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Office of Communications

About the Office of Communications

The Office of Communications is the intentional voice of the school, supported by a unified communications team that speaks to internal and external audiences and represents the school in a consistent, cohesive, and compelling manner.

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Communications Leadership

Leadership

  • Nicole Wise

    Interim Executive Director of Communications

    Executive Director of Communications, YSM; Senior Director for Content Strategy & Development, Office of Communications; Interim Executive Director of Communications, Office of Communications

    Nicole Wise, currently the Interim Associate Dean for Communications at YSM, is the Senior Director of Content Strategy & Development for the Yale School of Medicine, and Chief Communications Officer for Yale Medicine, its clinical faculty practice, is responsible for establishing content strategy and standards across all digital and print properties for the organization. She leads four teams – editorial, multimedia, marketing and reputation and audience development (comprising media relations, social media and content partnerships), focused on three strategic goals: elevating reputation, supporting revenue generation, and metrics-driven leadership in academic medical communications. Nicole joined Yale as Executive Editor, Yale Medicine, in 2016, initially focused on building and executing a content marketing strategy to support the (then) new Yale Medicine brand. The vision was to develop a health and medicine site that provides patient education primers on the full range of treatments and services offered by Yale Medicine clinicians, while also engaging readers in conversational features and videos on trending topics in health – all utilizing YSM experts as sources. The Yale Medicine site currently has monthly traffic exceeding 3 million, regularly achieving top search positions for competitive health topics. In the works at present is an audience-based content strategy to engage a wide range of stakeholders (scientists, students, media, donors, etc.) in the exciting scientific discoveries taking place at YSM. AI is playing an ever more vital role in building out content across Yale School of Medicine and its digital (and print) properties – including for ideation, audience development, scaling production and search engine optimization. Nicole has spoken widely, including to communications leads at NASA; as a featured speaker at the 2023 annual American Association of Universities communications conference; and a regular presenter at PR Boot Camps in Canada and the U.S., on topics related to utilizing AI for content strategy, Nicole has been a journalist and author, a healthcare marketer and an entrepreneur, with a consultancy focused on producing content for healthcare providers around the U.S. She lives in New Haven.
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Office of Communications Team

Organizations on this page

  • Communications Senior Directors

    • Justin Fansler

      Senior Director for Communications Strategy, Product Innovation, and Engineering

      Justin leads the communications strategy, product innovation and engineering efforts at Yale School of Medicine, focusing on integrating cutting-edge AI solutions into core communications business processes, product development, and automation. He directs the teams responsible for ideating, designing, managing, and supporting the systems and infrastructure that power the school’s academic and clinical websites (medicine.yale.edu and YaleMedicine.org), while aligning the school’s various communication mediums—web, print, digital, and social—to the school's mission, while streamlining tools, reducing time to market, and boosting operational efficiency. Under Justin’s leadership, AI-driven products and automation have increased operational efficiency by over 100% and reduced time-to-market across communication platforms. His work has resulted in the creation of several enterprise-level products, including solutions that have transformed business operations and optimized communication strategies. He has spearheaded AI integration since 2018, leveraging predictive models, natural language processing, and generative AI to support new produce development. Justin oversees offshore developers, vendor relationships, budget management, and resource allocation, ensuring communications initiatives are aligned with the school’s strategic goals and growth. His cross-functional leadership brings together teams from design, engineering, product strategy, editorial, marketing, and relationship management, aligning the efforts of leaders across the institution to achieve high-impact outcomes. Since joining the Office of Communications as a founding member of its web group in 2006, Justin has been instrumental in shaping the school’s long-term digital transformation. He led the development of the school’s first standardized web templates and now manages the fifth iteration (T5), which transitions the school to an audience-centric communications model, enhancing user engagement and effectiveness. Justin also spearheaded the purchase and implementation of the school’s first content management system (SDL Tridion) and oversaw the creation of Beatrix, an enterprise-grade content management platform supporting web content, over 32,000 profiles, 100,000 calendar events and 75,000 news articles. Beatrix also enables faculty to import and generate standardized CVs, easing academic challenges and enhancing reporting. Additionally, he introduced standardized digital signage across the school’s campus. Residing in Seattle with his partners Rudy and Randy, and their child Felix, Justin is passionate about CrossFit, home renovation, traveling to visit family in Australia, and exploring new technologies to continue driving innovation in his field. Revised January 2025
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    • Sara Huls

