A Brave New Podcast
Great marketing is all about making smart decisions, developing your discipline, understanding and meeting the needs of your prospective customers, and putting in place the right systems to make the whole process easier. A Brave New Podcast, with brand and marketing strategist Josh Dougherty, is here to teach you how to truly unlock your business potential through the power of marketing! Each episode will bring you insights, best practices, and top strategies from a variety of business leaders and marketing & sales experts. Tune in to A Brave New Podcast to learn how to build a more memorable brand and accelerate your growth with bold marketing.
info_outline
Where Brand Building & Performance Marketing Intersect, with Kristi Annes
07/08/2026
Where Brand Building & Performance Marketing Intersect, with Kristi Annes
Kristi Annes is a healthcare marketing executive with more than 15 years of experience building brands and driving growth at some of the most influential companies in health IT. Kristi currently serves as VP of Marketing Strategy at IMO Health, a private equity-backed leader in clinical intelligence and data solutions, where she has spent nearly a decade defining how the company shows up in the market. When IMO Health acquired Melax Tech, she led the marketing integration — unifying teams, technology, and execution to deliver impact from day one. Her path to that role ran through one of health IT’s most notable transactions: the IBM acquisition of Merge Healthcare. As Director of Performance Marketing at Merge, Kristi was retained post-acquisition to lead segment marketing inside IBM Watson Health, guiding a specialized healthcare brand through the demands of integrating into one of the world’s largest technology organizations. Earlier in her career, Kristi held marketing leadership roles at the American Hospital Association, where she helped launch AHA SmartMarket, and began her career in brand and creative strategy at Shaker Recruitment Advertising. Kristi holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Illinois State University. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How IMO Health keeps its mission focused on improving patient and clinician experiences while developing AI-ready solutions. How Kristi defines branding beyond logos and visuals, and why emotional connection and trust are essential in B2B healthcare. Why enterprise healthcare buyers make decisions emotionally, and how brands that deliver clarity, reliability, and human centered messaging stand out in complex markets. How collaboration between brand, content, product, and performance marketing teams create cohesive campaigns, leading to stronger business impact. How Kristi’s team approaches attribution, pipeline generation, and ROI during the complexities of long healthcare buying cycles. How interactive virtual experiences, research-driven surveys, and creative engagement are outperforming webinars and generating meaningful conversations with prospective customers. Practical ways AI is helping marketing teams automate reporting, content creation, and operational tasks. Why future marketing leaders will oversee both people and AI agents, balancing automation with strategy, ethics, and relationship-building. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/41979175
info_outline
HubSpot Sensitive Data Update, with Hank Lander
07/01/2026
HubSpot Sensitive Data Update, with Hank Lander
Product Management and innovation enthusiast, Hank Lander, currently serves as a Group Product Manager at HubSpot, focusing on Customer Data Protections. Hank's expertise lies in launching new products and building product pipelines. Prior to his current role, he was the Director of Product at ZoomInfo and worked at multiple early-stage startups. Hank holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship from MIT Sloan School of Management and a BS in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How AI is reshaping sensitive data governance inside HubSpot. Which portions of HubSpot support HIPAA compliance via sensitive data Why AI features that touch sensitive data must be opt-in, scoped, and auditable How HubSpot is embracing the concept of “toggle off” data access so that customers can decide if they want AI to not touch specific data. How HubSpot is building in ‘undo’ capabilities with AI integrations like Claude, to provide more control to users. How AI can improve quality and streamline workflows before the work reaches your team. Why AI-powered audit logs will become a proactive tool for security and governance. What the future of CRM looks like as humans and AI agents work together. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/41913355
info_outline
The Branding Multiplier, with Josh Dougherty
06/24/2026
The Branding Multiplier, with Josh Dougherty
Josh Dougherty is a brand strategist, speaker, and the founder and CEO of A Brave New, a Seattle-based branding agency that crafts bold and memorable healthcare brands. They have specific expertise in healthcare technology, hospitals and specialty care providers, and healthcare nonprofits. Josh has 15 years experience building new brands from scratch, refreshing existing brands and building strategies to bring those brands to life in the market. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How your brand can serve as a multiplier of your marketing efforts if you’ve take the time to craft a bold and differentiated brand memory. How your brand can limit marketing performance if it’s not fully thought through or expressed. The difference between brand and marketing, also why treating them as the same thing can create growth challenges. Why you can't optimize your way out of a brand problem when the brand foundation isn’t strong. How brand acts as a multiplier on marketing efforts, increasing or limiting the impact of every dollar spent. Three signs you’re facing a brand problem rather than a marketing problem. How to strengthen your brand by aligning what you’re offering with existing memory, building consistent presence, and defining what makes you unique. Practical ways healthcare orgs can strengthen their brand without slowing growth initiatives. Three diagnostic questions leaders can use to evaluate whether their brand is helping or hindering growth. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/41782720
info_outline
Service Pivots and Brand Evolution, with Jennifer Sargent
06/10/2026
Service Pivots and Brand Evolution, with Jennifer Sargent
Jennifer is a seasoned healthcare leader with expertise in leading start-up and high growth organizations, with a proven track record of executing on go-to-market and growth strategies in the employer, payor and provider channels. Jennifer currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Pacify Health, a leader in tech-enabled Maternity Management Solutions. Previously, Jennifer served as General Manager and Chief Commercial Officer for Vera Whole Health, an advanced primary care organization and at Optum as Senior Vice President, Commercial Growth. Jennifer serves as a board member for Zero Health, a leader in employer direct contracting and as the Board Chair for the Minnesota Milk Bank for Babies. Jennifer holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management and an MS in Kinesiology from the University of North Dakota. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Jennifer and the Pacify team made the strategic decision to expand from on-demand lactation into a doula-led maternity management model What the research actually shows about doulas' impact on clinical outcomes and birth experience How to apply "calculated bravery" when making a fundamental shift to your business model Why Pacify chose to evolve its brand positioning rather than rename the company How to balance brand messaging across complex audiences, including members, providers, paying customers, and internal teams Why education and human outbound calls are essential to driving engagement, even for free services How Jennifer thinks about the role of AI and technology in a deeply human care experience Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/41599370
