary to deliver superior consumer experiences and drive top-line and market share growth. He leads an integrated team of system and regional marketing professionals in deploying consumer and patient engagement, experience transformation, growth and retention programs. He focuses on aligning CommonSpirit’s consumer-centricity with the goal to deliver personalized customer experiences and measurable outcomes. He has developed a differentiated marketing standard around the use of data, insights, segmentation, profiling and measurement to develop a deep understanding of consumers in order to effectively engage with them across all stages of their healthcare journeys. Mr. Rice enables his teams to connect with new and known consumer opportunities via multi-touch omni-channel experiences, campaigns and engagement programs intended to maximize marketing performance and the associated return on marketing investment. He has also led the deployment of a standard marketing tech and communications tech platform across the enterprise to further automate and align consumer engagement and experience delivery.

Justine Rodriguez. Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (Colton, Calif.). Ms. Rodriguez is the director of marketing and public relations at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, where she leads strategic communications, public relations, digital engagement and reputation management for the health system. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare communications, she serves as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and has authored numerous executive communications, including the “Ask Andrew” CEO blog. Ms. Rodriguez played pivotal roles in crisis response, leading Covid-19 pandemic communications and serving as public information officer during the 2023 winter storm crisis for San Bernardino County. She also launched the health system’s first DEI committee and oversaw the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center Foundation, raising over $1 million for hospital programs and equipment. Her leadership has earned multiple accolades, including National Association of Counties awards and recognition in the 2024 Institute for Public Relations “Elevate Cohort”. She is an influential voice in healthcare public relations, contributing to industry organizations and the Harvard Business Review advisory council.

Manny Rodriguez. Chief Marketing, Experience and Customer Officer for UCHealth (Aurora, Colo.). Mr. Rodriguez joined UCHealth in June 2015, taking on brand, marketing, advertising, partnerships, communications, interpretive services and patient experience responsibilities for the system. He was the driving force behind the creation of the new brand in 2017, as well as the establishment of partnerships with the Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies, Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Mammoth and the Colorado Rapids. He has also helped guide Ready.Set.CO, a statewide physical and mental health initiative. As part of the innovation executive steer group, Mr. Rodriguez helps select and create new technologies such as a virtual care assistant, indoor wayfinding and health tracking tools. His efforts have been instrumental in UCHealth becoming a top-of-mind healthcare system and leader in patient preference for the region. As a leukemia survivor, Mr. Rodriguez also does public and motivational speaking to raise awareness and funds for leukemia research and causes.

Lisa Schiller. Chief Communications and Marketing Officer for UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine (Chapel Hill, N.C.). Ms. Schiller serves as chief communications and marketing officer for UNC Health, overseeing a comprehensive and strategic marketing operation across more than a dozen hospitals and care networks, including UNC Medical Center, UNC Faculty Physicians, and multiple regional UNC Health affiliates. Since her appointment in 2018, she has played a critical role as a senior executive team member and trusted advisor in communications, management and strategy. A nationally recognized leader, Ms. Schiller is a past president of the American Hospital Association’s Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development and received its highest honor, the “Award for Individual Professional Excellence”. Under her leadership, UNC Health’s marketing team earned seven 2024 “Wallie & Golden Tusk Awards”, including “Best of Show”, awarded by the Carolinas Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing Society. With her career at UNC Health beginning in 2006, Ms. Schiller has advanced through key leadership roles and now serves on several high-profile boards, including the Holt Brothers Foundation and the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation.

Tracey Schroeder. Chief Communications and External Affairs Officer for Inova (Falls Church, Va.). As chief communications and external affairs officer at Inova, Ms. Schroeder leads integrated marketing, communications, government and community affairs for the Washington, D.C. region’s leading nonprofit healthcare provider. Since joining in 2021, she has spearheaded a bold rebranding effort, unveiling a refreshed visual identity for both Inova and Inova Children’s Hospital that emphasizes compassion, innovation and inclusivity. She also led communications for major system milestones, including the simultaneous groundbreaking of two new hospitals, the opening of Inova Health Center–Oakville in Alexandria, Va. and the launch of a $500 million fundraising campaign, which has already secured $170 million. Under her leadership, Inova expanded access for underserved communities through its “InovaCare” initiative and celebrated high-profile philanthropic gifts totaling $30 million. Previously, Ms. Schroeder held senior roles leading global public relations campaigns and strategic brand launches. She is also a PR Week “40 Under 40” honoree and co-founder of nonprofit Uncorked.

