Leigh Fazzina has 24 years of healthcare communications and public relations experience. She has worked on the corporate, agency and non-profit sides of communications directing, developing, managing and implementing internal and external communications, public relations, and social media communications strategies for various healthcare organizations (pharma, biotech, clinical trial/patient recruitment, medical devices, medical journals, hospitals, and health systems), to drive messages to public audiences via social networks, mobile devices, newspapers, magazines, TV and radio. Her work includes brand communications, media relations, social media communications, advocacy communications, media training, broadcast communications, speech writing, event planning/management, crisis communications and measurement.
Leigh has worked on campaigns and programs of all sizes (globally, nationally and regionally) developing and implementing a broad range of strategies and programs that raise awareness, create a positive image, and strengthen a brand.
From launching pharmaceutical drugs (both over-the-counter and prescription) and medical devices, to raising awareness of breaking medical news in the world’s most widely cited peer-reviewed specialty medical journal, to bringing attention to the latest advancements in radiation therapy, to enrolling patients into rare clinical trials – this is the type of communications and public relations work Leigh has done over the years; work that she is passionate about and loves doing.
Leigh has always had a passion in working with the news media and considered herself a media relations “artist” because she had a knack and expertise for working with and holding media relationships. In 2006 her work this area naturally segued into the social media communications space and she’s experienced in developing and managing programs that work in tandem of both communication channels (an integrated approach). Leigh believes that social media communications work is a public relations and marketing function and that it requires a certain type of expertise from various public relations and communication disciplines; experience which she has.
Prior to starting Fazzina & Co. Communications Consulting, Inc., she was Vice President of Business Development/Healthcare, at On The Scene Productions, Inc., a broadcast communications firm that was well-known for 20+ years for their excellent work in healthcare broadcast communications (she was their client for several years in a nationally recognized, award-winning medical broadcast news series). Leigh was also the Director of Public Relations at MediciGlobal, a patient recruitment organization, where she was recruited by the company’s CEO to develop, direct and manage global public relations and social media communications programs for patient recruitment programs and clinical research studies for a number of pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
Prior to these positions, Leigh held public relations and corporate communications positions with Cancer Treatment Centers of America, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals, and the American College of Physicians, the nation’s largest medical specialty society (internal medicine). In this position, Leigh received a number of industry awards and was largely responsible for the ongoing media relations of the organization and broadcast media outreach of its journal, the Annals of Internal Medicine, the most widely cited medical specialty journal in the world.
Leigh also worked on the agency side of public relations, at top worldwide agencies such as Ruder-Finn, and Porter Novelli in New York City, and Earle-Palmer-Brown in Philadelphia. At these agencies Leigh developed, managed and implemented healthcare communications and media relations programs for pharmaceutical and medical device companies in the areas of areas of oncology, neurology, cardiology, immunology, rheumatology, endocrinology. Leigh was also consultant for a U.S.-based national chiropractic organization, assisting chiropractors to achieve a better understanding among the public about their role in healthcare.
Leigh is always tackling something new whether for a client or extracurricular-wise, and has been known as a driving force in the healthcare public relations industry for many years; always giving 110% to advance the industry and the profession. She’s held a Director-At-Large position with the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Philadelphia Chapter and also a leadership role on the Executive Committee / Board of Directors of the Public Relations Society of America’s Health Academy for 10 years (2003 to 2013) and was the organizations 2012 President. She’s chaired the organization’s Communications, Promotions, Marketing, Sponsorship, Social Media and Annual Conference Committees. In her first year as Sponsorship Chair, she nearly doubled the sponsor revenue from the previous year. In 2005 Leigh was honored with the organization’s 2005 Volunteer of the Year Award for making meaningful contributions to the mission of the organization and enhancing the healthcare public relations profession. Leigh also Co-Chaired the organization’s 2009 annual conference: “Leveraging Social Media in Health Care Public Relations: Innovations & Strategies for Enhanced Consumer Engagement.”Leigh has served as Senior Judge of the PRSA Bronze Anvil Awards for five years and in 2010 she joined the ranks of some of the best and brightest PR pros in the country as a Judge of the Silver Anvil Awards (the Oscar’s of the PR Industry). Leigh also was a member of the PRSA New Professionals Mentor Program where she mentors young PR pros and help guide them in their career paths.
Leigh received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications with an emphasis in Journalism and Public Relations from Rider University.