info_outline
Brand Architecture and Healthcare M&A, with Josh Dougherty
06/04/2026
Brand Architecture and Healthcare M&A, with Josh Dougherty
Josh Dougherty is a brand strategist, speaker, and the founder and CEO of A Brave New, a Seattle-based branding agency that crafts bold and memorable healthcare brands. They have specific expertise in healthcare technology, hospitals and specialty care providers, and healthcare nonprofits. Josh has 15 years experience building new brands from scratch, refreshing existing brands and building strategies to bring those brands to life in the market. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why branding decisions during mergers and acquisitions shouldn’t be treated as an afterthought. The hidden cost of delaying brand strategy until after a deal closes. The three main brand architecture approaches: monolithic brands, endorsed brands, and house of brands. How to determine which brand architecture approach is right for your organization. Why understanding buyer behavior is critical when evaluating brand consolidation. How brand architecture and on the ground teams can serve as a driving force in aligning leadership around how to communicate about the future of the combined organizations Why tactical branding changes made under pressure often create long-term challenges. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/41535315
info_outline
People Are the Brand: How VitalPath Builds Trust Through Execution, with Bridget Locke
05/27/2026
People Are the Brand: How VitalPath Builds Trust Through Execution, with Bridget Locke
Bridget Locke is Vice President of Strategic Marketing at VitalPath, a leading contract design and manufacturing partner focused on complex catheter solutions for the medical device industry. She specializes in helping highly technical B2B organizations translate complex capabilities into clear market positioning, scalable growth strategies, and high-impact customer engagement. With experience spanning strategic marketing, sales alignment, brand development, M&A integration, and commercial strategy, Bridget has built and led growth initiatives across the medtech manufacturing ecosystem. Her career has included leadership roles at Vantedge Medical, ATL Technology, Heraeus Medevio, and Northwire, where she partnered closely with executive teams to align marketing, sales, and business strategy in complex and regulated industries. At VitalPath, Bridget focuses on building a brand centered around collaboration, technical partnership, responsiveness, and innovation, helping OEMs accelerate the development and commercialization of next-generation catheter technologies. She is particularly passionate about aligning strategy with execution, creating strong sales and marketing integration, and leveraging emerging technologies like AI to enhance both customer experience and operational effectiveness. Based in the Minneapolis-St. Paul medtech hub, Bridget brings a practical, growth-oriented perspective on branding, leadership, and the evolving future of medical device innovation. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How VitalPath differentiates in a competitive market by being the responsive, collaborative specialist rather than the large generalist. Why the strongest MedTech brands are built on focus and people, not capabilities lists. The importance of understanding your customer journey and what it looks like to map that out in a B2B contract manufacturing context. How Bridget approaches sales and marketing alignment, including her perspective on having sales operations aligned within the marketing organization. What marketing in a PE-backed company looks like, and how to think about your four distinct audience profiles. Where AI is adding value today in MedTech marketing, and where the human touch can’t be replaced. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/41379270
info_outline
Building A Medical Device Brand, with Sharon Dayan
05/20/2026
Building A Medical Device Brand, with Sharon Dayan
Sharon Dayan is an accomplished, strategic marketing executive with over 15 years of experience driving growth for B2B, early-stage, and global technology and healthcare companies. Dedicated to working towards a "Healthier Tomorrow," Sharon has built a career around using cutting-edge technology to improve patient outcomes and solve complex market needs. Currently serving as the VP of Marketing at Biobeat, Sharon leads the marketing strategy for the company's ground-breaking, FDA-cleared, cuffless 24-hour blood pressure monitoring platform. By replacing uncomfortable, legacy cuff-based measurements with, a wireless patch that provides day and night data, the platform empowers clinicians to detect hypertension early and manage this condition, transition care to reactive precise management. Prior to this, she was the VP of Marketing at BRIA AI, responsible, Visual Generative AI platform for enterprises, and the Head of Global Marketing at Medix Global, where she managed multi-lingual teams across 12 global offices to advance health equity. Her diverse background also includes pivotal early leadership roles. A proactive, fast-learning leader, Sharon blends a strong academic foundation-including an MBA in Marketing & Entrepreneurship and a Master of Public Health (M.P.H.) with a proven track record of building brand stories, fostering strategic partnerships, and scaling businesses. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why branding in medical devices isn't just about visibility, and why it's about building clinical credibility including giving physicians the confidence to rethink long-standing approaches. How Biobeat is redefining hypertension management with the first FDA-cleared cuffless 24-hour blood pressure monitoring patch, and why nighttime blood pressure data matters more than people realize. Why brand voice and creative strategy are still deeply human strengths, and why the soul of a brand can’t be automated, even as AI continues to evolve. Why product-market fit is a powerful marketing tool, and how solving a clear, meaningful problem makes storytelling more impactful. Why nearly half of Americans are living with hypertension, and how earlier, more accurate diagnosis could prevent serious downstream health issues and costs. How to identify and empower early adopters in a highly regulated industry where change moves slowly, and why those champions are essential for building momentum. Sharon's perspective on using AI in regulated marketing: where it’s valuable, where it falls short, and why human oversight remains critical. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/41342760
info_outline
NACCDO-CMCA Takeaways, with Josh Dougherty
05/06/2026
NACCDO-CMCA Takeaways, with Josh Dougherty
