Social Media Relations

Karin Eskenazi

** ***** *****, *********, ** ****3 914-***-****

adirug@r.postjobfree.com

Savvy and accomplished healthcare media relations and communications leader with more than 20 years of experience representing leading entities. Proven track record of garnering results across all platforms. Committed to leveraging my skills and life-long relationships in the field to promote science, good patient outcomes, and public health at large.

Specialties: Strategic communications, media relations, health/science content development and management, corporate messaging, integrated marketing, digital/social media, issues and reputation management, media training, special events, internal communications, writing/editing, creative and collaborative problem-solving, negotiating, and leadership skills.

Deerfield Management, New York, NY (healthcare investment firm) 2/19–Present

Partnership & Communications Manager

Achievements

Secured positive, high-profile media placements and launched successful social media campaign around debut of Deerfield’s new healthcare-focused innovation campus, the Cure.

Applied crisis communications management experience (with SARS, Zika, and Ebola) in delivering guidance/supporting creation of Covid-19 crisis communications plan for Deerfield portfolio companies, including its partners in healthcare services and biotech.

Revamped newsletters and approach to all content development, including thought-leadership pieces, to many accolades.

Co-led creation and launch of new modernized, robust website.

Leveraged in-demand personal contacts (scientists) to provide weekly counsel to provider portfolio companies on infection control best practices in managing Covid-19 at their facilities as well as to headline Deerfield-hosted events.

Helped contribute a chapter in a book, titled “Biotechnology in the Time of Covid-19: Commentaries from the Front Line.”

Struck the right balance in tone of corporate external messaging, e.g., around Covid-19 public health crisis and racial unrest across the U.S., which was very well received by stakeholders.

Raised the bar on media strategy, the written word, and appropriate tone.

Successfully translated scientific jargon and trade terms to more easily assessible language.

NYC Health + Hospitals, New York, NY 10/18–2/19

Deputy Press Secretary

Achievements

Secured higher profile media placements and delivered on media attendance at press conferences.

Expertly pulled together and supported Mayoral press conferences; worked collaboratively with City Hall

press team and other government liaisons.

Achieved buy-in from leadership for H+H participation in Netflix documentary series, “Pandemic,”

which positioned NYC as a leader in pandemic preparedness and coordinated all shoots

(one year prior to Covid-19 pandemic).

Identified and created compelling content across all channels including for media pitches, news releases,

H+H newsletter/intranet and social media.

Successfully managed media FOIL requests and conferred with general counsel, as needed.

Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, New York, NY 1/18–10/18

Public Relations Manager

Achievements

Secured media coverage of the foundation’s work in top-tier media, including The New York Times, Forbes Magazine, and a major television network—a first for the foundation.

Raised the bar significantly on all editorial writing, particularly in ensuring scientific accuracy and appropriate tone.

Served as “scientist-in-residence” and advised on all matters relating to the science; lead contact and communications adviser to the Foundation’s scientific advisory board.

Worked successfully as a lead contact and advisor to the Foundation’s scientific advisory board; made important contributions to academic commentary/peer-review journal publication about genetic testing. Developed media strategy and roll-out of the above.

Identified and leveraged areas of opportunity for publicizing (beyond the Foundation’s regular programs), e.g., a presentation by a member of the Foundation at a national academic meeting, resulting in unanticipated media coverage, new press contacts, including documentary opportunities.

Developed and placed an op-ed on need for increased funding for Alzheimer’s research at the NIH in The Hill.

Wrote and conceptualized Foundation’s first brochure on the science and Foundation-funded research initiatives, as well as its 2017 annual report, both targeting donors.

Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY

Director for Media Relations and News Bureau 5/08–9/17

Achievements

Provided strong leadership, stepped up CUMC’s proactive media relations program and significantly increased reach with strategic road map supporting institutional priorities; average daily page views on CUMC website have doubled under my leadership and in tandem with the collaborative efforts of the team.

Enhanced visibility and responsiveness of media relations office; gained trust of, and cultivated strong relationships with prominent faculty, including several Nobel laureates, who have consistently returned for publicity support following successful results. Requests by faculty for publicity increased fivefold during my tenure.

Demonstrated consistent track record of generating top-tier media placements that enhanced CUMC’s brand, including several front-page New York Times stories.

Developed new media contacts and leveraged former relationships in publicizing CUMC’s ongoing research, clinical and educational programs.

Successfully managed crisis media relations; developed and implemented effective strategies and solutions to minimize potential negative effects of ensuing publicity; Served as an institutional spokesperson.

Managed media relations team and provided counsel to faculty and staff around media strategy, including on sensitive issues; engaged with faculty on media training; Identified and utilized opportunistic media as a vehicle to increase coverage.

Collaborated with former Chief Communications Officer to implement new conflict of interest policy across the institution; provided counsel on a routine basis to faculty and staff on HIPAA policies, as they apply to media relations matters, and coordinated with Columbia privacy officer, as needed.

Translated subjects into accessible, engaging articles for general audiences; wrote, edited, and/or reviewed and distributed all content, including news releases, media alerts, pitch letters, media statements, op-eds, internal e-newsletter, social media content, and media reports.

Volunteer for Midnight Run 2011–2015

A program established to help feed and clothe the homeless.

Strategic Communications and Media Consultant 9/99–4/08

Provided media relations and marketing services to biotech IR firm, Russo Partners,

and other companies.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY 5/94–8/99

Director, Department of Media Relations

On Columbia campus, directed staff, agencies, producers, and other consultants in one of New York City’s busiest public affairs departments in an aggressive print and broadcast media program that reached millions of consumers and hospital donors each month.

Significantly broadened medical center’s visibility and increased hospital revenues, patient admissions, and utilization through targeted media relations and marketing program; developed and executed media relations strategies and special events that accomplished the medical center’s marketing communications objectives, while being sensitive to patient care.

Managed staff and outside public relations agencies; handled communications and developed key talking points/messages during merger of Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital and New York Hospital; helped to build and coordinate smooth transition between the two respective public affairs departments.

Increased proactive efforts in targeted, influential, top-tier media outlets. Improved response time of staff to all media requests, which strengthened department’s relationship to key reporters. Provided leadership on crisis media relations and served as hospital spokesperson.

Wrote, edited, and/or provided editorial review on all press materials, including press releases, media advisories, and press statements.

Burson-Marsteller (BM), New York, NY

& Noonan/Russo Communications, New York, NY 5/91–5/94

Account Executive

As an active team member in healthcare and biotech/investors relations division of two leading PR agencies, developed and implemented successful PR programs and supervised staff in new product launches; created and launched BM’s “Biotech Group” to further develop BM’s biotech business.

Major Accounts: Celgene, Genentech, Warner-Lambert, Bayer AG, Pfizer, Nova Pharmaceutical, American Biogenetic Sciences, Agouron Pharmaceutical, Bio-Technology General, Integrated Health Services

Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, NY 1/88–5/91

Public Affairs Specialist

Planned and implemented media relations strategies, special events, Centennial activities, community health lectures, and other programs that helped further the medical center’s marketing communications plans.

Coordinated aggressive print and broadcast media programs that reached millions of consumers monthly.

Developed new media/special events activity report for senior management.

Wrote press releases, bylined articles, backgrounders, brochures, obituaries, media statements, video scripts, and speeches.

EDUCATION

Fashion Institute of Technology, State University of New York

BS, Marketing Communications, 1987

AAS, Advertising and Communications, 1985

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