Jennifer Schultz Kouandjio. Chief Marketing and Growth Officer at OU Health (Oklahoma City). Ms. Schulz Kouandjio leads growth and marketing strategies at Oklahoma’s flagship academic health system, OU Health. She oversees brand and growth strategy, driving the utilization of OU Health’s tertiary and quaternary services and building reputation. During her tenure, she has expanded partnerships across the state, increasing the system’s new analytic case market share for cancer services from 22% to 38%. Her efforts have contributed to a 19% total growth in new hospital patients year-over-year and approximately 40% growth in new patient visits for ambulatory care from fiscal year 2023 to fiscal year 2025. Since joining OU Health in 2018, she has spearheaded the implementation of the system’s first business development review committee and business development unit, enabling organizational alignment and strategic growth. As one of the longest-serving members of the health system’s executive team, Ms. Schultz Kouandjio played a pivotal role during the 2021 merger of the OU College of Medicine faculty practice with OU Medicine, creating OU Health. In 2024, she established the clinical strategy governance committee, leading growth planning for the leadership, physicians, directors and managers, ultimately concentrating resources to impact performance in the coming years. She led the market research, development and creation of OU Health’s brand identity and is recognized as a thought leader in growth, organizational development and marketing strategy.

Chrisie Scott. Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Virtua Health (Marlton, N.J.). As senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Virtua Health, Ms. Scott has led the evolution of the organization’s brand, marketing and consumer engagement strategy since 2018. She spearheaded the “Here for Good” rebrand, introduced advanced digital capabilities, segmentation models and an online consumer feedback panel, all while reinforcing a human-centered, data-driven approach to storytelling and reputation management. Under her leadership, Virtua has been named a top 40 healthcare brand nationally by Monigle, rising steadily over four years based on consumer engagement. Ms. Scott is a recognized thought leader, contributing to a book on transformative leadership and speaking at industry events like the American College of Healthcare Executives fall congress. She also helped develop a coaching-based case study with vendor-partner Practicing Excellence to foster deeper human connection in care delivery. A champion of aligning brand and culture, Ms. Scott serves on the New Jersey “Breakthrough T1D” board and as a peer-elected member of the Healthcare Executive Forum.

Kathy Smith. Chief Marketing and Digital Officer for Roper St. Francis Healthcare (Charleston, S.C.). Ms. Smith serves as chief marketing and digital officer at Roper St. Francis Healthcare, where she leads an integrated marketing, communications and digital strategy function for Charleston’s largest nonprofit health system. Reporting directly to the CEO, she oversees growth, brand and engagement efforts for four hospitals, more than 120 ambulatory locations, and a workforce of 6,000 employees and nearly 1,000 providers. Since joining in 2022, Ms. Smith has transformed the system’s marketing effectiveness by employing data-driven strategies, expanding digital engagement tools and enhancing patient experience programs. She co-founded the health system’s first patient portal steering committee and played a key role in launching a new EHR portal that consistently exceeds activation goals. Her initiatives include modernizing the online provider directory, launching an AI chatbot, developing targeted physician and nurse content strategies, and creating a strategic communications framework. Ms. Smith brings more than 30 years of healthcare marketing experience to her role, including a 20-year tenure at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Andrew Snyder. Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Orlando (Fla.) Health. As the senior vice president of marketing and communications for Orlando Health since 2016, Mr. Snyder has ongoing leadership responsibility for the implementation of all marketing, branding, communications, social media, web and mobile strategies, and initiatives for Orlando Health. He also owns organizational reputation management and has been integral to the system’s customer experience space. In 2022, Mr. Snyder’s team recorded 2.75 billion consumer impressions from its campaigns, a 58% increase from the year before. In April 2022, he launched the organization’s new visual identity and rebranded more than 3,100 pieces of collateral, a move that resulted in a 26% increase in overall market awareness. He also led the implementation of new tracking tools to enable swift reactions to media purchases, leading to a return on investment five times the industry norm. Thanks to his decision to add physician rating to the system website, more than 400,000 public-facing physician ratings are now available, and views to the website have increased by 20.1% over the prior year. Mr. Snyder has also identified that the Hispanic population in the region is growing and implemented initiatives that better connect to this demographic. 

Ramon Soto. Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Northwell Health (New Hyde Park, N.Y.). Mr. Soto is senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer at Northwell Health, where he leads brand strategy, marketing, public relations, digital engagement and internal communications for New York’s largest healthcare provider. Since joining in 2015, Mr. Soto has transformed Northwell’s marketing approach through purpose-driven campaigns that address pressing social issues such as gun violence, women’s health, and health equity. Most notably, he led the rebranding of the system from North Shore-LIJ to Northwell Health in 2016. He spearheaded the national “It Doesn’t Kill to Ask” gun violence prevention campaign, now supported by over 1,000 hospitals, and helped establish Northwell’s Center for Gun Violence Prevention. Mr. Soto also launched Northwell Studios to produce mission-aligned entertainment content, resulting in multiple award-winning documentaries and specials on platforms like HBO, Netflix and Hulu. His innovative storytelling strategy has garnered billions of impressions and elevated Northwell’s national and international brand presence. A recognized industry leader, Mr. Soto serves on the Ad Council’s board and previously held senior marketing roles at major healthcare organizations.