      Sr. Director, YSM Exec. & Internal Communications

      Sara joined Yale School of Medicine in March of 2023 as senior director, executive and internal communications. In addition to providing executive communication support to the leadership team, she is responsible for amplifying YSM’s strategic goals and priorities and informing and inspiring the medical school community. Prior to joining Yale, Sara worked for more than 20 years in the healthcare and financial services industries, holding a variety of communication roles at a Connecticut-based health system and multiple Fortune 200 and Fortune 500 companies. Throughout her career, she has led comprehensive communication strategies that have driven measurable results in connecting employees to organizational cultures, brands and business goals. Sara holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a master’s degree in corporate communication from DePaul University.
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    • Lena Smith Parker

      Senior Program Leader and Relationship Manager

      Lena is the Senior Program Leader & Relationship Manager for YSM Communications. She started out as a Internet Specialist in communications for Yale Medicine in 2004, and in 2006 was promoted to have purview over the web for all of YSM. Within months she created the first iteration of the brain trust dedicated to the mission of a "world-class" web presence for YSM, which has now grown to a full web team. The group is dedicated to these goals: Beautiful, useful, consistently branded websites that as a unit speak to the excellence of YSM All faculty and organizations being able to promote their important work, regardless of whether or not they have resources Ease of accessibility for users and web editors Excellent communication with clients and administration Efficient use of accurate data across websites In 2016, Lena was promoted to be the Operations Director for the Yale School of Medicine Office of Communications, and in 2021 again to Senior Program Leader & Relationship Manager for YSM Communications.
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    • Nicole Wise

      Executive Director of Communications, YSM; Senior Director for Content Strategy & Development, Office of Communications; Interim Executive Director of Communications, Office of Communications

      Nicole Wise, currently the Interim Associate Dean for Communications at YSM, is the Senior Director of Content Strategy & Development for the Yale School of Medicine, and Chief Communications Officer for Yale Medicine, its clinical faculty practice, is responsible for establishing content strategy and standards across all digital and print properties for the organization. She leads four teams – editorial, multimedia, marketing and reputation and audience development (comprising media relations, social media and content partnerships), focused on three strategic goals: elevating reputation, supporting revenue generation, and metrics-driven leadership in academic medical communications. Nicole joined Yale as Executive Editor, Yale Medicine, in 2016, initially focused on building and executing a content marketing strategy to support the (then) new Yale Medicine brand. The vision was to develop a health and medicine site that provides patient education primers on the full range of treatments and services offered by Yale Medicine clinicians, while also engaging readers in conversational features and videos on trending topics in health – all utilizing YSM experts as sources. The Yale Medicine site currently has monthly traffic exceeding 3 million, regularly achieving top search positions for competitive health topics. In the works at present is an audience-based content strategy to engage a wide range of stakeholders (scientists, students, media, donors, etc.) in the exciting scientific discoveries taking place at YSM. AI is playing an ever more vital role in building out content across Yale School of Medicine and its digital (and print) properties – including for ideation, audience development, scaling production and search engine optimization. Nicole has spoken widely, including to communications leads at NASA; as a featured speaker at the 2023 annual American Association of Universities communications conference; and a regular presenter at PR Boot Camps in Canada and the U.S., on topics related to utilizing AI for content strategy, Nicole has been a journalist and author, a healthcare marketer and an entrepreneur, with a consultancy focused on producing content for healthcare providers around the U.S. She lives in New Haven.
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  • Departmental Communications Staff

    • Julie Parry

      Departmental Communications Lead

      Director, YSM Communications

      Julie Parry stepped into the Director, YSM Communications role in December 2024. In this role, she develops written and verbal messages for YSM’s internal channels, including MyYSM, town halls, emails, newsletters, and digital monitor displays to amplify – and engage the YSM community in – the school’s mission, values, and strategic goals and priorities. She also helps implement and execute an audience-based communication strategy that informs, engages, and inspires both internal and external stakeholders, including health care consumers, prospective students, and the public. In addition, Julie serves as the relationship manager with the YSM departmental communication officers to foster and facilitate collaboration among – and support – this community of practice. Julie joined Yale School of Medicine and the Department of Internal Medicine in August 2018. While in Internal Medicine, she outlined a communications strategy for the department to highlight its exceptional clinicians, educators, researchers, and staff. Julie and team created and wrote for 11 publications, showcasing a variety of topics to a range of internal and external audiences, along with creating and managing the department’s social media accounts and website. She also created the department’s first annual report to accentuate the department’s excellence in its tripartite mission, along with revitalizing the monthly newsletter, D[IM]ensions, and launching the department’s alumni publication, D[IM] Digest. During her 24+ years of experience in communications, public relations, and marketing, Julie has worked in a number of industries such as sports and entertainment, technology, and healthcare.
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    • Amy Anderson

