The move includes the elevation of five leads of the firm’s wellness business to spruce up the network’s healthcare strategy and solutions
Weber Shandwick has made several appointments across its global healthcare practice to support the reshaping of the firm’s communications via creative solutions. The move includes the promotion of Peter Matheson Gay to Global Executive Creative Director, Healthcare—a newly created role.
He was previously EVP, North American Creative Director, Healthcare. Barbara Box, the group’s New York and Chicago healthcare head has been named Executive Vice President, North America Healthcare to supervise strategy. Jamie Dowd replaces her in the said capacity as EVP and practice lead for New York.
Meanwhile, Cori McKeever Ashford will helm the healthcare practice in Chicago as Executive Vice President. In addition to the above, Kristen Thistle has been promoted to the position of Executive Vice President and is positioned to direct the Minneapolis healthcare practice.
Based in New York, Gay will drive creative solutions for clients across the brand’s global network. He has led the firm’s engagement at the Lions Health Festival for two years now. Meanwhile, Box will draw upon the rigor of INCITE, the agency’s proprietary strategic planning process, for new and existing clients.
In her latest commission, Dowd will be responsible for growing the arm whilst overseeing the transformative client work produced by the team. Involved with expansion of the practice for the past three years, Ashford’s experience in franchise communications will see her elevate the business to the next level.
Having clocked 17 years at the firm, Thistle has deep expertise developing and directing public relations and public affairs campaigns for healthcare clients that span the industry spectrum. Her new appointment will involve overseeing several key client engagements.
“Transparency, personal engagement, and storytelling are becoming exceedingly important to how we talk about healthcare. Creativity and strategy are now at the core of what we do and through that lens, we are reshaping how we think about wellness,” said Laura Schoen, President, Global Healthcare Practice at Weber Shandwick.