Julie Spencer Washington. Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing, Communications and Customer Experience Officer for Trinity Health (Livonia, Mich.). Ms. Spencer Washington serves as executive vice president and chief marketing, communications and experience officer for Trinity Health, where she leads systemwide strategies across marketing, brand, customer experience and philanthropy. A results-driven leader with a track record in demand creation and team development, Ms. Spencer Washington brings deep expertise from prior executive roles at Champion Petfoods, Jamba Juice, Procter & Gamble, Luxottica Retail and Nestlé Purina. Through her prior roles, she developed expertise in driving revenue growth and profitability, expanding global and e-commerce distribution, and launching award-winning brand campaigns. Her strategic vision and cross-industry marketing experience help to strengthen Trinity Health’s brand, elevate the consumer experience and support its approach to compassionate care.

Amalia Maislos Stanton. Senior Vice President and Chief Strategic Communications and Marketing Officer for Memorial Hermann Health System (Houston). Ms. Stanton leads strategic marketing, branding and communications for Memorial Hermann’s 17 hospitals, 265 care sites, and 40,000 employees and affiliated physicians. Her continuing goals are to elevate brand awareness, address critical public health challenges, educate the public and tackle Houston’s health disparities. This includes community engagement, digital outreach and culturally appropriate messaging to ensure access to care and widely available information. She directs consumer and market research, measurement and analytics in both market planning and campaign development. Her team drives market share, measurable service line growth and demonstrable return on investment. Her use of customer analysis and consumer journey mapping continually leads to better understanding customer patterns in accessing service lines. Projects like “Resolution”, a multi-week, comprehensive, no-cost program, encourages optimal health for over 100,000 participants annually by targeting each person’s health, nutrition, exercise and overall wellness. Her numerous honors include Houston Business Journal‘s “Women Who Mean Business” award and CKS LUXE magazine’s “Top 20 Impact Maker” award. She also serves on the Holocaust Museum Houston and March of Dimes boards.

Don Stanziano. Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Banner Health (Phoenix). Mr. Stanziano leads all marketing, brand, external communications and consumer insights programs across Banner’s eight markets in six states. He joined Banner in July 2024, following six and half years as chief marketing and communications officer at Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger and eight years leading marketing and communications at San Diego’s Scripps Health. At Banner, he is leading a reimagination of Banner’s brand, which encompasses 33 hospitals, nearly 500 ambulatory sites, numerous health plan products and world-renowned research. Mr. Stanziano is also modernizing Banner’s marketing technology and digital customer engagement platforms to drive customer acquisition, retention and engagement. While at Geisinger, he drove initiatives that unified the brand, resulting in a 10% improvement in awareness and 11-point lead in preference. Under his leadership, Geisinger consistently earned 60% or higher share of voice in earned media, and internal communications was rated effective by 85% of the staff and 96% of leadership. A published author on the topic of effective leadership and a frequent speaker on healthcare marketing trends, his teams have earned national recognition for their work. Prior to his healthcare career, Mr. Stanziano spent a decade working as a professional journalist before serving as communications director and press secretary for a member of Congress.

Eric Steinberger. Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Atlantic Health System (Morristown, N.J.). In his role as vice president and chief marketing officer, Mr. Steinberger handles all facets of a fully integrated marketing team, including the development of the system’s overall brand marketing strategy, integrated content development, digital marketing, customer relationship management, internal communications, and public relations. He guides the system in a holistic marketing strategy that furthers brand awareness and seamless engagement with consumers. Under his leadership, Atlantic Health System has adopted an innovative approach to customer relationship management to ensure actionable and relevant messaging, launched a new brand campaign so that the system will be top-of-mind, and increased engagement through digital marketing assets.

Amy Stevens. Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Tidelands Health (Murrells Inlet, S.C.). Ms. Stevens is vice president and chief marketing officer at Tidelands Health, where she leads marketing, communications, advocacy, provider relations, community engagement, philanthropy and patient experience for the four-hospital system. Since joining in 2013, she has transformed Tidelands Health’s marketing capabilities by building an award-winning in-house team, launching a full brand rework with 74% market awareness within a year and developing a custom customer relationship management platform to support service line growth. Ms. Stevens has spearheaded key initiatives including a digital content hub, the My Tidelands Health app and a 10,000-member consumer insights panel to elevate patient engagement. Under her leadership, the system has formed strategic partnerships with sports and entertainment brands, enhanced provider onboarding and referral relations, and led successful advocacy efforts at all levels of government. She also oversaw the marketing and patient experience components of the health system’s Epic EHR implementation, and has driven national recruitment campaigns for providers and staff. An Emmy-nominated writer and producer, Ms. Stevens is a national thought leader and serves on the board of the American Hospital Association’s Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development.

