The Team

Meet the team. 

  • Stacy Robison, MPH, MCHES
    President, Co-founder
    Stacy Robison, MPH, MCHES
    A self-proclaimed health literacy geek and an expert in clear communication, Stacy is responsible for leading CommunicateHealth’s content and creative excellence. Since co-founding the company at the age of 30, Stacy has been recognized as an innovative business leader by the U.S. Women’s Chamber of Commerce. She has appeared in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, and Healthcare News, among other media outlets, discussing a variety of issues from entrepreneurship to health behavior change.
  • Xanthi Scrimgeour, MHEd, MCHES
    Chief Executive Officer, Co-founder
    Xanthi Scrimgeour, MHEd, MCHES
    Since co-founding CommunicateHealth in 2009, Xanthi has been driving company strategy and operations, transforming the organization into a nationally recognized multimillion-dollar consulting firm. Under her leadership, CommunicateHealth has been recognized as one of the fastest growing companies by Entrepreneur and Inc. magazines 3 years in a row. A veteran public health advocate, Xanthi spent 20+ years working on the front lines with state and local health agencies. She draws on this experience to serve a diverse client portfolio that spans Fortune 500 companies and community-based nonprofits.
  • Sandy Williams Hilfiker, MA
    Chief Operating Officer, Principal
    Sandy Williams Hilfiker, MA
    Sandy joined CommunicateHealth as Principal in 2010, bringing nearly two decades of experience in interactive design for health, usability and message testing, and all types of user research. Sandy is a leading expert in engaging people with limited literacy skills in the user-centered design process. She directs CommunicateHealth’s stellar UX team, delivering value to clients like the CDC, NIH, and the Veterans Health Administration — and simplifying the user experience for millions of healthcare consumers.
  • Adam Moorman
    Creative Director
    Adam Moorman
    Adam is a skilled visual communicator, and he takes pride in his graphic versatility. In his travels he has encountered and conquered: digital (web, email, user interface), branding and identity, traditional print, and design education. Adam’s goal is to provide our clients with a clean, clear, and precise design. Like most of his colleagues, he divides his time between CommunicateHealth’s visual and experience design teams.
  • Andrea Mongler, MPH
    Senior Health Writer
    Andrea Mongler, MPH
    Andrea is a talented writer with a passion for public health and a knack for translating complicated medical research into plain language. She’s dedicated to making even the toughest health topics understandable and approachable. Andrea crafts clear, concise, and engaging health content that is accessible to low-literacy audiences — and a pleasure to read for everyone else.
  • Blythe Miller, MPH
    Senior Editor
    Blythe Miller, MPH
    Blythe is a gifted health writer and editor (and resident Deadhead) who transforms complicated medical information into original, plain language content. She specializes in sexual health, and her friendly tone and conversational style make this tricky health topic a lot more approachable.
  • Chuck Dowe
    Front End Drupal Developer
    Chuck Dowe
    Chuck is a seasoned front-end developer who excels at using Drupal to build streamlined, accessible digital solutions. With experience working in the non-profit and higher education sectors, Chuck is committed to creating intuitive, user-friendly websites and online tools that help people access the information they need.
  • Claire Schorin, MPH
    Health Communication Associate
    Claire Schorin, MPH
    Claire is an enthusiastic project coordinator who keeps tasks rolling and team spirits high. With a background in sexual health and communication, she is committed to creating health materials that meet audiences where they’re at. When she’s not coordinating client deliverables, you can find Claire trying to sneak puns into CommunicateHealth’s portfolio.
  • Clare Mather
    Health Communication Manager
    Clare Mather
    Clare is a talented health writer and savvy project coordinator with a background in public health communication. Whether she is writing plain language health content or coordinating tasks across project teams, Clare specializes in crafting communications that are clear, easy to understand, and mindful of her audience's needs.
  • Corinne Berry, MA
    Research Director
    Corinne Berry, MA

    Corinne is a brilliant health communicator — and a total research geek. With more than a decade of experience in communication consulting, mixed-methods research, and intervention design, she always has her target audience in mind. She's a go-to moderator and skilled research strategist who brings a bit of sunshine to every project.