Josh Dougherty is a brand strategist, speaker, and the founder and CEO of A Brave New, a Seattle-based branding agency that crafts bold and memorable healthcare brands. They have specific expertise in healthcare technology, hospitals and specialty care providers, and healthcare nonprofits. Josh has 15 years experience building new brands from scratch, refreshing existing brands and building strategies to bring those brands to life in the market. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Josh’s key takeaways from the 2026 NACCDO-CMCA Annual Conference in Toronto, Canada. Why cancer centers need to champion the value of cancer research, and what's at stake as federal research funding faces pressure. Why NCI designated cancer centers have a unique opportunity to become trusted information hubs in an era of AI search, misinformation, and fragmented media. How to think about differentiation for cancer centers in contrast to smaller facilities that can't match the level of care. How AI is accelerating cancer care through lung cancer screening, clinical trial matching, and AI-assisted radiation treatment plans. The challenges matrix cancer centers face when it comes to developing a differentiated brand and aligning all parties around a single communication strategy; and how enterprise content strategy and brand architecture can improve coordination, alignment, and consistency across complex health systems. Why findability is getting harder, and why the shift from informational keywords to mid-funnel, decision-stage content is critical for cancer center websites. How to show up in AI-powered answer engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity using structured data, schema, and answer engine optimization (AEO). Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/41165320
info_outline
Building the Elektra Health Brand, with Jacqueline Parisi
04/29/2026
Building the Elektra Health Brand, with Jacqueline Parisi
Jacqueline Parisi is the Head of Marketing at Elektra Health and brings over a decade of experience in brand strategy and growth marketing. She kicked off her career as the first U.S. copywriter at HelloFresh before transitioning into the digital health space. She has consulted for Seed to Series C digital health startups like Ophelia, Tend, Local Infusion, and Proper (incubated by Redesign Health). Jacqueline is an alumna of Boston College and NYU. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Elektra Health is redefining women’s healthcare through a virtual, evidence-based model that combines clinical care, coaching, and community support. Jacqueline’s definition of branding and why it’s not just what you say, but what customers experience and believe after interacting with your brand. Jacqueline’s three pillars of a great brand including, consistency across every touchpoint, distinctiveness you can recognize without a logo, and the ability to deliver on your promise every time. Why a bold, positive brand is essential in breaking stigmas, especially in a space like menopause that has been historically overlooked or misrepresented. Why growth and brand-building should never be treated as separate efforts, and how strong branding improves performance marketing efficiency. How to think about measuring brand impact, from cost of acquisition (CAC and branded search to qualitative signals like perception in AI tools and customer feedback. Real-world ways AI is being used today to gain deeper research, social listening, and uncovering customer insights. The emerging trends shaping the future of marketing beyond AI, and why staying close to your customer will always be your biggest advantage. How to balance being critically rigorous and evidence-based while still sounding human, conversational, and actionable in your messaging. What Elektra Health wants to be known for in the next year, including approachability, unbiased care, and a commitment to science-backed outcomes. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/41052220
info_outline
Keys To Building A Great Culture, with Chad Kearns
04/22/2026
Keys To Building A Great Culture, with Chad Kearns
Chad Kearns is a Senior Vice President at Fired Up! Culture, bringing nearly 15 years of experience in building teams and leading organizations to his work in helping leaders build culture and engagement in the organizations they lead. Before joining Fired Up! Culture in 2022, Chad headed a 50+ person marketing agency, guiding the organization through multiple growth periods and acquisitions. During that time, he built seven-figure service lines from the ground up, developed leaders and executives who elevated their teams, and drove the kind of employee engagement that produces remarkable business results. Today, as Senior Vice President at Fired Up! Culture, Chad partners with executive leadership teams of all sizes to navigate meaningful change management processes, cultivating healthy, high-performing cultures and business outcomes. What you’ll learn about in this episode: The similarities and differences between building a great brand and a great culture The specific areas of overlap between brand and culture in an organization The markers of a healthy culture How to tell if you have a culture issue that needs to be addressed The level of influence and control that leaders have over their organizational culture The importance of alignment in building a great culture Why building a great culture almost always comes down to having the right people on the team Chad’s hot take that middle managers are more important than people think and flat organizations may not be as effective as people assume Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/40966105
info_outline
How Care2U Delivers High-Acuity Care at Home, with Lon Hecht
04/15/2026
How Care2U Delivers High-Acuity Care at Home, with Lon Hecht
Lon Hecht is a seasoned healthcare executive with over 25 years of experience leading transformative growth. He joined Care2U as Chief Growth Officer in 2023 and became CEO in 2024, reflecting his strategic vision and results-driven leadership. Previously, Lon was SVP of Growth at Optum Home and Community Care, where he helped integrate and scale innovative healthcare models, including naviHealth, Landmark, Prospero, and Optum at Home. His leadership portfolio includes roles as Chief Commercial Officer at Utilize Health, VP of Payor and Provider Markets at Teladoc, Founder and CEO of QuickSeeMD, and VP of Sales at eviCore. Known for delivering exponential growth and building high-performing teams, Lon is a recognized leader in value-based care. He combines entrepreneurial drive with operational expertise and a strong network across payor and provider markets. Lon holds a B.S. in Marketing from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and resides with his family on the Jersey Shore. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Care2U has positioned its brand around a disruptive care model, delivering high acuity care at home, and how that promise is translated into messaging that makes a complex healthcare service understandable to different audiences. How Care2U differentiates its brand by owning a distinct positioning around acuity, access, and cost in a way that resonates with both payers and patients. The real-world patient impact of receiving hospital-level care at home, combined with a rapid-response model that deploys clinicians within 2-4 hours to deliver high-acuity treatment at home. How payer alignment shapes credibility, and why the ability to speak directly to the insurance economics is important when scaling a healthcare brand. How Care2U aligns with insurers and differentiates from both hospital at home programs and urgent care providers. Why spending more time with patients and less time spent in waiting rooms leads to better outcomes and smarter care decisions. The measurable clinical outcomes behind the NPS (Net Promoter Score) model including hospital escalation rates, strong patient experiences, and effective and safe recovery at home. Where this care model is headed next and the broader vision for transforming the future of healthcare delivery, following its success in the New York market. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/40878875
info_outline
PR Fundamentals for Healthcare, with Danielle Ruckert
04/08/2026
PR Fundamentals for Healthcare, with Danielle Ruckert
