Pictured left to right: Michele Schiavoni, VP of Communications and Marketing, The Wistar Institute; Denise Brashear, Head of Communications, Incyte; Rick Buck, COO and VP of Comms and Public Relations, American Association for Cancer Research; Donna Farrell, SVP of Corporate Communications, Independence Blue Cross; Deana Gamble, VP of Comms, Jefferson Health and Thomas Jefferson University
Independence Blue Cross (IBX) Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications Donna Farrell recently took part in a panel discussion titled, “The Pulse of PR: Strategic Communication in the Healthcare Landscape.” The panel was hosted by the Philadelphia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and took place at The Wistar Institute.
The event brought together professionals in the region for an engaging discussion on best practices and challenges in the field. The panelists, who are all leaders in health care communications, shared insights on how they communicate complex information, navigate crises, and build trust with various stakeholders.
Farrell talked about the importance of aligning communications with an organization’s mission to foster trust and enhance transparency. She also discussed the ever-changing health care landscape and the need for communicators to adapt their messaging and approaches based on those changes. In addition, Farrell emphasized the growing role of generative AI and how it can help communicators advance their goals and drive innovation.
The panel was moderated by Michele Schiavoni, vice president of Communications and Marketing at The Wistar Institute. The other panelists included Denise Brashear, vice president and head of Communications and Global Portfolio Communications at Incyte; Rick Buck, chief communications officer and vice president of Communications and Public Relations at the American Association for Cancer Research; and Deana Gamble, vice president of Communications at Jefferson Health.
