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Stephanie DeViteri
President, North America at Inizio Evoke Comms
Stephanie DeViteri is the President of North America at Inizio Evoke Comms, a position she assumed on April 15, 2024.12 She is a seasoned healthcare communications professional with over 20 years of experience in the industry.3
Key aspects of Stephanie DeViteri's career and role:
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Current position: As President of North America, she oversees Inizio Evoke Comms' North America communications client portfolio, business development, executive leadership team, and more than 150 employees in the region.1
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Career history: DeViteri spent nearly 20 years at Inizio Evoke Comms and its predecessor agencies before briefly joining MSL as U.S. health practice lead in 2022.1 She returned to Inizio Evoke Comms in 2024.4
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Expertise: Her expertise spans product and pipeline communications, market shaping, disease awareness, crisis management, patient advocacy, and regulatory milestone support.3
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Recognition: DeViteri has been recognized in PR Week's 2024 Health Influencer 30 lineup, named a Rising Star by the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association, and honored as a PharmaVOICE 100.3
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Education: She earned a bachelor of arts degree in communication with a specialization in public relations and minor in psychology from Rowan University.3
Stephanie DeViteri is known for her strategic insight, leadership style that promotes client partnerships and high-performing teams, and her commitment to making health more human.31
Highlights
This is my mom, Henrietta. She’s one of the kindest and most resilient women you’ll ever meet, the best listener and my biggest fan. She would proudly tell people I told stories for a living, and for a long time, anytime a health story was featured on a morning show, she’d ask “did you get that segment?” She was one of those rare people who understood my career in PR. I say “was” because while she’s still with us, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2017 and doesn’t remember many things, including what I do for a living. I can’t call her to tell her about my day because she can’t use a phone. I can’t ask her for advice because she can’t easily find her words. I can’t take her for a drive to our favorite happy hour spot because she’s wheelchair bound (and also, definitely isn’t into happy hours these days).
But as we enter Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, I’m reminded of what I CAN do with, and for, my mom. I can share stories that make her laugh. I can make her smile by telling her how much I love her. I can hug her tightly and share dessert because she’s never lost her love for hugs or sweets. But most importantly, I can be her voice and advocate for the care she deserves. Too often, she’s been a victim of a healthcare system that simply isn’t set up to support people or families who are living with a degenerative condition where there is no cure and very few treatments that make a meaningful difference. It’s frustrating and depleting. But also, humbling.
While my mom’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis was devastating for our family, it has taught us so much and brought us closer than we’d ever imagine. And I’m grateful to work in an industry where I “tell stories for a living” that bring awareness and inspire action. I have my mom to thank for being my daily inspiration.
#ENDALZ #HealthMoreHuman
Last week, I had the chance to attend the PRWeek Healthcare Conference in NYC with my colleague, Theresa Liddy Dolge. I enjoy this conference every year, not simply because it’s fun to reunite with former colleagues and clients, but we get to hear from and connect with industry leaders on some of the most pressing health issues.
Here are some of the biggest learnings we took away:
👩⚕️ Women’s health was a hot topic, with period positivity serving as the opening keynote. While progress has been made in how we talk about and treat menstruation, women in the US – more than in any other country – still face shame and restrictions related to their periods, including a lack of free period products in schools. Brands have an opportunity to lean into existing gaps to address women’s health head on and educate consumers in a positive way.
🤝🏼 Authenticity is key in creating partnerships to advance health equity. Organizations that meet communities where they are can make a bigger, more positive impact.
🔓 Weight stigma and bias are pervasive in our society. Although we’re seeing significant innovations in how we treat excess weight with anti-obesity medications, they are out of reach for many people living with obesity due to high costs or supply issues. It’s clear we can’t simply educate about obesity and weight health – we have to support and advocate for systems that ensure greater access to treatment.
👩🏾🤝👨🏻 What we say and how we say it is critical – particularly when trying to reach historically disregarded communities. From grassroots organizations to advocacy at the state level, it’s important for healthcare communications to be backed and informed by research and have set KPIs to maximize impact.
As healthcare continues to evolve, our mission at Inizio Evoke Comms remains the same, to make health more human. I’m proud today and every day to be part of a forward-thinking global agency that supports clients in advancing health and wellbeing for patients and communities around the world.
#PRWeekHealthcare #Pharma #Communications
