JPA Press Releases

Leading Health Communications Agency Adds to DC Office Leadership Team

jpa — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 19:18:27 +0000

Mollie Turner and Lauren Smith Join Jones Public Affairs as Account Directors

WASHINGTON — Jones Public Affairs, Inc. announced today that it has hired Mollie Turner and Lauren Smith to join its thriving Washington, D.C. office. Turner and Smith, both seasoned healthcare communication specialists, are joining the company as account directors.

Turner is an award-winning communicator with a strong background in healthcare policy communications. Prior to joining Jones Public Affairs, Turner worked at various Washington, D.C.-based public relations agencies and the American Medical Association, one of the largest and most influential non-profit organizations in the United States. For nearly a decade, she has helped healthcare clients reach diverse communications goals, including building brand and organizational awareness, communicating complicated healthcare issues, securing high-profile media coverage and guiding clients through communications crises. She has represented healthcare clients from nearly every facet of the healthcare landscape, including patient and professional organizations, medical device manufacturers, health insurers, hospital systems and pharmaceutical corporations.

Smith is a healthcare communications professional specializing in strategic planning, issue advocacy and media relations with a background in healthcare reform, long-term care and the healthcare supply chain. She has developed, executed and supported strategic integrated communications campaigns for both non-profit and corporate clients. Prior to joining Jones Public Affairs, Smith provided strategic counsel to a Fortune 50 biopharmaceutical company as it began to incorporate various health reform provisions into its operations. Prior to that role, she worked to build consumer and policymaker awareness of long-term care systems during the heart of the national healthcare reform debate. Her success in media relations has supported effective campaigns on the local, state and national levels.

“Mollie and Lauren represent the specialized expertise in healthcare communications that our clients are looking for,” said Carrie Jones, principal and managing director of JPA. “Both have an impressive track record in the field and strong reputations for outstanding client service. They make great additions to JPA.”

Jones Public Affairs offers a full range of services, including media relations, digital media, advocacy relations, medical relations and policy outreach.

Healthcare Communications Firm Expands Policy and Advocacy Capabilities

jpa — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:19:46 +0000

Jones Public Affairs hires specialists for D.C. and Boston offices

WASHINGTON— Jones Public Affairs, Inc. (JPA), today announced the addition of two new staff members to the JPA team. In her role as senior vice president, Valerie Carter will lead the health policy team in the Washington, D.C. office. Carter’s extensive experience in health policy, advocacy and communications will further grow the firm’s capabilities in providing policy and government relations support services to both U.S. and international clients. Regan Hiatt will join the Cambridge, Mass office as a senior account executive, with a focus on advocacy relations and developing partnerships between healthcare stakeholders and patient advocacy groups.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome Valerie and Regan to our growing communications firm,” said Carrie Jones, principal and managing director of JPA. “Valerie’s expertise within the healthcare and government landscape will benefit our clients as they navigate increasingly complex issues, and Regan’s blend of oncology and non-profit experience will be a great asset to our patient advocacy clients.”

Carter brings over 20 years of experience in public affairs, government relations, advocacy and communications disciplines in for-profit, not-for-profit and consulting organizations. Prior to joining JPA, she served as vice president of public affairs at Ricochet PR, where she was responsible for managing and directing all public affairs accounts and projects, with a focus in healthcare companies.

Carter spent 15 years at Merck & Co., Inc., where she rose to lead the company’s government relations communications efforts, with a focus on extensive grassroots legislative action and Political Action Committee programs as well as lobbying. She also previously served as head of the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) Washington office, where she managed PMI’s government relations programs and global initiatives.

Hiatt comes to JPA from the Cancer Support Community (CSC), the largest professionally-led cancer support non-profit network in the world. As director of communications, Regan oversaw core messaging, branding and collateral development. Prior to CSC, Hiatt served as scientific program coordinator for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Jones Public Affairs offers a full range of services, including media relations, digital media, advocacy relations, medical relations and policy outreach.

National Non-Profit Adds Healthcare PR Veteran to Board

jpa — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 20:25:58 +0000

Carrie Jones Named Board Member with ENACCT

WASHINGTON—A national non-profit organization devoted to increasing cancer clinical trial access and participation has named Carrie Jones, principal and managing director of Jones Public Affairs, to its Board of Directors.

The Education Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials (ENACCT) appointed Jones to a two-year term in late September. ENACCT is the only national organization focused on identifying, implementing and evaluating innovative community-centered approaches to cancer clinical trials education.