Danielle Ruckert has built RH Strategic’s healthcare practice into a hub for some of the industry’s most urgent conversations. She consistently and deftly guides clients through thorny issues—from Medicaid cuts for rural providers to new technologies reshaping organ transplantation—shaping messages that resonate with policymakers, patients and investors alike. Her leadership has expanded the firm’s portfolio into women’s health, hospital systems and reputation management, adding to longstanding strengths in health IT and medical devices. She is especially passionate about bringing visibility to underrepresented areas of healthcare, from women’s health innovations to reform in the transplant system. Danielle’s strategic eye is matched by her curiosity: She’s constantly scanning the policy environment, exploring new tools and mentoring colleagues who share her passion for communications and healthcare. That mix of industry fluency and forward vision has made her a trusted partner to companies navigating one of the most complicated and consequential sectors of the economy. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How PR (public relations) validates your brand in the “court of public opinion” ensuring your positioning, messaging, and values actually resonate in the real world. How consistency across channels builds (or breaks) trust by maintaining the same brand story across social, website, and executive voices to maintain credibility. Why PR is a powerful brand signal, not just a comms function, and how earned media shapes perception at scale and reinforces your entire brand ecosystem. Why your executive team are essential ambassadors for your brand, and how to activate them via thought leadership on platforms like LinkedIn. Why patient storytelling is the anchor for all healthcare brands, and how leading organizations align messaging back to patient impact to create relevance and trust. What you need to build a high-performing PR program from an audience and objective setting to executive visibility, media, and thought leadership. How to uncover white space and stay ahead of risk using social listening and intelligence to identify emerging narratives before your competitors do. The difference between healthcare and health tech PR strategies like how traditional healthcare relies on data and outcomes, while health tech leans into innovation. How to align innovation storytelling with buyer-readiness in a way that meets more conservative buyers, like health systems, where they are. Why AI search is becoming your most important audience and how to think about AEO (AI Engine Optimization) to stay discoverable. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/40751875
info_outline
Building a Great Healthcare Brand Via Consistent Experience, with Gail Findlay-Shirras
04/01/2026
Building a Great Healthcare Brand Via Consistent Experience, with Gail Findlay-Shirras
Gail is passionate about fostering awareness and helping Canadians feel educated and empowered to take control of their health. She is driven to connect more people with high-quality healthcare because she wholeheartedly believes that proactive and preventive actions lead to better health outcomes. To this end, she is always seeking new opportunities and innovative methods to share Harrison’s clinical knowledge and expertise, ensuring as many people as possible feel informed and supported. Her professional background is enriched by a variety of experiences, including roles in marketing agencies, consulting, and in-house positions with several notable brands. Over her career, she has contributed to projects for the Province of British Columbia, Vancity Credit Union, Hootsuite, Haribo, and Best Buy, among others. Her portfolio also includes managing the Robson Square Celebration Site during the 2010 Olympics, along with extensive expertise in experiential marketing and brand management. This diverse experience enables Gail to excel at creating polished, memorable experiences throughout the client journey. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why brand is more about the experience and what you feel rather than visuals or what you say—and how to stay consistent across locations. How Harrison healthcare is redefining primary care with longer appointments and full care teams with its team-based, preventative care designed to remove the mental load for patients. What makes Harrison Healthcare’s model stand out in Canada’s healthcare landscape. The challenge of marketing something people don't think they need–until they do. Why selling private healthcare in Canada requires education, trust, and a clear value proposition. What client feedback reveals about the gaps in perceived proactivity, and how marketing is addressing it. The driver behind high retention: outcomes, relationships, and consistent experience. Where AI is improving speed in healthcare marketing, and why human oversight is essential to maintain brand voice and trust. How Harrison translates “peace of mind” into a tangible, proactive care experience through ongoing communication. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/40675520
info_outline
Tools To Empower Teams To Live Your Brand, with Josh Dougherty
03/25/2026
Tools To Empower Teams To Live Your Brand, with Josh Dougherty
Josh Dougherty is a brand strategist, speaker, and the founder and CEO of A Brave New, a Seattle-based B2B digital marketing agency specializing in tech and healthcare. Over the last decade plus, he’s worked with clients to develop unique brands and accelerate business growth using web design, inbound marketing, and account-based marketing strategies. What you’ll learn about in this episode: The importance of team-wide brand ownership, and why brand only becomes real when it’s embraced across the entire organization, not just marketing, to drive authenticity, credibility, and emotional connection. How simple and easy-to-use tools empower your entire team to live out the brand. How to use a brand filter to create and apply 5-7 open ended questions that guide everyday decisions and help shape ideas to stay signed with your brand. How to implement branded behaviors to translate your brand into simple, actionable, behaviors that employees can consistently practice in their daily work. Why quarterly brand training matters: including ongoing, interactive training to keep the brand on top of mind and turn it into action through repetition, team discussion, and real commitments. How to develop messaging themes by defining 3-5 brand-aligned themes that guide all communications over time, creating consistency and improving brand recall. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/40612220
info_outline
Building Member Trust and Engagement, with Annie Furlong
03/18/2026
Building Member Trust and Engagement, with Annie Furlong
Annie Furlong is VP of Consumer and Growth (B2C) Marketing at Carrum Health. Annie brings 15+ years of experience as a B2C, B2B2C, and B2B marketer and people manager to healthtech and employer benefits markets. She has worked at and consulted for startups, associations, and large publicly traded organizations. As a strategic, creative, & energetic marketer, Annie’s professional passions include business and account strategy, process creation & improvement, shaping customer experiences, professional development and women’s leadership, driving adoption and engagement of products, and leading teams. She is the proud parent of two little girls, an avid downhill and cross-country skier, and a lover of all things that living in Colorado has to offer. Annie received her bachelor’s degree from Colby College, where she studied neurobiology and business, and has a master’s in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Strategic Innovation and Change from the University of Denver. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How branding works in B2B2C healthcare marketing, including Annie’s framework for building brand trust through consistency, reputation, and real customer experiences. How to market to employees inside a B2B company, and why understanding both the employer buyer and the employee end-user is critical to driving adoption. How to maintain brand consistency across multiple channels, and why B2B2C brands should adapt their messaging for different employee populations, including strategies for reaching office workers, frontline teams, and distributed workforces. How Annie approaches consumer and growth marketing within a healthcare benefits platform, and the shifts that Carrum Health is making in specialty care access. What it takes to stand out in the crowded B2B2C healthcare marketing landscape, and why empathy and meeting people where they are in their healthy journey matters. How unconventional channels like direct mail, QR codes, billboards, and benefits fairs can cut through the noise when marketing healthcare solutions to employees. How to balance performance marketing with long-term brand building when your goal is both immediate action and lasting trust. Why rebuilding trust in healthcare marketing is essential today, and how brands can acknowledge the broken system while positioning a better path forward. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/40221390