      Internal Medicine

      Communications, Officer

      Amy Anderson is a communications officer in the Department of Internal Medicine and has been with the department since July of 2019. She is passionate about creating content and highlighting the work of faculty—both in the department and across YSM—and organically growing Yale Internal Medicine’s following on its social media platforms.
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    • Peggy Atherlay, MS

      OAPD & F&A

      Communications Officer, YSM Administration

      Peggy joined Yale School of Medicine in July of 2023 as communications officer for the Office of Academic & Professional Development and the Office of Finance & Administration. She brings more than 20 years of experience in developing and executing strategic communications, employee engagement, and reputation management initiatives. Her background includes significant roles with Fortune 200 companies, public, private, nonprofit, and global nongovernmental organizations. Over the course of her career, Peggy honed an expertise in corporate social responsibility and demonstrating social impact with various organizations, including MetLife, Inc., AmeriCares, United Nations Association of the USA, U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd, and the Connecticut General Assembly. Peggy holds a bachelor's degree in mass communications and marketing from Franklin Pierce University, a master's degree in European Economic and Public Affairs from University College Dublin, and an executive education certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility: Strategies to Create Business and Social Value from Harvard Business School.
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    • Erin Brough, PMP, MBA

      Center for Emotional Intelligence

      Program Director, Communications

      Erin Brough is the associate director of communications at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. She holds an M.B.A. and is a Certified Project Management Professional. In her role, Erin is responsible for the Center's communication and branding strategy, including management of the RULER and YCEI websites, lifecycle communications for RULER schools, operational news and updates for YCEI staff and consultants, social media management, budgetary oversight and creation, and project management of various implementation projects. She maintains the working relationship with Yale OPAC and the YSM Office of Communications. Erin lives in Hamden, CT with her son, husband, and dueling cats.
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    • Julia Chianelli, MS

      Development and Alumni Affairs

      Communications Officer, YSM Development and Alumni Affairs

      Julia Chianelli joined Yale University in February 2023 as the inaugural communications officer in the School of Medicine’s Office of Development and Alumni Affairs and Office of Communications. She has 26 years of experience in marketing communications and has won numerous awards for innovation and excellence in communication. Prior to joining Yale, she served as director of development and alumni affairs communications at Quinnipiac University, director of advancement communications at Trinity College-Hartford, and manager of alumni communications at The University of Connecticut Foundation, Inc. She also held communications roles at Fortune 500 companies and was managing editor of a special-interest consumer magazine. Julia earned two bachelor of arts degrees at the University of Connecticut and studied at the Universität Mannheim and Goethe-Institut Mannheim in Mannheim, Germany. She holds a master of science in interactive media and communications at Quinnipiac University. While a graduate student at Quinnipiac, Julia was inducted into Lambda Pi Eta, the official honor society of the National Communication Association.
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    • Terence P. Corcoran

      Yale Cancer Center (and Smilow Cancer Hospital)

      Associate Communications Officer

      Terry Corcoran is an Associate Communications Officer working mostly with the Department of Pathology and also with the Yale Cancer Center, producing written, photographic and videographic content. Among his responsibilities are producing a monthly internal newsletter for the Pathology Department, managing its social media accounts, and assisting faculty, students and staff with their communications needs. Before coming to Yale, Terry worked for more than two decades in daily journalism in Connecticut and New York. He also served as an assistant to Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary, a writer and editor for the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, and a senior staff writer for the Hartford Business Journal.
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    • Serena Crawford

      Internal Medicine

      Communications, Officer

      Serena Crawford is a communications officer for the Department of Internal Medicine at Yale.Prior to joining the department, she served as director of communications for the Liman Center at Yale Law School, where she led the production and coordination of the center’s e-newsletters, website content, and annual report, among other projects.She holds a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from the University of Oregon.
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    • Alyssa Cruz, MS

      Yale Institute for Global Health (YIGH)

      Associate Communications Officer

      Alyssa Cruz is an Associate Communications Officer at the Yale Institute for Global Health, with a focus on Digital Communications. She has worked in Higher Education for over five years within various departments; including Academic Affairs, Education Programs, ITS, and Student Services. Through her roles and contribution to her Alma Mater, she was featured in the Alumni Magazine 'From the Hill' in the Spring of 2018 and covered the issue in the Spring of 2019. She also received recognition from the Public Relations Society of America - Connecticut Chapter for her work on the Coffee with the President series.
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    • Nicole Elbertson, MEd, BS