“For years I’ve watched ENACCT work hard to improve access to cancer clinical trials,” Jones said. “I’m honored to be part of its mission to increase awareness and understanding of clinical trials in oncology.”

As a veteran healthcare communications specialist, Carrie Jones founded Jones Public Affairs in 2007. Recently the firm was recognized as the second fastest growing PR agency in the world.

For more information about ENACCT, visit www.enacct.org.

Media Relations Pro Joins Growing Health Communications Firm

jpa — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 19:09:18 +0000

Tracy Blinder-Gurrisi to Join JPA as an Account Director in Boston Office

WASHINGTON—Jones Public Affairs, Inc. announced today that Tracy Blinder-Gurrisi joined the healthcare agency’s office in Boston, Mass., as an account director. Blinder-Gurrisi is a seasoned media relations professional with extensive experience designing and implementing strategic communications plans for a variety of corporate and nonprofit healthcare clients.

Blinder-Gurrisi brings more than seven years of public relations experience and most recently served as a group manager at New York City-based Lippe Taylor. Blinder-Gurrisi oversaw the health division and worked with clients including the clinical diagnostic company QIAGEN, global leader in medical and aesthetic lasers and light-based systems Lumenis, and consumer health company Combe Incorporated.

“We welcome Tracy’s talents and track record for client service to our firm,” said Carrie Jones, principal and managing director of JPA.

Earlier in her career, Blinder-Gurrisi served as an account executive at Solomon McCown & Company where she managed media relations, including consumer and trade outreach strategy and education. In recent years, Blinder-Gurrisi’s client campaigns have received numerous industry awards, including the Medical Marketing & Media Silver Award in 2010, the PRSA Big Apple Award in 2009 and the Publicity Club of New England Consumer Affairs Campaign in 2007. She received a bachelor’s of arts in public communications with a minor in justice from American University in Washington, D.C.

Jones Public Affairs offers a full range of health communications services, including media relations, digital media, advocacy relations, medical relations and policy outreach.

Healthcare PR Firm, Jones Public Affairs, Opens Boston Office

jpa — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 16:39:22 +0000

Social Media and Public Affairs Experts Join Firm

For Immediate Release: June 21, 2011

Contact: Berna Diehl, Berna@JonesPA.com, 202-591-4045

Washington, D.C. – Jones Public Affairs, Inc. (JPA), one of the fastest growing health communications agencies in the country, announced today it is expanding its agency with the opening of a new office in Cambridge, Mass. Located in Harvard Square, JPA will bring its innovative practice of influencer relations to a growing number of non-profit, pharmaceutical and digital technology companies in and around the Boston area.

“This expansion underscores that the influencer relations model works and it’s increasingly what clients are seeking,” said Carrie Jones, Principal and Managing Director of Jones Public Affairs.

As a part of the firm’s growth, JPA welcomes the addition of two communications experts. As senior vice president, Ken Deutsch will lead the Cambridge office as a seasoned digital communications strategist with more than 20 years of experience. Deutsch’s tenure in this space put him at the forefront of online public affairs, and created several approaches – media relations websites, digital campaigns to influence elected officials, and blogger outreach activities – that industry professionals take for granted today.

Deutsch’s extensive interactive media experience will further grow the firm’s capabilities to provide integrated digital and social media support to JPA clients. “Without full and seamless integration of social media into an overall communications program, most people find themselves just burning time and money without hitting their targets,” says Deutsch. “JPA breaks down these walls and creates a digital strategy that reaches the right influencers with the right messages.”

Prior to joining JPA, Deutsch served as Director of Strategic Services and Partnerships at Morningside Analytics where he oversaw the application of analytical research tools for targeting, messaging and tracking the impact of online campaigns. Previously, Deutsch acted as Senior Vice President of Public Affairs at Virilion and President and Founder of the non-profit Direct Change.

Additionally, Dana Conti joins the JPA team in Boston as vice president. With more than 10 years of healthcare communications experience, Conti will bring considerable expertise to JPA’s influencer relations practice. Prior to joining JPA, Conti was a vice president at Schwartz Communications where he developed and executed strategic communication campaigns for companies in the biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic and healthcare IT industries.

“We are very pleased to welcome Ken and Dana to our team,” said Jones. “Both individuals bring a wealth of healthcare knowledge and practical experience that will serve our clients well.”

Jones Public Affairs offers a full range of health communications services, including media relations, digital media, advocacy relations, medical relations and policy outreach.

