Laura discovered her passion for persuasive storytelling in a UC Berkeley rhetoric class—and has built her career on it ever since.

She’s a seasoned C-suite advisor and founder of Pazanga, specializing in strategic communications that drive market adoption, sales growth, and successful exits.

With decades of experience in healthcare, she delivers results-focused PR and marketing for clients ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies across the U.S., Europe, and Israel. Her expertise spans medical devices, health IT, services, and life sciences.

Formerly SVP/Managing Director at FischerHealth, she’s advised top-tier clients including Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Elsevier. A lifelong entrepreneur, Laura lives in Southern California with her husband, teenage daughter, and three dogs.

Danielle Cormier-Smith is a strategic communications and PR veteran with more than 25 years of experience leading both agency and corporate teams.

She is highly skilled in message development and brand positioning, helping companies and organizations look their best, stand out from competitors, and reach key decision makers.

Danielle has spent her career driving integrated communications strategy for brands and organizations in a number of industries, telling compelling stories to key stakeholders and audiences across multiple channels. She is highly skilled at anticipating a journalist’s questions, and ensures her spokespeople are always prepared for any question that may be asked.

Helen Shik is a seasoned public relations and communications professional who has spent the last 25 years collaborating with healthcare emerging growth companies and start-ups— helping them break through the clutter and tell their stories to reach, engage and influence critical audiences.

She’s led award-winning campaigns for innovators like Heartstream (now Philips), Cyberonics (now LivaNova), and Inspire Medical—blending strategic insight with flawless execution.

Helen has worked across diagnostics, digital health, and therapeutics in fields such as oncology, neurology, and women’s health. A Brooklyn native and Boston University alum, she values spending time with her family.

Michelle is a seasoned health communicator with agency, in-house, and consulting experience, known for managing award-winning PR campaigns for leading pharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostics companies—including Astellas Pharma, Medtronic, Braeburn, and Exact Sciences. She combines sharp writing skills and a reporter’s eye to craft compelling brand and product stories that drive business results.

As a senior content strategist, she develops high-impact executive messaging, internal communications, scenario plans, and disease awareness content. Michelle thrives on continuous learning and creating audience-focused strategies. Outside of work, she enjoys trying new recipes, chasing her two young boys, and hiking with her family.

Brad Perriello is a veteran journalist and storyteller with deep expertise in medtech and life sciences. He co-founded MassDevice.com in 2009, filling a gap in independent medical device coverage and building it into a trusted industry resource.

After a successful acquisition, he led the launch of Medical Design & Outsourcing, Drug Delivery Business News, and The Robot Report. Brad now helps medtech companies craft clear, compelling narratives that resonate with their audiences. He holds degrees from Union College and Boston University. A former professional brewer, he lives in the Boston area with his teenage son.

Sarah Bricker is a content writer and digital strategist with 10+ years of experience leading omnichannel campaigns for B2B and B2C brands—primarily in healthcare. A strategic jack-of-all-trades, she drives results across content, social, paid media, video, events, and brand growth.

A former award-winning sports journalist, she blends storytelling and strategy to deliver high-impact work for corporations, startups, and nonprofits alike. Whether launching national campaigns or shaping brand voice, Sarah bridges vision and execution. Based in Texas with her dog, she’s chasing a 50-state half-marathon goal.

**Congratulations Sarah – Social Media Manager of the Year, Gold Stevie Winner 2024 – The 22nd Annual American Business Awards®

Nizar is a multidisciplinary visual and UI/UX designer with experience in print, web, digital, video, multimedia, and software design. A design professional since 1995, he has an unparalleled skill set and a proven track record in marketing and design across industries including medical devices, high-tech manufacturing, banking, finance, photonics, optics, education, and IT.

A strategic innovator, Nizar excels in spearheading compelling corporate collateral, marketing campaigns, and strategies that resonate with audiences. With an in-depth understanding of the user experience, he ensures that every design decision is rooted in creative intuitive and user-friendly interfaces.

Samantha (Sam) is a strategic media partner who began her work in the healthcare, pharma, and biotech industries over a decade ago.

Sam loves working with clients to craft their stories in a thoughtful and impactful manner and use that messaging to develop top-tier media pitches along with press releases, awards submissions, and speaking entries.

Media relations is Sam’s passion, and she has secured quality print, online and broadcast stories in outlets such as CBS Evening News and NPR’s All Things Considered as well as trade publications including STAT News and MedTech Strategist. Sam lives with her husband and children on a lake in southern New Hampshire.

Joe Duraes is a seasoned public relations professional with almost 30 years of experience driving impactful media coverage and social media engagement across diverse sectors in healthcare, including pharmaceutical, biotech and medtech companies.

Joe excels at crafting compelling narratives and securing high-profile media placements. Joe also shares his public relations expertise as a Part-Time Adjunct Lecturer at Marist University’s School of Communication & the Arts. An accomplished musician, singer-songwriter, he lives with his wife and daughter in New York’s Hudson Valley.

Cheryl is a seasoned writer and content curator with 40+ years of experience across news, corporate communications, education, nonprofits, and public relations.

A former news director at KBAK-TV (ABC), she also produced and directed interview programs and documentaries. She has edited corporate magazines for Sizzler and Collins Foods International, authored teacher resource workbooks, and created nonprofit grants, reports, and collateral.

A 15-year newspaper columnist for the Orange County Register, Cheryl is also a contributing writer to various magazines. Her storytelling spans books, blogs, expert interviews, and book reviews—always with heart and clarity. An alum of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Cheryl is a native Southern Californian.