      Center for Emotional Intelligence

      Associate Director 4

      Nicole (Nikki) Elbertson is the director of product development and implementation at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. In various research and training roles at the Center for over 20 years, she has managed and coordinated several projects focused on the development, implementation, and evaluation of RULER from early childhood through high school. Nikki has contributed to the design and publication of the Center’s research studies and curricula, and she is the co-author of several scholarly articles, papers, and book chapters. Currently, she focuses on the strategic development, alignment, and distribution of the Center’s content and serves as a RULER trainer and coach. Outside of her work at the Center, she is a certified group fitness instructor .
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    • Christopher Gardner

      Psychiatry

      Director of Communications

      Chris Gardner is Director of Communications for the Department of Psychiatry at Yale School of Medicine. He promotes the work of the department's nearly 1,000 faculty members and trainees via the web, social media, and a monthly newsletter. He maintains the department's portfolio of over 70 websites and manages its messaging service and media relations. Prior to working at Yale, Chris enjoyed a 20-year career at the Republican-American newspaper in Waterbury, CT where he worked as Bureau Chief and Local News Editor. He received two first place awards for investigative reporting from the New England Newspaper & Press Association for uncovering wasteful spending in municipal government. He is the former Chairman of the Board of Newtown Youth and Family Services in Newtown, CT. He serves as Senior Burgess on the Borough of Newtown Board of Burgesses and is an elected member of the Newtown Legislative Council, currently in his second term. Previously he served on the Newtown Board of Finance. He is also Newtown's "Keeper of the Flag," in charge of maintenance and upkeep of the town's iconic Main Street flagpole.
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    • Renee Gaudette

      Yale Cancer Center (and Smilow Cancer Hospital) & Pathology

      Senior Director, Physician and Community Engagement

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    • Allison Greco

      Neurology

      Neurology & Dermatology Communications Officer

      Alli is the Communications Officer for the Departments of Neurology and Dermatology at Yale School of Medicine. Informed by analytics and driven by the goal of amplifying the clinical, research, and education programs and accomplishments in both departments, she created and continues to manage a comprehensive print and digital communications strategy. From website and social media content creation and promotion, to writing and publishing comprehensive annual reports, she is passionate about seeking new media avenues to connect with a multitude of target audiences. She also pursues external marketing opportunities, such as enhancing both departments’ presence on the Yale Medicine website and implementing search engine optimization (SEO). Before joining Yale in 2019, Alli held multiple positions in the media and communications sphere. She began her career at education-technology publisher Macmillan Learning in marketing and editorial roles before transitioning to Warner Brothers Discovery’s digital ad sales team.
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    • Crystal Gwizdala

      Internal Medicine

      Associate Communications Officer

      Crystal Gwizdala joined Yale School of Medicine in 2023. She works within the Department of Internal Medicine (Geriatrics) on Patient Priorities Care, an approach to health care that aims to help patients, care partners, and clinicians focus decision-making and healthcare on what Matters Most: patients’ own health priorities. Over the course of her career, Crystal has worked in a plethora of scientific fields such as toxicology, mental health and chemical manufacturing. Crystal's passion for learning and making science accessible led her to a career in science communication.
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    • Dana Haugh, MLS

      Web Services Librarian; Coordinator of Marketing and Communication, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library

      Dana Haugh is Web Services Librarian & Coordinator of Marketing and Communications at Yale's Cushing/Whitney Medical Library where she leads the design and development of the library’s web presence. Her research interests include web design & development, marketing & outreach in libraries, open access, and information literacy. She received her MLS from Queens College and BA in English from Stony Brook University.
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    • Emily Lemiska

      Emergency Medicine

      Communications Officer

      Emily Lemiska is a communications strategist with 15 years of experience in the health sector. She currently serves as Director of Communications for the EMS for Children Program, a federally funded grant program. Based out of Yale School of Medicine, Emily works with 60+ sites across the country to engage EMS agencies and emergency departments in improving pediatric emergency care. Previously, Emily served as Director of Communications for the U.S. Pain Foundation, and worked in Public Affairs at Massachusetts General Hospital. Emily graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern University and recently completed Yale’s Women’s Leadership Program.
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    • Cheri Lewis

      Urology & OBGYN

      Communications Officer

      Cheri Lewis joined Yale School of Medicine in 2022. She is a New England native, a former broadcast reporter/anchor, and an alum of Boston University and the University of Illinois - Springfield.
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    • Sara Luciano