info_outline
When To Pursue A Brand Refresh, with Adam Taylor
03/11/2026
When To Pursue A Brand Refresh, with Adam Taylor
Adam Taylor is a multidisciplinary designer, illustrator, and educator with more than 15 years of professional experience in Utah, Michigan, and Seattle. Throughout his career, he has worn many hats within the ever-evolving world of design, but his strongest affinities lie in strategic brand development, UI/UX, and illustration. Adam also serves as a remote Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Michigan State University, where he teaches courses on design tools, theory, and brand identity development. Outside of work, he’s an occasional exhibiting fine artist, a novice dungeon master for a very patient group of friends, and a small-time local musician. What you’ll learn about in this episode: When to pursue a brand refresh or rebrand including outdated visual identities, poor digital performance, or falling behind competitors. The classical branding process: research, strategy, brand identity, touchpoints, and asset management. How organizations can approach rebrands incrementally by tackling different phases of the branding process over time instead of everything at once. Why research is the foundation of successful branding, guiding strategy, messaging, and design decisions. How to refresh brand positioning when messaging lacks clarity, value propositions are weak, or target audience shifts. Why new company or product launches require a strong brand story, clear positioning, and a distinctive visual identity. How mergers and acquisitions create opportunities to unify cultures, align offerings, and establish a shared brand DNA. Less common triggers for rebranding, including name changes, leadership transitions, and major market shifts. How brand strategy helps organizations win in the market by building authentic connections and creating long-term value. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/40372705
info_outline
Branding In A Regulated Space, with Jen Bruursema
03/04/2026
Branding In A Regulated Space, with Jen Bruursema
Jen Bruursema is Senior Director of Marketing and PR at DELFI Diagnostics, where she leads marketing strategy for FirstLook Lung, a blood-based test for early lung cancer detection. With more than 20 years in healthcare diagnostics, Jen has built her career at the intersection of complex science and human behavior. She got her start at Digene, where she commercialized the first FDA-approved HPV DNA test for cervical cancer screening, and has since held marketing leadership roles at QIAGEN, Ariosa Diagnostics (acquired by Roche), Karius, IDbyDNA (acquired by Illumina), Metabiota (acquired by Ginkgo Bioworks), and Clear Labs. Across genomics, infectious disease, prenatal screening, and oncology, her focus has remained consistent: translating breakthrough diagnostics into tools that actually reach the patients and providers who need them. Jen is certified in AI and data-driven marketing and actively applies generative AI to scale marketing operations. She's based in San Francisco. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why branding in diagnostics is about keeping a promise and earning trust with every interaction. The importance of meeting people where they are in their journey with their health. How to differentiate in a regulated healthcare industry and why education, transparency, and medical-legal alignment are your strongest marketing assets. How to position innovation without triggering resistance and why DELFI frames its AI-powered First Look Lung test as an on-ramp to CT screening, not a disruption to existing standards of care. What it takes to stand out in a crowded diagnostic space by diving into focus, clinical evidence, and meaningful differentiation. The delicate balance between clinical credibility and the deeply emotional reality of cancer detection where fear and stigma are real. Why partnerships with health systems shapes everything from messaging hierarchy to channel strategy. How AI will transform marketing workflows by enabling smaller teams to scale content while protecting brand voice and regulatory guardrails. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/40221375
info_outline
How To Build a Brand When Trust is the Product, With Erica Klinger
02/25/2026
How To Build a Brand When Trust is the Product, With Erica Klinger
Erica Klinger is the VP of Marketing at AMCP, the professional association for managed care pharmacy professionals, where she works to optimize medicine and improve lives with a diverse group of stakeholders from health plans, PBMs, policymakers, biopharma, students and educational institutions. Under her leadership, AMCP was recognized by ASAE in 2025 for a Gold Circle Award for best website and a Power of Associations Award for addressing health disparities in medication through an awareness campaign. Erica is active on brand and marketing advisory groups such as the National Health Council Brand Value Task Force, National Digital Roundtable and Global Biosimilars Week on the board of the DC Tech & Venture Coalition. Her experience as a digital pioneer has earned her speaking appearances and podcasts including Voices of Advocacy podcast, Advocacy Desk podcast, ASAE conferences, AMPLIFY 2023 and the first-ever Google Nonprofit Summit in DC. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Erica’s definition of branding and why your brand is the sum of experiences, perceptions, and trust. Practical trends for brand and marketing experts including how AI will shape brand and product innovation, and why social media and search results are becoming the new face of your brand. How the future of healthcare membership marketing lies in agile, AI-powered personalization that meets members in real time, removes friction, and builds lasting trust and loyalty through meaningful, surprise and delight engagement. How to build and protect trust in a healthcare environment by positioning your organization as an unbiased, evidence-based perspective. Why marketing leaders in membership organizations need to act as organizational orchestrators aligning education, policy, membership, and corporate partners around one unified mission. Why trust is the core product in membership based organizations, and how retention becomes the growth strategy. How community building differs from selling a static product, and why brand work is a living, breathing tool that happens every day. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/40142305
info_outline
Edelman Trust Barometer, With Josh Dougherty
02/18/2026
Edelman Trust Barometer, With Josh Dougherty
