Storytelling through Data: Intersecting CTSA Evaluation & Communications

Energize your evaluation findings with communications techniques tailored to inspire action-oriented responses during a webinar hosted by the Association for Clinical and Translational Science (ACTS) on Wednesday, July 21 from 12:00-1:00 pm.

Learn about best practices & collaboration strategies for successful storytelling as three CTSA Communicators share their team’s recent impactful evaluation-inspired projects.

The panelists include:

• Christine Drury, Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI) associate director of research communications: She wears several hats in her current role, specifically directing research communications and marketing for IU School of Medicine’s entire research enterprise, plus the IU Grand Challenge Precision Health Initiative. Prior to her newest venture, for more than 10-years, Drury worked at Eli Lilly and Company. Nearly seven of those ten years, Drury served as the director of Research and Development (R&D) Communications, focused on promoting the company’s pipeline of experimental medicines and R&D transformation initiatives. Prior to Lilly, Drury served as a broadcast journalist for the Indianapolis-market’s NBC and ABC-affiliates, working primarily as a morning show reporter. She covered a variety of breaking news, ranging from weather to traffic-related deaths and house fires. She took a break from her television career in the late 1990’s to establish a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and education about a little-known medical condition she used to suffer from called idiopathic craniofacial erythema, often referred to as chronic facial blushing. She was relieved from it following a surgical procedure performed in Sweden. Drury’s story is documented in Atul Gawande’s New York Times bestselling book “Complications” as well as “The New Yorker” magazine. Drury graduated Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi and Golden Key National Honor Society from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree in Telecommunications.
• Michelle Maclay, North Carolina Translational and Clinical Sciences (NC TraCS) Institute director of communications: In her role as director, she is responsible for spearheading strategic initiatives, planning, coordinating, and managing integrated marketing, public relations, and strategic communications. Maclay works with both external and internal constituencies (customers/clients) to promote communication, awareness, education and engagement of/with the Institute.  Maclay and her team create and communicate the organization’s messages and ensure overall continuity of institutional brand consistency and image.  Maclay manages the creation, writing and editing of news and informational materials as well as managing graphic design and production of materials; preparing and disseminating news releases and feature stories through various media outlets.  As director, she and her team develop and recommend communication strategies to a broad variety of “clients” inside and outside of UNC.  Before coming to UNC, Maclay worked in the pharmaceutical world in marketing and brand awareness, taught high school students and worked in the documentary series production world in New York City.  Maclay considers herself to be a collaborative, result – driven communications and marketing professional with a desire to develop and implement strategies that creates awareness,  influences behavior, and provides understanding.
• Luke Morales, Wake Forest Clinical and Translational Science Institute communications lead. As Manager of Digital content, Morales directs multi-channel messaging campaigns with a focus on developing content that increases the awareness and consideration of Wake Forest’s Academic Learning Health System. With 10 years of experience in marketing and digital production, Morales has worked with brands such as The Alzheimer’s Association, Sprout Pharmaceuticals, United Concordia Dental, USAA, S&P Capital IQ, Pep Boys, and Hanesbrands. Morales delights in relating the passion behind translational research in a way that connects investigators, fosters community, and advances medicine.

Zoom link:  https://smithbucklin.zoom.us/j/93650903795

Passcode: 110176