      Women's Health Research

      Communications Officer

      Sara joined the Women's Health Research at Yale team as Communications Officer in early 2024, bringing more than 15 years of experience in communications roles of increasing responsibility in both nonprofit and agency settings. Notably, Sara led media relations efforts for the dedication of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in 2011 and authored Growing Up Rural in America during her time as Director of Media and Communications for U.S. Programs & Advocacy at Save the Children. At Save the Children, Sara served as an inaugural member of the organization’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Council. At WHRY, Sara works closely with the Director and Senior Program Officer to inform audiences of the center’s work to change the landscape of medical and behavioral research, professional and personal practice, clinical education, and health policy to advance women’s health.
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    • Crista Marchesseault, MAT, MA

      Child Study Center

      Director of Communications; Vice Chair for Communications, Child Study Center

      As Director of Communications for the Yale Child Study Center (YCSC) and Department of Child Psychiatry, Crista guides departmental strategic communications, oversees related projects, and facilitates dissemination of the center's varied and complex research, clinical, and educational work. Crista serves as the department's vice chair for communications and a member of the YCSC strategy and stewardship team, meeting regularly with the department chair and other vice chairs. Crista also works to develop and sustain relationships and connectivity within and across the YCSC community. Prior to her current role, she served as a program manager and operations director for Minding the Baby™ (MTB) for 11 years, leading a variety of initiatives surrounding implementation, research, and training in the basic tenets of the MTB clinical model. Since she began working at Yale in 2002, she has served as a research associate, project director, chair of the YCSC web and social media committee, and member of the YCSC branding and networking committee. Crista holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Communications from Northeastern University; a Master of Arts in Teaching from Sacred Heart University; and a Master of Arts in Child Development from Tufts University, where she sharpened her expertise in developmental literacy and served as a home visitor for a school-based home visiting program with families of Kindergarteners in Somerville, Massachusetts. In addition to her work in teaching and academic research, Crista’s professional background includes work in public relations, nonprofit management, web development, professional editing, grant facilitation, marketing, and job training.
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    • Emily Montemerlo

      Yale Cancer Center (and Smilow Cancer Hospital)

      Associate Director, Public Affairs and Communications

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    • Abigail Roth

      Communications, Senior Officer

      Abby joined Yale School of Medicine in November 2017, from Yale School of Management, where she had spent six years as Special Assistant to the Dean. Prior to that, she was Director of Alumni Affairs at Yale Law School. Before returning to Yale, where Abby attended college and law school, Abby spent two years clerking for judges and eleven years as a lawyer for the federal government, predominantly focusing on firearms and explosives law and policy. Outside of work, Abby is on the board of the New Haven Preservation Trust, and also is active with the Safe Streets Coalition of New Haven and League of Women Voters.
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    • Sooyoun Tan

      Senior Website Designer

      Senior Website Designer

      Biomedical Informatics & Data Science (BIDS)
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    • Alexa Tomassi

      Communications, Officer

      Alexa Tomassi joined the Department of Pediatrics at Yale School of Medicine in 2019. She currently serves as the department's Communications Officer. Before coming to Yale Pediatrics, she spent 5 years in the non-profit space working in digital communications, marketing, organizing, and development. Alexa graduated from UConn with a BA in Urban and Community Studies. In her spare time she enjoys advocacy and volunteer work, going to concerts, and meeting friends and family for hikes and walks.
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  • External Communications

    • Isabella Backman

      Senior Science Writer/Editor, YSM/YM

      Isabella "Izzy" Backman graduated from Saint Michael's College with a B.S. in biology and minor in creative writing. She would go on to join the UC Santa Cruz Science Communication Program, one of the country's most competitive journalism programs, which allowed her to combine her interests. She brought her love for telling stories about science to Yale School of Medicine in 2021 as a summer science writing intern, and in the fall, she joined the Office of Communications full-time as associate writer and editor. She has held previous positions at NASA Ames Research Center and Stanford University News. Her work can also be found in outlets including Science, Mongabay, Eos and the San Jose Mercury News.
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    • Kathy Katella

      Senior Clinical Writer, Yale Medicine; Senior Clinical Writer

      Kathy Katella is a writer and journalist who has specialized in health and medicine for more than 20 years. She is a senior clinical writer for Yale Medicine, where she has produced articles on a variety of topics, including such areas as cardiology, cancer, and surgery. She has written extensively about Covid-19 and other infectious diseases. Kathy previously served as Yale Medicine’s communications manager, a position that involved providing general support for the CEO and other senior administrators, and producing newsletters and year-end reports, in addition to other responsibilities. Before joining the Yale School of Medicine, Kathy was a general assignment feature reporter and editor for two daily newspapers in Connecticut. As a freelance writer, she published articles in the New York Times and other publications, and provided editorial services for such clients as University of Connecticut, Wesleyan University, Masonicare, New Reach, and Yale New Haven Hospital. She is the author of two books in a series for middle schoolers called “Celebrity Activists.”
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    • Carrie MacMillan