Josh Dougherty is a brand strategist, speaker, and the founder and CEO of A Brave New, a Seattle-based B2B digital marketing agency specializing in tech and healthcare. Over the last decade plus, he’s worked with clients to develop unique brands and accelerate business growth using web design, inbound marketing, and account-based marketing strategies. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Key findings from the 2025-2026 Edelman Trust Barometer and what they reveal about global mistrust trends. How declining public trust and societal insularity are reshaping marketing strategy. Why businesses are now viewed as the most trusted and competent institutions. What it means for brands to act as “trust brokers” in a polarized environment. How healthcare and health tech companies can build trust in the age of AI. Strategies to reduce skepticism through transparency, outcomes, and social proof. Why patients trust local healthcare providers and community-centered establishments. How to earn trust through authentic storytelling, earned media, and value-driven positioning. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/40142075
info_outline
Securing Your IT - Why It Matters For Healthcare Brands, with Kevin Gemeroy
02/11/2026
Securing Your IT - Why It Matters For Healthcare Brands, with Kevin Gemeroy
Kevin is a fourth generation Seattle entrepreneur and small business owner who founded Dynamic Computing in the year 2000 while attending the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington. Over the past 20+ years, Kevin has built Dynamic Computing from the ground up into the thriving small business it is today. Kevin holds degrees in both Business Administration and Political Science from the University of Washington in Seattle. He was recognized as Washington State’s Mr. Future Business Leader in 1998 and as a Puget Sound Business Journal 40 under 40 honoree in 2018. Outside of work, Kevin is an avid golfer, perennial Little League coach, budding education and policy advocate, husband to a wonderful wife, and father of two twice-exceptional boys. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How IT directly impacts your brand and reputation How Kevin defines branding: Branding isn’t a logo or tagline, it’s what people think and feel about your business when they're not actively interacting with you. It’s the impressions that stick, the emotions they remember, and the moments that shape how your company is perceived long after the interaction ends. How healthcare organizations can protect PHI and stay HIPAA compliant: Kevin explains how managed IT providers support healthcare teams by starting with a comprehensive IT and compliance audit, identifying HIPAA HITECH, and other regulatory gaps, and building a roadmap that aligns security tools, employee training, budgeting, and long-term IT planning. The connection between technology, people strategy, and productivity: Discover how the right tech stack enables happier employees, lower labor costs, and stronger company culture. How to build an entrepreneurial business without outside capital: Kevin shares his journey of founding Dynamic Computing, reinvesting profits, prioritizing cash flow disciplines, and maintaining sustainable growth by focusing on quality over rapid scale. Why quality-driven growth matters: Learn how focusing on strong client relationships, recurring revenue, and employee retention creates a healthy, self-reinforcing business cycle. The real risks of underinvesting in IT security: Hear a firsthand example of how a security breach led to financial loss and legal consequences, and why proactive security is essential for trust and risk mitigation. How to plan IT budgets, capital expenses, and tech refresh cycles: Get practical advice on separating operating expenses from capital investments, avoiding surprise costs, and proactively managing tech debt. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/40023675
info_outline
PointClickCare Rebrand, with Saige Carpenter
02/04/2026
PointClickCare Rebrand, with Saige Carpenter
Saige Carpenter is the Director of Brand Marketing at PointClickCare, where she leads brand strategy, enterprise positioning, and integrated marketing programs designed to build and protect brand equity, establish trust, and fuel buying consideration. She spearheaded the company’s enterprise-wide brand refresh and ensures the brand shows up clearly and credibly at every stage of the buyer journey. With a background in sales across long-term post-acute care, Saige brings a future-focused, commercially grounded approach to brand—rooted in real buyer insight, market understanding, and purpose-led storytelling. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Why PointClickCare embarked on a corporate rebrand after rapid growth, and why clarity mattered more than reinvention. How to define branding in healthcare as a consistent, authentic experience and not just a visual identity. What it takes to execute a large scale rebrand across products, teams, and customer touchpoints. How PointClickCare aligned its brand to a clear mission: helping providers deliver exceptional care. Ways a strong brand enables teams to better serve diverse healthcare audiences. How to simplify complex healthcare offerings through focused brand storytelling. Strategies for gaining executive buy-in during a high-stakes rebranding effort. Common barriers to successful rebrands and how to overcome them with data and customer insight. How to measure brand success and maintain momentum and consistency after a brand launch. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/39942165
info_outline
Building a Cancer Center Brand / CMCA, with Meredith Rae Vehar
01/28/2026
Building a Cancer Center Brand / CMCA, with Meredith Rae Vehar
Meredith Rae Vehar, MPA, is Director of Communications at Huntsman Cancer Institute. Since joining the cancer center more than 20 years ago, Meredith strives to be an agent of progress and enable others to recognize their potential. She leads a team of creative communication professionals who represent the cancer center through brand management, social media, web content and design, publications, multimedia, and internal communications. This meaningful work is very personal to her, and she sees camaraderie, sincerity, and laughter as key. Meredith earned her Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Utah in 2018, along with a master’s certificate in health communication. Since 2021, she has served on the steering committee of the Cancer Marketing and Communications Association (CMCA). In 2024, she and her team were honored to host the annual conference in Salt Lake City. She currently serves as Vice Chair of CMCA and will lead the organization as Chair in Spring 2026. Outside of work, Meredith loves running, hiking mountain trails, and traveling with her two teenagers. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Branding as a “meaning-system”, not a logo: Gain insights into Meredith’s definition of brand as a promise and value system where every employee from valet to clinician embodies the mission, reinforcing consistency and trust across touchpoints. Why access to care is a core brand promise in modern healthcare: Understand how programs like Huntsman at Home and affiliate hospital networks expand access across rural and underserved communities, and why access is increasingly central to healthcare brand trust and loyalty. How Huntsman Cancer Institute positions itself as the only NCI-designated cancer center in the Mountain West region, while building a national brand through brand, innovation, and patient experience. How personal storytelling drives trust in cancer marketing: Learn why Huntsman prioritizes patient stories, caregiver voices, and community narratives to humanize complex science and build emotional connection, especially in high-stakes healthcare decisions. The strategy behind Huntsman’s “Speak Up for Cancer Research” campaign, which activates patient and influencers to advocate for cancer research funding – blending advocacy, brand, and impact. The role of innovation (AI, robotic surgery, proton therapy) in cancer brand strategy: Discover how Huntsman integrates AI-powered imaging, robotic surgery, and proton therapy into both clinical care and communications to reinforce credibility, innovation, and national standards of excellence. How Huntsman manages 320+ active clinical trials, collaborates nationally for rare diseases, and navigates the communications complexity of educating patients while maintaining credibility and clarity. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/39828330
