New York, NY – August 20, 2014 – GCI Health, a leading healthcare-focused global public relations agency, today announced the promotion of Elisia Canna to lead the expansion of Well Living, the company’s consumer health specialty, to encompass the growing attention on wellness. The marketplace has shifted to a focus on people wanting to feel well – not simply avoid being sick. GCI Health’s approach for this specialty is to champion all the ways wellness impacts consumers’ lives. More than ever, consumers are taking an active role in protecting and monitoring their wellness, from the foods they consume and the products they use, to the ways they maintain and improve health, as well as the latest products and services – such as wearable digital trackers, e-health applications and tools – they use to literally track their every move.
“The new effort Elisia will be leading focuses on industry trends and the fact that so many companies and brands are delving into the wellness space and how best to communicate the most appropriate wellness paths and solutions to enhance consumers’ lives,” said Wendy Lund, CEO of GCI Health. “Interest in wellness is growing steadily and it’s crucial for us to identify ways to engage consumers and motivate them to take actions and make the right choices. Elisia’s experience in consumer health and her attention to insights that activate consumers and embrace client brands will be invaluable to our work going forward.”
GCI Health Expansion Drives Key Staff Additions
Over the last six months, the agency has experienced tremendous growth with the addition of 35 new hires across its network.
Due to the continued expansion of Midwest accounts, Aimee Huss has been named Market Leader of the Chicago Office. As GCI Health Chicago approaches its three-year anniversary, the office has broadened the scope of services it provides to existing Midwest clients and is fostering new client relationships across the region.
Adding depth to GCI Health’s highly seasoned media team, Maura Siefring has joined as Vice President, supporting media initiatives across all accounts. Previously, Maura developed media strategies and provided strategic counsel for multiple clients of Tonic Life Communications, focusing on diabetes, immunology, respiratory and cosmetic programs. A former reporter, Maura was the weekend anchor for the NBC affiliate KBTV-TV in Beaumont, Texas, and the state capitol correspondent for CBS affiliate KXLF-TV in Helena, Montana.
GCI Health London welcomed 11 new team members, significantly expanding its capabilities to meet client needs. London’s most recent additions include Director Hannah Morris and Senior Account Director Claire Martin, both from Ketchum, Senior Account Director Laura Starr from Hill & Knowlton, Account Manager Chris Bath and Senior Account Executive Caroline Howley from Red Door Communications, Account Manager Jenny Glover from Edelman and Senior Account Executive Orlene Pereira from Tonic Life Communications.
About GCI Health
GCI Health is a forward-thinking healthcare public relations agency powered by best-in-the-business professionals and is the only WPP company that specializes in healthcare public relations. With communications professionals across the U.S., Canada and Europe, GCI Health’s client roster spans broadly across all sectors in healthcare, including pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical technology, consumer health, provider (hospitals and managed care), insurance, telehealth, beauty and aesthetics and non-profit. GCI Health offers clients an accessible senior level leadership team, A-to-Z healthcare experience, a commitment to beating client expectations, and an obsession with anticipating the challenges of an increasingly complex and transforming healthcare communications environment. With insider’s knowledge of health media, high science, digital health strategy, consumer activation, crisis management, reputation building, patient advocacy and health education, GCI Health’s focus on delivering results is unrelenting.
GCI Health has been honored for its creative and innovative programming – including Healthcare PR Agency of the Year, back-to-back SABRE awards in 2012 and 2011 for Pharmaceutical Rx Campaign of the Year – and has been recognized for its unique approach to tackling the industry’s toughest challenges. The agency’s latest honor includes being named one of the top five healthcare PR firms in the world by the Holmes Report in 2013.
For more information, please visit www.gcihealth.com.