      Senior Clinical Writer

      Carrie MacMillan joined the Office of Communications in 2016 as a clinical writer for the Yale Medicine website. She writes feature and news stories for the patient-oriented site. Her coverage areas include the Departments of Pediatrics; Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Services; and the Child Study Center. Prior to Yale, Carrie spent 11 years as a feature writer for a daily newspaper, focusing on health, general interest and news topics. She also wrote and edited for a variety of consumer and business magazines and websites. Carrie has amassed more than 18 awards from local and national news organizations for her writing.
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  • Graphic Design

    • Jennifer Stockwell

      Design Manager, YSM; Director of Communications Design, Yale School of Medicine; Brand Manager, Yale School of Medicine; Brand Manager, Yale Medicine

      Appreciating design from a young age, Jennifer attended the University of Connecticut, obtaining a BS in Graphic Design in 1997. From there she nurtured her talent as a young designer at the New Haven Advocate, moving up the ranks from mere graphic designer to Art Director. From there, she moved on to work at several design agencies—before striking out to start 'Canvas' with business partner Tara Cantor, media planner. Jennifer began at Yale in 2008 and began to make her mark on the School of Medicine design. She is slowly taking over the design world—bit by bit.
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    • Maya Szatai

      Visual Design Specialist

      Maya joined as Visual Design Specialist for Yale School of Medicine in 2017. She provides design support for YSM Communications and their print publications.
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  • Internal & Executive Communications

    • Sara Huls

      Sr. Director, YSM Exec. & Internal Communications

      Sara joined Yale School of Medicine in March of 2023 as senior director, executive and internal communications. In addition to providing executive communication support to the leadership team, she is responsible for amplifying YSM’s strategic goals and priorities and informing and inspiring the medical school community. Prior to joining Yale, Sara worked for more than 20 years in the healthcare and financial services industries, holding a variety of communication roles at a Connecticut-based health system and multiple Fortune 200 and Fortune 500 companies. Throughout her career, she has led comprehensive communication strategies that have driven measurable results in connecting employees to organizational cultures, brands and business goals. Sara holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and a master’s degree in corporate communication from DePaul University.
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    • Laura Copela Maturo

      Communications Support Specialist

      Laura joined Yale School of Medicine in 2000 and has had held many roles since then. Her current position as Communications Support Specialist allows her to showcase her skills in survey design, data storytelling, and pitch deck creation.
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    • Julie Parry

      Director, YSM Communications

      Julie Parry stepped into the Director, YSM Communications role in December 2024. In this role, she develops written and verbal messages for YSM’s internal channels, including MyYSM, town halls, emails, newsletters, and digital monitor displays to amplify – and engage the YSM community in – the school’s mission, values, and strategic goals and priorities. She also helps implement and execute an audience-based communication strategy that informs, engages, and inspires both internal and external stakeholders, including health care consumers, prospective students, and the public. In addition, Julie serves as the relationship manager with the YSM departmental communication officers to foster and facilitate collaboration among – and support – this community of practice. Julie joined Yale School of Medicine and the Department of Internal Medicine in August 2018. While in Internal Medicine, she outlined a communications strategy for the department to highlight its exceptional clinicians, educators, researchers, and staff. Julie and team created and wrote for 11 publications, showcasing a variety of topics to a range of internal and external audiences, along with creating and managing the department’s social media accounts and website. She also created the department’s first annual report to accentuate the department’s excellence in its tripartite mission, along with revitalizing the monthly newsletter, D[IM]ensions, and launching the department’s alumni publication, D[IM] Digest. During her 24+ years of experience in communications, public relations, and marketing, Julie has worked in a number of industries such as sports and entertainment, technology, and healthcare.
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  • Marketing

    • Matt O'Rourke

      Director of Marketing, YSM

      Matthew O'Rourke leads marketing efforts for the Yale School of Medicine and its clinical practice, Yale Medicine. Prior to his current role, he worked in Orthopaedics. he spent five and a half years at the Yale School of Management working in international communications, collaborating and coordinating communications efforts with 30 schools in 25 countries through the Global Network for Advanced Management. A journalist by training, he oversees all of the department's web and social media strategies. Previously, O'Rourke worked as a reporter at the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper, covering two towns and developing an outdoors/environmental beat for six and a half years. While there, he was part of a team that won the national Society of Professional Journalists Sunshine Award, highlighting excellence in Freedom of Information Act requests and reporting. His work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times and Boston Globe.
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  • Media Relations & Audience Development

