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.