info_outline
The Intersection of Brand & ABM, with Brianna Miller
01/21/2026
The Intersection of Brand & ABM, with Brianna Miller
Brianna Miller is a digital marketing leader with over 15 years of experience building data-informed strategies that connect marketing efforts to real business growth. She currently serves as the Director of Demand Generation at Cohere Health where she develops multi-channel demand generation campaigns and account-based marketing strategies. Beyond her professional roles, Brianna is dedicated to advancing the industry and mentoring its next generation of leaders. She serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, teaching Marketing Strategy and inspiring future marketers. Her commitment to innovation extends to advisory and editorial contributions; she is a 3Sixty Insights Global Executive Advisory Council member, a regular contributor to Martech.org, and an active participant on several boards, including the UMSL College of Business Marketing Advisory Board and the MarTech Conference programming committee. Brianna has had the privilege of sharing actionable insights at 20 industry events and has been featured on numerous popular marketing podcasts, where she connects with audiences on topics ranging from ABM trends to practical AI applications. As a speaker, she is known for making complex concepts approachable and providing audiences with strategies they can put into practice immediately. What you’ll learn about in this episode: Balancing technology with a human touch: How healthcare brands maintain empathy, educate audiences, and create meaningful customer experiences while leveraging AI. Storytelling as a differentiator in healthtech: Why compelling narratives and creative thought processes help AI-focused brands stand out in a crowded healthcare technology market. How the importance of building trust and transparency with customers is essential in the age of AI. How to build an effective brand and ensure marketing and sales consistently reflect it. The importance of seamless collaboration between marketing and sales teams, emphasizing shared goals, open communication, and consistent meetings to align on campaigns. Account-based marketing (ABM) strategies for healthcare technology: How to engage accounts effectively throughout complex buying cycles. Personalization in ABM campaigns: When to use one-to-one, one-to-some, or one-to-many approaches to maximize engagement. Key considerations for tools that support targeting, personalization, and long term cycle measurement. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/39478670
info_outline
How Brand Helps Healthtech Startups Fundraise, Sell, & Scale, with Adam Taylor
01/14/2026
How Brand Helps Healthtech Startups Fundraise, Sell, & Scale, with Adam Taylor
Adam Taylor is a multidisciplinary designer, illustrator, and educator with more than 15 years of professional experience in Utah, Michigan, and Seattle. Throughout his career, he has worn many hats within the ever-evolving world of design, but his strongest affinities lie in strategic brand development, UI/UX, and illustration. Adam also serves as a remote Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Michigan State University, where he teaches courses on design tools, theory, and brand identity development. Outside of work, he’s an occasional exhibiting fine artist, a novice dungeon master for a very patient group of friends, and a small-time local musician. What you’ll learn about in this episode: · How early-stage health tech startups can effectively build and leverage their brand to support fundraising, selling, and scaling efforts. · The importance of branding for early-stage health tech startups, emphasizing that a strong brand can empower founders to tell a differentiated story about their product. · How branding can help founders build trust and credibility with investors, particularly in the context of fundraising. · How strong positioning is crucial for building a memorable brand and creating a cohesive visual identity that communicates competence and direction to potential investors. · How a defined brand platform, visual identity, and messaging platform can better equip your team to follow up with leads and close deals. · How a well-defined brand will make scaling easier, more efficient, and less expensive. Additional resources: · · · ·
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/39558250
info_outline
Kicking off 2026, with Josh Dougherty
01/07/2026
Kicking off 2026, with Josh Dougherty
Josh Dougherty is a brand strategist, speaker, and the founder and CEO of A Brave New, a Seattle-based branding agency that crafts bold and memorable healthcare brands. They have specific expertise in healthcare technology, hospitals and specialty care providers, and healthcare nonprofits. Josh has 15 years experience building new brands from scratch, refreshing existing brands and building strategies to bring those brands to life in the market. What you’ll learn about in this episode: What’s ahead in 2026 including healthcare branding trends, emerging challenges, and a glimpse into the podcast topics we’ll dive into throughout the year. A preview of the guests that will be joining the podcast on a weekly basis. How healthcare branding and marketing intersect to create memorable, impactful organizations. Strategies for building and maintaining trust with patients in a complex healthcare landscape. Ways scrappy brands succeed with limited budgets while delivering exceptional brand experiences. How to move beyond descriptive branding to inspirational storytelling that highlights what makes a brand unique. The power of focused, engaged brand experiences that inspire audiences and create loyal brand advocates. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/39632730
info_outline
Building The Children’s Minnesota Brand, with Hillery Smith Shay
08/15/2025
Building The Children’s Minnesota Brand, with Hillery Smith Shay