    • Colleen Moriarty

      All Media Inquiries

      Director of Media Relations and Audience Development

      Please contact Colleen for all media inquiries and topics: Colleen.Moriarty@yale.edu 203-376-4237
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    • Michael Masciadrelli

      Media Contact for Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital

      Communications Officer, YCC Media Relations & Audience Development

      Please contact for Yale Cancer Center and Smilow Cancer Hospital inquiries: Michael.Masciadrelli@yale.edu
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    • Sean McCabe

      Media Contact for research, education, and general topics

      Communications Officer, YSM Social Media and Audience Development

      Please contact Sean for research, education, and general YSM inquiries: Sean.Mccabe@yale.edu 203-650-3120
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    • Danielle Perricone

      Media Contact for Clinical Topics/Yale Medicine

      Communications Officer, YM Audience Development and Social Media

      Please contact Danielle for clinical topics and Yale Medicine inquiries: Danielle.Flocco@yale.edu
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  • Photography & Video Production

    • Andrew Osborne

      Director, Multimedia Services

      Please reach out to my email if you have any multimedia needs at the School of Medicine.
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    • Kimberly Conner

      Senior Video Producer

      Kimberly Conner started at YSM in 2017 as a video producer and was promoted to Senior Video Producer in 2022. As the Senior Video Producer, Kimberly plays a pivotal role in leading the strategy and creation of videos that highlight the research, education, and clinical missions of YSM for internal and external audiences. Kimberly earned her Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology from Stanford University in 2011. She then served in the Peace Corps for two years in Madagascar as a Community Health Educator. Upon returning to the U.S., Kimberly earned her Master's in Journalism from the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism in 2015. Prior to her position at Yale, Kimberly worked in national broadcast journalism at MSNBC, CBS, and 48 Hours, where she contributed to numerous high-profile projects.
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    • Noah Golden

      Video Post-Production Specialist

      Noah Golden is a video producer/editor who has been at Yale School of Medicine since 2013. Over that time, Noah has produced hundreds of videos for Yale School of Medicine and Yale Medicine, including the 4 Things series, The Exam Room series, profiles of the Second Year Show, the Yale Medical Orchestra, Match Day and a large number of Yale Medicine physician bios. He ran Yale School of Medicine's Facebook page for two years and continues to work on social media strategy. His work has won an award from LabTV and been featured in the New Haven Documentary Film Festival.  In his spare time, can often be found playing music, creating/watching/writing about theater or eating.
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    • Lindsey Leger

      Video Producer

      Lindsey Leger is a video producer, working to create original video content highlighting innovative research and care at YSM. Prior to joining Yale, she was a freelance photographer and videographer working with editorial and humanitarian clients, including the Associated Press, UNICEF and USAID. She completed her BFA at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and is completing a MA at the University of Münster in Germany.
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  • Support Staff

    • Susan Durant, BA

      Senior Administrative Assistant

      Susan began her career at Yale in the Department of Pathology, where she served as the Residency Program Coordinator for 6 years.  She then moved to the Section of Cardiovascular Medicine, in Internal Medicine, where she worked as the Human Resource and Operations Manager for four years. Upon the advice of her Lead Administrator, she shifted to the Geriatric Medicine section in order to gain a couple of years of accounting experience.  However, Susan found she preferred interacting with people, rather than crunching numbers, so she accepted a position in the Chair's office in the Department of Neurology.  In Neurology, Susan served as an Assistant Administrator for nine years.  During this time, she managed the Chair's Office, the Education Office, and Faculty Affairs for the department. The faculty tripled in number during her time there and she gained critical supervisory experience during this phase of her career.  In 2020, she embarked on a new role as an Administrative Assistant in the YSM Department of Communications.
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  • Communications Product Innovation and Engineering