New ‘Rules’ and Technologies Should Guide Healthcare Website Design

jpa — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:35:49 +0000

For Immediate Release: January 20, 2011

Contact: Benjamin Ross, Benjamin@JonesPA.com, 202-591-4054

WASHINGTON—As the digital healthcare information space becomes more crowded, easy access and “searchability” are the key ingredients to successful communication that are often missing.

To showcase easy-to-implement tools and functions, Jones Public Affairs, Inc. redesigned its own site to incorporate the latest in digital media tactics. The website features dynamic and search engine friendly content. Built and refined through cutting-edge eye tracking technology and research, the resulting site is not only fully integrated with social media platforms, but also compatible with mobile devices.

“Digital and social media channels are an integral part of any communications plan,” said Carrie Jones, principal and managing director of JPA. “Our new website highlights each of the touch points necessary for health communications to be effective online.”

Some of these highlights include:

Full SEO optimization – the site drives traffic through complete keyword integration and maximum content-sync
User-driven architecture – the site structure was refined through a series of eye-tracking studies, which track the natural eye movements of test users
Usability plus – it was designed for mobile and tablet device compatibility by using short content boxes—which allows users to display content easily—plus the site applies advanced content tagging for seamless, user-driven content population
Section 508 and W3C WCAG 2.0 compliant – based on new federal recommendations, the website is accessible for people with disabilities
Fully integrated with social media – all parts of the site can be instantly shared, including the new JPA Insider Blog and the agency’s Inside the Influence newsletter

“The days where you could put your information onto a website, optimize it for search engines and have people bookmark it and come back, are long over,” said Kathy Wahlbin, senior vice president of digital and social media at JPA. With the overabundance of digital information and online platforms, leveraging the right online influencers and engaging consumers in interactive, personalized communications is key to capturing that attention and communicating your message to the people you want to reach.”

For visitors looking to learn more about JPA, the new website also features a video that explains the agency’s specialty – influencer relations This comprehensive three-minute video provides an overview of JPA and the five key domains of influencer relations: media, digital and social media, advocacy, key opinion leaders and policy and government.

Jones Public Affairs offers a full range of services, including media relations, digital media, advocacy relations, medical relations and policy outreach.

New Staff Join Growing Health Communications Firm in Washington, D.C.

jpa — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:18:12 +0000

For Immediate Release: January 5, 2011

Contact: Julie Lane, Julie@JonesPA.com, 202-591-4046

WASHINGTON—Jones Public Affairs, Inc. announced today the addition of new staff in the Washington, D.C. office. In her role as senior vice president, Emily Clements, MPH will lead the health policy practice. Clements’ extensive experience in health policy will further grow the firm’s capabilities in providing policy support and government relations services to both U.S. and international clients.

Clements brings expertise in health policy and management, with a focus in understanding and analyzing issues around health reform, Medicare, health information technology, public health and personalized medicine. At JPA, Clements will lead the policy and government relations services for the agency, focusing on pre-approval access programs, reimbursement/managed market programs, managed market support, grassroots/toproots communications and legislative and regulatory briefings.

Prior to joining JPA, Clements served as a senior manager for U.S. public policy at Pfizer Inc., where she was responsible for analyzing federal legislation and regulation, designing and implementing strategic engagement with government agencies and legislators, identifying the marketplace landscape within emerging markets and coordinating efforts and communication strategies across global company divisions.

Clements also served as a consultant for Avalere Health LLC, focusing on health policy consulting and research, and business development. Clements has considerable experience in medical and clinical research, and has worked at National Institutes of Health, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Invitrogen Corporation and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

Additionally, Patrick James Cavanaugh has joined JPA as an assistant account executive to support digital communications activities for JPA clients across practices. Cavanaugh previously interned at Hill & Knowlton in Hong Kong where he worked with the technology team and in the publicity department at Focus Features, part of NBC Universal. Cavanaugh received his master’s degree in strategic public relations from the Annenberg School for Communication & Journalism from the University of Southern California where he authored a thesis on best practices in strategic social media.

“We are very pleased to welcome Emily and Patrick to our Washington office,” said Carrie Jones, principal and managing director of Jones Public Affairs. “Given the rapidly changing health policy landscape, Emily’s insights and background will help our clients navigate increasingly complex issues and Patrick’s support will help our team meet the growing digital needs our clients have.”

Jones Public Affairs offers a full range of health communications services, including media relations, digital media, advocacy relations, medical relations and policy outreach.

