With over 30 years of experience in complex healthcare organizations, Mr. Knecht leads all branding, marketing, internal, external and crisis communications, digital and external partnership functions for RWJBarnabas Health. As the state’s largest academic health system, RWJBarnabas Health includes 12 hospitals, 3 children’s hospitals, the Children’s Specialized Hospital with a network of outpatient pediatric rehabilitation centers, a freestanding 100-bed behavioral health center, and a 2,800-provider medical group. He developed and launched the system’s brand in 2016, transforming it into the state’s most recognized health system brand. His work to create innovative service line marketing strategies has yielded a dominant 27% market share position across its 12-county region, including for highly competitive cardiology, cancer and behavioral health lines. Beyond his success in growing the organization’s state leadership position, he led the development of robust, award-winning communication and branding strategies for the system’s Health Equity, Antiracism, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and Social Impact initiatives, driving staff engagement while also positioning the organization and its executives as national thought-leaders. Prior to the system’s creation in 2016, Mr. Knecht led similar functions for Robert Wood Johnson Health System and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.