Hillery Smith Shay, MBA is chief marketing and experience officer, senior vice president of communications at Children’s Minnesota. Hillery Shay joined Children’s Minnesota in 2021, as VP of marketing and communications and is now chief marketing and experience officer, senior vice president of communications. She provides strategic direction for organizational marketing and communications. She is also responsible for defining and building an organization-wide experience strategy. Ms. Shay brings nearly 25 years of leadership experience in health care and mass communication, with a proven track record of success leading national and global public health campaigns and marketing initiatives. Prior to her role at Children’s Minnesota, Shay served in leadership roles at Abbott Labs leading professional education, marketing, communications and scientific congress strategy. She also served as a journalist and team leader for more than 10 years at the Associated Press and the Baltimore Sun, including as a photojournalist covering two sitting U.S. presidents as well as the Pentagon on 9/11. Ms. Shay earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Haverford College in Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in business administration from Bethel University in Minnesota. She is an active member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, inc. What you’ll learn about in this episode: How Children's Minnesota faced and overcame a significant branding challenge after shortening their name, leading to market confusion with other similarly named experts in their market. How adding "The Kid Experts" to the Children's Minnesota brand was implemented to create clear differentiation and clarify their identity in the market. The step’s that Children’s Minnesota took to safeguard their brand identity. How the repositioning strategy resulted in measurable improvements in brand perception, evidenced by a significant increase in their NRC Health image and reputation score over a three-year period. The crucial role of consistent implementation of the "The Kid Experts" branding across all touchpoints, including physical hospital and clinic spaces, for reinforcing the new brand identity. How the "Raise Them Up" campaign emerged from community trauma and served as a powerful example of a brand connecting with its audience through hope and advocacy for children. How Children's Minnesota demonstrated a commitment to inclusive branding by intentionally reaching diverse communities in their service area through translated materials and tailored outreach efforts. About the tangible results of the "Raise Them Up" campaign in engaging diverse communities, including increased clinic visits requiring translation and higher conversion rates for targeted advertising. About the importance of a long-term perspective in brand building, showcasing the multi-year effort to reposition and strengthen the Children's Minnesota brand. Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/37824165
info_outline
How to Nail Your Health Tech Brand Positioning, with Brad Steinbacher
07/09/2025
How to Nail Your Health Tech Brand Positioning, with Brad Steinbacher
Josh Dougherty is a brand strategist, speaker, and the founder and CEO of A Brave New, a Seattle-based branding agency that crafts bold and memorable healthcare brands. They have specific expertise in healthcare technology, employee health and wellness programs, and hospitals and providers. Josh has 15 years of experience building new brands from scratch, refreshing existing brands, and building strategies to bring those brands to life in the market. In this episode, Josh is joined by A Brave New’s content director, Brad Steinbacher, to discuss how health tech brands can develop distinctive and memorable brand positioning. Brad has more than 15 years of experience creating content for brands across industries with a special focus on healthcare and technology. What you’ll learn about in this episode: The opportunity brand positioning offers for health tech companies, especially startups Why brand positioning isn’t always prioritized as it should be Why moving beyond just speaking clearly about your product and features is essential Real-life examples of brand positioning Specific ways to build differentiation with your positioning and visual identity Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/37327830
info_outline
The State of Health Tech Venture Capital, with Tamar Rudnick
05/21/2025
The State of Health Tech Venture Capital, with Tamar Rudnick
Tamar Rudnick is a healthcare executive who has spent 10+ years in leadership roles across early-stage, public company, and PE-backed businesses. She is currently an Operating Partner at Define Ventures, one of the largest early-stage digital health VCs with ~$800M under management and $22B in exited value. At Define Ventures, Tamar leads strategic growth initiatives. Based in Silicon Valley, Define invests in early-stage companies from Seed stage to Series B, and has backed and built some of the category-leading companies such as Livongo, HIMS, and Evolent. Define differentiates itself by providing unparalleled expertise in go-to-market and commercialization. Tamar leads this work—developing relationships with a coalition of industry-leading Payers, Health Systems, and Life Sciences companies. To date, Define has delivered customer contracts for over 50% of their portfolio companies. Prior to Define Ventures, Tamar was the SVP of Growth at apree health, where she was responsible for leading Sales, Enablement, Marketing, and Customer teams across Employer and Health Plan segments. apree health is a leader in tech-enabled primary care delivery for commercial organizations, including Fortune 500 Employers and National Health Plans with Elevance as a key strategic partner. apree health was formed as a combination of Castlight Health and Vera Whole Health. At apree, Tamar led the commercial team, delivering 30% revenue growth for the combined business while integrating two commercial organizations and developing the combined go-to- market strategy. What you’ll learn about in this episode: The current state of the health tech venture capital space Trends within the health tech space, including Regulatory trends and shifts that are both positively and negatively impacting the startup space Generative AI’s ability and potential to drive efficiency and reduce operational costs GLP-1s and how they are driving the consumerization of healthcare Where AI is having an impact in the healthcare space and how to discern the signal from the noise The key findings from Define Ventures' recent study of the health tech space, including a deep dive into funding trends and exits The importance of go-to-market and brand strategies in the startup environment Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/36645205
info_outline
Brand Architecture Basics with Josh Dougherty
05/01/2025
Brand Architecture Basics with Josh Dougherty
Josh Dougherty is a brand strategist, speaker, and the founder and CEO of A Brave New, a Seattle-based branding agency that crafts bold & memorable healthcare brands. They have specific expertise in healthcare technology, employee health & wellness programs, and hospitals & providers. Josh has 15 years experience building new brands from scratch, refreshing existing brands and building strategies to bring those brands to life in the market. What you’ll learn about in this episode: What brand architecture is and is not Why brand architecture is an essential part of your brand strategy The four most common brand architecture frameworks Branded house Sub-brands Endorsed brand House of brands For each framework Josh dives into Real world examples from the healthcare space Strengths Weaknesses When you should take time to evaluate your brand architecture Why it's essential to keep a constant eye on the interrelation and interactions between your brands and/or products Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/36394235
info_outline
Branding Fundamentals, Part 2 with Josh Dougherty
04/16/2025
Branding Fundamentals, Part 2 with Josh Dougherty
Josh Dougherty is a brand strategist, speaker, and the founder and CEO of A Brave New, a Seattle-based branding agency that crafts bold & memorable healthcare brands. They have specific expertise in healthcare technology, employee health & wellness programs, and hospitals & providers. Josh has 15 years experience building new brands from scratch, refreshing existing brands and building strategies to bring those brands to life in the market. What you’ll learn about in this episode: The basics about brand drivers We’ll do a deep dive into three specific brand drivers Personality Benefit ladder Brand filter For each of these brand drivers Josh explores What the brand driver is Why the brand driver is important How it looks in a real-world example How to get started creating the brand drivers for your organization Additional resources:
/episode/index/show/abravenew/id/35950300