    • Justin Fansler

      Senior Director

      Senior Director for Communications Strategy, Product Innovation, and Engineering

      Justin leads the communications strategy, product innovation and engineering efforts at Yale School of Medicine, focusing on integrating cutting-edge AI solutions into core communications business processes, product development, and automation. He directs the teams responsible for ideating, designing, managing, and supporting the systems and infrastructure that power the school’s academic and clinical websites (medicine.yale.edu and YaleMedicine.org), while aligning the school’s various communication mediums—web, print, digital, and social—to the school's mission, while streamlining tools, reducing time to market, and boosting operational efficiency. Under Justin’s leadership, AI-driven products and automation have increased operational efficiency by over 100% and reduced time-to-market across communication platforms. His work has resulted in the creation of several enterprise-level products, including solutions that have transformed business operations and optimized communication strategies. He has spearheaded AI integration since 2018, leveraging predictive models, natural language processing, and generative AI to support new produce development. Justin oversees offshore developers, vendor relationships, budget management, and resource allocation, ensuring communications initiatives are aligned with the school’s strategic goals and growth. His cross-functional leadership brings together teams from design, engineering, product strategy, editorial, marketing, and relationship management, aligning the efforts of leaders across the institution to achieve high-impact outcomes. Since joining the Office of Communications as a founding member of its web group in 2006, Justin has been instrumental in shaping the school’s long-term digital transformation. He led the development of the school’s first standardized web templates and now manages the fifth iteration (T5), which transitions the school to an audience-centric communications model, enhancing user engagement and effectiveness. Justin also spearheaded the purchase and implementation of the school’s first content management system (SDL Tridion) and oversaw the creation of Beatrix, an enterprise-grade content management platform supporting web content, over 32,000 profiles, 100,000 calendar events and 75,000 news articles. Beatrix also enables faculty to import and generate standardized CVs, easing academic challenges and enhancing reporting. Additionally, he introduced standardized digital signage across the school’s campus. Residing in Seattle with his partners Rudy and Randy, and their child Felix, Justin is passionate about CrossFit, home renovation, traveling to visit family in Australia, and exploring new technologies to continue driving innovation in his field. Revised January 2025
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    • Mark Albis

      Director, Product and Web Services

      Mark began working with Yale School of Medicine Communications in 2010 as the Manager for Web Training and Support. In this role, Mark fielded website editors' questions concerning YSM's content management system, SDL Web, along with other web applications used in conjunction with Tridion to maintain the school's web presence. In addition, with the help of the Web Group student team he created a library of support documentation for editors to learn the basics of SDL Web and how to create specific templates.Over the years, his role transitioned from being focused on supporting editors making website updates in the YSM environment to the development of the website applications themselves. Now, as Product and Web Services Director, Mark defines requirements and facilitates the development of web applications, leads the UI/UX design process for those applications to ensure they are user-friendly and accessible, and directs the Web Services team, a centralized group of professional editors who make the vast majority of the updates needed for the Yale School of Medicine and Yale Medicine websites.
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    • Mike Friscia

      Director of AI Development and Systems Architecture

      Mike Friscia joined the Yale School of Medicine in April 2017 as the Lead Technical Architect with responsibilities for systems and software design.Previously he worked in the Yale University Library for ten years managing a team of software engineers focused on digital asset management and discovery systems with emphasis on open source, community driven development. Prior to Yale, Mike was the lead software developer at Connecticut College where he worked primarily with student and alumni information systems. Mike enjoys collecting and programming vintage computers from the 1970's and 1980's and is an active participant in the International Game Developer Association working as a consultant on several open source projects.
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    • Jennifer P. Hill

      Senior Communications Project Manager, YSM Comms.

      Jen joined the Yale School of Medicine in 2023 to help manage projects for both the Web Services team and the Office of Communications. She has a proven track record of building key relationships with project stakeholders, and over 15 years of experience in content creation, desktop publishing, and executing targeted projects and Internal Communication plans across diverse technical and non-technical environments.
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    • Denise Meyer

      Business Systems Analyst & Web Producer

      A graduate of Northwestern University, Denise Meyer has worked in public relations and communications for over thirty years, first in the arts, then as a consultant for a wide range of small businesses, non-profits and an international manufacturing company. She is the founding publisher of Eirini Press whose offerings on non-duality include titles by Lawrence LeShan, Jonathan Bricklin and others. Denise has a wide range of print, social media and web experience and was web coordinator at the Yale School of Public Health from 2008-2021. There she has created and developed editorial and video content for the school's websites, newsletters and other special projects. In November 2021 she moved to the Yale School of Medicine Communications Group where she is a business systems analyst and web producer.
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    • Liz Pantani

      Business Systems Analyst & Web Producer

      Liz joined the Yale School of Medicine Web Group October 2011. After being with the team for over 10 years she was promoted to her current role as Business Systems Analyst & Web Producer. She manages all Web Support Help Desk Tickets submitted to ysm.editor@yale.edu for the entire School of Medicine and YaleMedicine.org. When she is not assisting in building or maintaining websites, she is programming the usability tests used for future enhancements to YSM websites and applications. Liz lives in the shoreline community of Guilford with her wife Carissa, and when not hiking somewhere in New England or traveling abroad, she can be easily found working on her next home project.
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