  • David Pearl
    User Experience Designer
    David Pearl
    David is a creative thinker with a knack for designing intuitive user interfaces and engaging infographics. Drawing on his experience developing health tech innovations in refugee communities, he always keeps his end user’s needs in mind. In his spare time, you can find him pitching his next app ideas at health hackathons.
  • Dena Fisher, MPH
    Health Communication Manager
    Dena Fisher, MPH
    Dena is a skilled project manager with 18 years of experience in health communication and social marketing. She leads interdisciplinary teams through every aspect of communication planning, from research and strategy to product development and community engagement. Dena is a passionate advocate for public health — and just the woman you want at the helm of your next communication campaign.
  • Deshani Gunathilake
    Social Media Communication Associate
    Deshani Gunathilake
    A skilled social media coordinator and plain language writer, Deshani's specialty is digital channel development and management. She is committed to improving health outcomes by using digital and social media channels to deliver easy-to-understand health information and products to consumer and professional audiences.
  • Elise McCabe
    Web and Graphic Designer
    Elise McCabe
    Elise is an innovative visual problem solver with a passion for getting to the root of an issue. The user and the bigger picture drive the holistic design solutions she crafts for clients. She is enthusiastic about being a lifelong learner and employing a less is more approach to design (and life).
  • Emily Brostek, MPH, CHES
    Senior Content Manager
    Emily Brostek, MPH, CHES
    Emily is a skilled project manager with 10+ years of experience in health education, patient advocacy, and health policy. She leads multidisciplinary teams through complex projects, keeping budgets and timelines on track and ensuring client requirements are aligned with user needs. Emily is committed to empowering people with the information they need to care for their health.
  • Emma Scarpa, MPH
    Content Manager
    Emma Scarpa, MPH
    Emma is a skilled writer and project manager with experience in public health research and program administration. She excels at working with multidisciplinary teams to develop and maintain health content that’s easy to access and understand. Emma is dedicated to promoting health equity by ensuring that everyone has access to clear, culturally appropriate health information.
  • Fred Van Geloven, MS
    User Experience Designer
    Fred Van Geloven, MS
    Fred is a seasoned user experience designer, a creative thinker, and a problem solver. He takes pride in delivering accessible interfaces that are fun to use. Fred has played a variety of roles on digital design projects of all sizes throughout his career. These experiences, combined with his background in communication, make him an indispensable member of the team.
  • CH Alumn
  • Hannah Herrington, MPH, CPH, CHES
    Health Communication Manager
    Hannah Herrington, MPH, CPH, CHES
    Hannah is a skilled, results-oriented project manager with more than a decade of experience in public health, health education, and communication. She excels at leading teams in tackling tricky public health topics like chronic disease management and mental health. Her mission: to create user-friendly, actionable products that delight clients — and inspire people to take charge of their health.
  • Janel Schuh, PhD
    Senior Research Scientist, Health Communication
    Janel Schuh, PhD
    Janel is a highly skilled quantitative and qualitative researcher who is endlessly curious about health communication. With more than a dozen years of applied research and strategic communication experience, she helps clients create — and validate — communication-based solutions to challenging health issues. Janel loves interacting with people from all backgrounds and working with them to improve their health.
  • Jason Morris
    Senior Web Developer
    Jason Morris
    Jason is a front-end developer who prides himself on creating clean, responsive, intuitive websites. While he accepts (and even embraces) the constantly changing landscape of web development, he always stays focused on the essentials — keeping sites fast and accessible for all users on an increasing variety of devices.
  • Jeff Lee, MS
    Web Developer
    Jeff Lee, MS
    Jeff provides essential back-end application development and database support for our products — the behind-the-scenes work that users rely on, even when they don’t know it. Jeff is devoted to meeting industry best practices and increasing efficiency in our work — and happy to be part of a team advancing public health.
  • Jenna Paulsen, MFA
    HR Specialist
    Jenna Paulsen, MFA
    Jenna is a skilled HR and Operations pro with a background in art and design. In addition to helping new staff members learn the ropes, she coordinates benefits and helps keep CommunicateHealth company policies up to date. She also jumps in on the occasional design, IT, finance, or general office support task, and she firmly believes that all-staff emails pair best with memes.
  • Jessica Guernsey, MA
    Administrative Associate
    Jessica Guernsey, MA
    Jess happily keeps the Northampton office running with seltzer and spirit. Whether she's onboarding new hires, coordinating interviews, tackling IT issues, or scheduling meetings, her exuberant disposition and thoughtful care for the needs of her colleagues shines through.
  • Katie Cheung
    Employee Experience Manager
    Katie Cheung
    Katie’s dedication to the principles of public health makes her a fantastic asset to our team — as does her experience in community-based research, data analytics, and health writing. She supports content and research projects to make sure things run smoothly and the end product exceeds user (and client!) expectations.