Jones Public Affairs Awarded GSA Schedule for Public Relations Services

kathy — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0000

For Immediate Release: August 30, 2010

Contact: Benjamin Ross, Benjamin@JonesPA.com, 202-591-4054

WASHINGTON—Jones Public Affairs Inc. announced today that the U.S. General Services Administration’s (GSA) has approved the agency as a GSA Schedule contractor (GS-07F-0622W). A D.C.-based firm specializing in influencer relations, Jones Public Affairs is poised to support government initiatives with innovative and strategic health awareness campaigns that leverage healthcare experts – or influencers – who are knowledgeable and credible in their field.

“We are excited to be included on the GSA Schedule and look forward to leveraging our deep understanding of health communications on behalf of government clients,” said Carrie Jones, principal and managing director of Jones Public Affairs. “We see this as a natural expansion of our current client base, which includes pharmaceutical companies, coalitions and non-profit organizations.”

Through GSA Advantage!, the GSA schedule will give U.S. government agencies direct and fast access to Jones Public Affairs’ communication services. The completion of the GSA schedule is the latest accomplishment for Jones Public Affairs, and shows the team’s dedication to providing strategic health communications to a wide-range of stakeholders.

“The role of government agencies in advancing good health has never been clearer, and the need for compelling health communications has never been greater,” said Jones. “Our experienced team brings the right mix of skills to generate successful communications initiatives.”

The GSA process identifies companies that meet the government’s rigorous standards and establishes long-term, government-wide contracts, placing the potential vendors on its GSA Schedule. Most departments and agencies of the federal government prefer to select services that have been vetted and secured through the GSA Schedule.

Jones Public Affairs offers a full-range of services, including media relations, digital media, advocacy relations, medical relations and policy outreach.

Jones Public Affairs Welcomes Benjamin Ross to Account Team

jpa — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

For Immediate Release: July 6, 2010

Contact: Deborah Danuser, Deborah@JonesPA.com, 202-591-4043

WASHINGTON—Today, Jones Public Affairs, Inc. announced the addition of Benjamin Ross as an account executive. Ross will be supporting the agency’s growing healthcare practice and business development unit.

Prior to joining Jones Public Affairs, Ross interned with Chicago Congressman Mike Quigley of Illinois’ 5^th District. While with the Congressman, he supported staff with research, developing press materials and drafting testimony. Ross got his first taste of professional communications while serving as an intern at a public relations firm in Washington, D.C.

“We’re really looking forward to leveraging Ben’s talents on behalf of our clients,” said Berna Diehl, Senior Vice President at Jones Public Affairs. “His strong interest in health issues and ability to write with purpose will enable him to jump right into this fast-paced environment.”

An Evanston, Ill. native, Ross has spent time living in Europe and South America, and has served in leadership roles for both Miami University Student Government and the Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity. A political science major and history minor, Ross graduated from Miami University in 2007.

Jones Public Affairs offers a full-range of services, including media relations, digital media, advocacy relations, medical relations and policy outreach.

Jones Public Affairs Grows Firm with Advocacy Relations Specialist

jpa — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

For Immediate Release: March 9, 2010

Contact: Tara Goodin, Tara@JonesPA.com, 202-591-4041

WASHINGTON—Jones Public Affairs, Inc. (JPA) announced today the addition of Kelly Butterworth as account supervisor. With nearly 10 years of agency and non-profit experience, Butterworth has strong capabilities in the field of healthcare communications, with an emphasis on advocacy relations. In her role, Butterworth will support the implementation of novel strategies designed to maximize the reputation and visibility of her pharmaceutical and non-profit clients and their programs.

Prior to joining JPA, Butterworth directed advocacy relations accounts at DDB Issues & Advocacy where she was responsible for both the Genentech and Genomic Health portfolios. Most recently, as the Outreach Manager at National Partnership for Women & Families, she coordinated grassroots efforts to improve healthcare quality through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Aligning Forces for Quality project. In addition to her recent experience, Butterworth has held positions at Mark Krueger & Associates, the Clean Air Council, and the Pennsylvania Resources Council. Butterworth received a Bachelor of Arts in environmental science from the University of Pittsburgh.

“Kelly is a passionate communications specialist with extensive expertise in advocacy relations,” said Jennifer Rodriguez, vice president at Jones Public Affairs. “Her understanding and ability to leverage healthcare influencers makes Kelly a great addition to the Jones Public Affairs team.”

JPA specializes in a unique practice area known as “influencer relations.” Influencer relations uses a targeted approach to reach the stakeholders who drive change and engage others within their field. JPA partners with its clients to harness the power of influencer relations to support their business goals.

Jones Public Affairs offers a full-range of services, including media relations, digital media, patient advocacy relations, medical relations and policy outreach.