David Sylvan. Chief Strategy, Innovation and Marketing Officer for University Hospitals (Cleveland). As chief strategy, innovation and marketing officer at University Hospitals, Mr. Sylvan shapes the strategic direction of the $6 billion health system. He also serves as president of UH Ventures, the system’s innovation and commercialization arm. He oversees enterprisewide strategy, marketing and business development, and drives system growth through partnerships, acquisitions and joint ventures. As chief marketing officer, Mr. Sylvan has transformed the system’s marketing operations into a data-driven, revenue-focused function, delivering award-winning, multi-channel campaigns that have led to consistent growth in appointments and patient awareness. He also leads strategic sports medicine partnerships with organizations like the Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Ballet, and launched a SportsLand event to position Cleveland as a hub for sports innovation. Under his leadership, UH Ventures has supported more than 470 invention disclosures, over 600 patents and 60 licenses, with a portfolio of over 20 companies and more than 40 external collaborations. Wielding more than 35 years of experience across investment banking, innovation and brand strategy, Mr. Sylvan is widely recognized for aligning disruptive healthcare trends with mission-driven patient care and long-term organizational sustainability.

Kenneth Szydlow. Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for St. Luke’s University Health Network (Bethlehem, Pa.). Mr. Szydlow serves as vice president and chief marketing officer at St. Luke’s University Health Network, where he oversees marketing, advertising, public relations, business development and crisis communication for a $3 billion, 15-hospital system. With over 30 years of experience, he has consistently leveraged market research and competitive analysis to craft effective brand strategies and advertising initiatives. At St. Luke’s, Mr. Szydlow uses data-driven insights to guide customer relationship management efforts and communications center management, helping to support over 300 practice locations, a medical and nursing school, and home care services. Known for his creative approach, he is an Emmy Award-winning producer who has pioneered the use of video applications in both staff education and patient outreach. His strategic focus on video, digital innovation and targeted outreach elevates brand recognition and system growth. 

Michiko Tanabe. Chief Marketing Officer at Stanford Health Care and Stanford School of Medicine (Palo Alto, Calif.). With over 20 years of advertising and marketing experience in ad agencies and global medical devices, Ms. Tanabe’s responsibilities for the academic medical center include serving as a trusted advisor, building enterprisewide strategies for inpatient care, ambulatory care, health care products and physician networks across two hospitals, driving patient acquisition, and furthering brand affinity with compelling content. She has deep expertise in developing and executing comprehensive marketing strategies and translating business and growth strategies into marketing imperatives, including competitive positioning. During her tenure, she has significantly elevated the role of marketing by building a team that influences brand positioning, creates persuasive narratives, leverages data and insights, establishes robust processes in a matrix organization, embraces digital innovation, and designs experiences that enhance, strengthen and protect the equity of the Stanford Medicine brand. 

Christine Woolsey. Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Hospital Sisters Health System (Springfield, Ill.). Ms. Woolsey joined Hospital Sisters Health System in 2023 as its system senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer. She functions as a key member of the executive leadership team and reports to the CEO. She establishes and executes system strategy for all system brand, marketing, communications and public relations functions. She handles crisis communications, issues management, patient and provider digital strategy and consumer experience. She also serves as a brand ambassador for the system. She came to the system with deep expertise in branding, public relations, communications, marketing, finance and operations. She focuses on data and metrics to drive brand awareness and inform marketing programs. Ms. Woolsey is the executive leader of the system’s digital experience, assessing, establishing and executing external website and consumer-facing digital engagement initiatives, brand awareness and strategic growth goals.

Roderic “Roddy” Olvera Young. Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Boston Children’s Hospital. Mr. Young’s efforts in marketing, communications and digital engagement have strengthened Boston Children’s Hospital’s image and reputation as a national and global leader. His team of over 60 professionals span media relations, internal communications, social media, marketing and content programs, market insights, visual design, videography, digital engagement and web services. Together, they help deliver on the hospital’s mission of clinical excellence, research, innovation, teaching and community. Partnering with subject matter experts, his team builds a strong branded-content marketing engine to enhance Boston Children’s reputation, which is ranked the No. 1 children’s hospital in the world by Newsweek for 2025. Continually ranked on U.S. News & World Report America’s list of best children’s hospitals, Boston Children’s is also top-ranked in every specialty. As the primary pediatric teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School, Mr. Young’s team highlights the work of more than 3,000 researchers and scientific staff. With his Mexican heritage, he brings perspective and cross-cultural appreciation to his role. Before joining Boston Children’s, Mr. Young served as the senior vice president at a global marketing and communications agency, press secretary to the head of NASA, and press secretary and committee professional staffer on Capitol Hill.