  • Katie Lish
    Health Communication Coordinator
    Katie Lish
    With a background in health education and promotion, Katie is a creative, thoughtful project coordinator who’s ready to jump in wherever she is needed. With keen enthusiasm and flawless attention to detail, she support teams in creating clear, easy-to-use health communication products that empower people to live healthier, happier lives.
  • Katie MacKay, MPH
    Health Communication Associate
    Katie MacKay, MPH
    Katie believes in the power of accessible public health information to combat health disparities. With a background in education, gender studies, and public health, she brings a multi-dimensional perspective to all her communication work. Whether she’s coordinating tasks across teams or double-checking deliverables, Katie approaches the job with diligence and empathy.
  • Katrina Lanahan, MPH
    Digital Projects Director
    Katrina Lanahan, MPH
    Katrina loves to solve problems, so she’s right at home leading the project teams that tackle CommunicateHealth’s toughest technical challenges. She excels at synthesizing user research findings, health behavior theories, and UX best practices to develop innovative websites and digital tools. In every project, Katrina’s former life as a usability moderator keeps her laser-focused on the end user’s needs.
  • Kim Hassell, MPH
    Health Communication Manager
    Kim Hassell, MPH
    With expertise in health communication and contract management, Kim is a double threat — and a valuable asset to her project teams. At CommunicateHealth, Kim manages large-scale digital communication projects. Her conversational style and sharp instincts make complex projects an absolute breeze for teams, clients, and end users alike.
  • Laura Willwerth, MA, MFA
    Editor
    Laura Willwerth, MA, MFA
    Laura is a talented plain language writer who enjoys turning complicated health information into approachable, friendly content. With a background in creative writing and teaching, she approaches all her projects with a focus on clear communication and actionable messages.
  • Laura Baker
    Design Associate
    Laura Baker
    Laura is a versatile digital artist with a background in both animation and video game design. Her wide-ranging design interests inspire her to learn new skills and stay on the cutting edge of the field. Informed by a “simple is best” philosophy, Laura crafts straightforward, elegant design solutions that make health information accessible — and beautiful.
  • Lauren Eller
    Health Writer
    Lauren Eller
    Lauren is a skilled plain language health writer — and a bona fide word nerd. With a background in journalism and health policy, she transforms complex, technical health content into engaging copy that is accessible and relevant to her readers. Lauren’s favorite punctuation mark is the em-dash.
  • Leann Hennessey, MPH
    Health Writer
    Leann Hennessey, MPH
    Leann is a talented, empathetic writer who’s devoted to "cutting the clutter" in health communication materials. Drawing on her experience promoting nutrition and food access in food-insecure communities, Leann creates accessible, actionable plain language content that empowers vulnerable populations and improves health outcomes.
  • Lishai Goldstein
    Health Communication Associate
    Lishai Goldstein
    Lishai is a dedicated project manager who asks the right questions at the right times, helping project teams create health communication products that empower people to live healthier lives. We dig her cheerful presence, her impeccable attention to detail, and her commitment to advancing health literacy, especially around vaccines, maternal and child health, reproductive and sexual health, and diabetes.
  • Lizzie Barnett, ScD
    Senior Research Scientist, Health Communication
    Lizzie Barnett, ScD
    Lizzie is a Harvard-trained public health researcher who specializes in qualitative research and program evaluation. She excels at developing measurement tools and surveys, generating mixed-methods protocols, and synthesizing and translating findings to help create healthier communities. Lizzie’s thoughtfully designed studies yield rich insights to inform local, state, and federal health initiatives.
  • Luisa Ramirez
    Health Communication Manager
    Luisa Ramirez
    Luisa is passionate about using health education to empower people to make healthy choices. With a background in global health, she has experience working on health campaigns with diverse populations. At CommunicateHealth, Luisa helps our project teams stay organized by coordinating tasks and facilitating communication among team members.
  • Mareika Phillips
    Senior Graphic Designer
    Mareika Phillips
    Mareika is an accomplished design professional with diverse experience — ranging from hand-drawn typography and illustration to web and user experience design. Her visual solutions are always innovative — a reflection of her passion for aesthetics balanced with sharp strategic insight.
  • Matt Berry
    Senior Web Developer
    Matt Berry
    Matt is a web developer who enjoys solving unusual problems. He draws on his experience of creating research websites in higher education in order to create clean, simple systems for maintaining complex sites.
  • Michael Mercurio, MFA
    Executive Assistant
    Michael Mercurio, MFA
    With experience in HR, administration, and finance, Michael is an operations all-star who’s willing to jump in wherever he’s needed. But he really shines in providing executive support for our CEO and helping to advance CommunicateHealth’s corporate priorities — especially new business initiatives and those involving diversity, equity, and inclusion.
  • Mikaela Momot, MPH
    Communication Associate
    Mikaela Momot, MPH
    Mikaela is a project coordinator who believes that people's health shouldn't be negatively impacted by complex and hard-to-understand health information. A former CommunicateHealth summer intern, she has a background in both public health and communication, and a true passion for health literacy.
  • Michael Godin, MS
    Web Developer
    Michael Godin, MS
    Mike’s responsible for transforming CommunicateHealth’s original ideas and designs into accessible, high-performance applications for the web. He’s worked in government, industry, and non-profit realms on topics ranging from environmental risk management to underwater robotics.
  • Monika Ramnarayan, MPH
    Communication Associate
    Monika Ramnarayan, MPH
    With a background in research and program development, Monika supports project teams in creating health communication products that combine design thinking principles with public health approaches. Her strong coordination skills, flawless attention to detail, and commitment to promoting health equity make her a talented project coordinator — and a great fit for CommunicateHealth.
  • Rachel Pryzby, MPH, CHES
    Executive Vice President
    Rachel Pryzby, MPH, CHES
    Rachel believes that health information can be beautiful — and fun! At CommunicateHealth, she leads talented interdisciplinary teams towards that goal, through creative strategy, precise planning, and a dash of good humor. You can usually find Rachel writing content, leading brainstorm sessions, managing budgets, or geeking out about the latest public health research.
  • Rachel Martin, MPH
    Research Associate
    Rachel Martin, MPH
    Rachel loves digging for answers to tough research questions and collaborating with her colleagues on research reports, coordinating data collection, and keeping the research team on track. Rachel is passionate about helping teen and college-aged populations choose healthy behaviors. When she's not in the Northampton office, you can find her perfecting her karaoke repertoire.
  • Rachel Oziel, MPH
    Research Manager
    Rachel Oziel, MPH
    Rachel is passionate about building healthier communities by creating health information that people can understand and use.  When she’s not assisting the team with project management and research tasks, you can find her  at community photo shoots  for  CommunicateHealth's new stock image website, Picture Public Health.
  • Rebecca Wright
    Senior Content Strategist
    Rebecca Wright
    Rebecca is a skilled writer and editor who specializes in applying CommunicateHealth’s content-first ethos to complex digital UX and research projects. Whether she’s crafting an intuitive information architecture or refining a tricky health insurance enrollment tool, Rebecca is committed to advocating for the end user at every step along the way.
  • Sami Cohen, MPH
    Senior Health Communication Manager
    Sami Cohen, MPH
    With joie de vivre, Sami leads project teams in developing thoughtful, innovative solutions to tricky health communication challenges — on time and in budget. She’s a deft project manager and talented public health professional who can manage even the most complex projects with ease.
  • Sarah Pomerantz, MPH, CPH
    Project Director
    Sarah Pomerantz, MPH, CPH
    Sarah is passionate about environmental justice. And it’s a good thing, because she directs our environmental health work. It’s Sarah’s job to oversee the research, design, and development of stellar communication products — for professionals and the public. She’s also a data nerd, lending her expertise to national initiatives like DATA2020.
  • Sean Arayasirikul, MSPH, PhD, CHES
    Senior Research Scientist, Health Communication
    Sean Arayasirikul, MSPH, PhD, CHES
    Sean is a social and behavioral researcher who studies how racial, ethnic, and other minority populations make complex decisions about their health care. He’s committed to a “high-touch, high-tech” approach to our websites and digital tools — creating cutting-edge tech that’s approachable and empowering.
  • Sonja Favaloro
    Web Associate
    Sonja Favaloro
    With experience in digital communication and environmental justice, Sonja supports CommunicateHealth teams in building large-scale websites and other digital products. Whether she’s coordinating client calls, organizing a team meeting, or helping with web development tasks, Sonja’s focus and friendliness make her an asset to all her project teams.
  • Taryn Sanks
    Researcher, User Experience
    Taryn Sanks
    Taryn is a skilled researcher who solves complex usability problems using a human-centered design approach. She excels at integrating qualitative and quantitative methods to help project teams develop useful, usable digital products. Taryn approaches new health communication challenges with enthusiasm, developing innovative solutions that meet user (and client!) needs.
  • Vicki Chapman
    Web Developer
    Vicki Chapman
    With more than 15 years of experience in front-end web development, Vicki is well-versed in modern technologies and web standards, including responsive design best practices. Her background in art gives her a keen visual eye and helps her create websites that are attractive, user-friendly, and accessible.
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Meet our partners.

Noah Smith

Noah SmithNoah Smith co-founded Common Media in 2007 after completing a Master’s degree in Computer Science at Tufts University. Since then, Noah has built Common Media into an award-winning web development firm. Noah’s primary responsibilities are business development, solutions architecture, and company-wide technical direction.

 

Morgan Griffin

Morgan GriffinMorgan has spent his career in health communication, most recently as a content guru at CommunicateHealth, and before that as reporter and editor with WebMD. His ongoing mission: to root out baffling medical jargon wherever he can and to create guidance that’s both compassionate and clear.