Donna L. LaVoie
President and Chief Executive Officer

Donna has over 15 years in business strategy, corporate communications, public and investor relations. Since starting the agency in 2001, Donna’s efforts combine building the agency’s pharmaceutical and life science practices, strategic direction and core competencies. Under Donna’s leadership, LaVoie Group has become the acknowledged leader in life science and pharmaceutical communications. For the past three years, LaVoie Group was named “Best Industry Exclusive Agency” by the LACP. Additionally, the firm has received several prestigious awards for their efforts on behalf of their clients.

Her focus is in helping clients build their companies and brands during transformational times. Her approach centers on bringing a credible voice with key audiences while providing strategic counsel that builds value. She brings knowledge of all aspects of the corporate marketing effort and the integration of strategic options to the overall mix. One of her core strengths is the development of strong relationships among industry, venture, and investor communities and media.

Prior to leading LaVoie Group as President and CEO, Donna was a communications and investor relations practitioner, having spent her career in senior communications and investor relations roles at leading biopharmaceutical and technology firms.

Donna held the position of Vice President, Corporate and Strategic Marketing at Stream International (now Solectron), Vice President of Investor Relations at Cambridge Technology Partners (now Novell, Inc.), and senior communications and investor relations roles at several life sciences companies including Ergo Science Corporation, Alkermes, Inc., and Genzyme Corporation, where she led the company’s corporate communications and public relations efforts.

She is a frequent speaker and has been published on a variety of subjects including integrated and crisis communications, investor and public relations best practices. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from Lesley College and has completed a strategic marketing program at The Wharton School. Donna is also a member of the National Investor Relations Institute and is Co-Chair of the Marketing and Communications Committee for the Mass Biotech Council (MBC).

Cindy Miller
Vice President, Product and Marketing Communications

Cindy has over 13 years of experience and extensive background in pharmaceutical marketing and communications, strategic marketing analysis and planning, and thought leader advocacy relations. During the course of her career, Cindy has specialized in working across a broad spectrum in multiple therapeutic areas that include integrated program development and management, promotional advertising, medical education, public relations and direct-to-consumer communications for a number of pharmaceutical and life science clients.

Prior to joining the LaVoie Group, Cindy worked with multiple advertising and medical education companies, where she was responsible for strategic advice and planning. Her role included leading multiple teams and supporting client’s brands for some of the largest pharmaceutical and specialty pharmaceuticals. Over the course of her career, she has played a fundamental role in the planning and execution of pre and post product launches in multiple therapeutic areas that include: infectious disease, allergy/respiratory, women’s and men’s health, cardiovascular, diabetes and gastroenterology. Cindy's background includes expertise in integrated communication strategies; thought leader and advocacy relations; branding and positioning; scientific communications; digital and multimedia, and brand collateral development.

Cindy has experience developing key relationships with patient advocacy groups, including managing large-scale collaborative disease awareness educational campaigns that include- “Get Hip to Hep” and “Her Heart Community”, advisory meeting, national and local programs, and key stakeholder meetings. she holds an MBA degree in Marketing from Long Island University and BA in Biology from Boston University.

Carey Pilato
Vice President, Public Relations

Carey Pilato brings almost 20 years of experience working with multiple public relations, advertising and medical education companies to LaVoie Group. His extensive background includes work in public affairs, global communications, branding strategy, marketing, and planning for leading healthcare, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, and medical device clients.

Carey specializes in developing key relationships with government, not-for-profits, patients and advocacy groups. He has worked with companies such as AstraZeneca, sanofi-aventis, ConvaTec, Amhersham Health, Sanofi-Pasteur, BD, Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis, and healthcare nonprofits such as the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Lung Association. Carey also has significant experience directing communications initiatives and public affairs in government, having worked under three different Members of Congress.

He has played a primary role in planning and execution of pre and post product launches in multiple therapeutic areas including oncology, hematology, gastroenterology, dermatology, infectious disease, diagnostic imaging, vaccines, wound and ostomy care, medical devices, asthma, and respiratory diseases.  Recently, Carey was instrumental in re-launching The Faces of Influenza campaign, a grass roots regional and local effort to increase annual influenza vaccinations supported by industry, government, medical societies, and multiple national non-profit organizations.

Previously, Carey has worked for the Cooney Waters Group, the Zeno Group in New York City, Ribotsky Worldwide (now Core Create, Inc. of Somerset, New Jersey), Fleishman Hillard in NYC, and McKinsey & Company in New Jersey. Mr. Pilato holds a B.A. in Political Science from York College of Pennsylvania.

Lindsay Treadway
Senior Account Leader, Pharmaceutical Accounts

As a Senior Account Leader at LaVoie Group, Lindsay works on integrated program development and management, public relations, corporate and product communications, for a number of pharmaceutical and life sciences clients. In addition, she works on developing traditional and social media strategies, advocacy relations, consumer and physician education campaigns, and issues management support for LaVoie Group’s growing array of life science and pharmaceutical clients.

Prior to joining the LaVoie Group, Lindsay worked in Cambridge, MA at Feinstein Kean Healthcare (FKH) where she supported a number of specialty pharmaceutical clients. During her time at FKH, Lindsay played a fundamental role in the planning and execution of product launches, national and local media outreach, KOL relationship management, the development of brochure and print materials, press documents and corporate presentations. Lindsay has experience developing key relationships with patient advocacy groups, including managing large-scale collaborative disease awareness educational campaigns, national public service announcements, and key stakeholder meetings. She has worked with a number of clients in the pharmaceutical industry, including Pfizer to support pre commercialization/launch for an orphan drug and the growing rare disease portfolio, Reckitt Benckiser on a medication for opioid dependence, Novartis’s ADHD franchise, Dey Pharmaceuticals for a COPD medication and Labopharm’s chronic pain medication in Canada.

Lindsay also served in the serology department at Acambis, Inc. where she specialized in vaccination research, focusing primarily on novel vaccines for infectious diseases. Prior to working in the biotechnology industry, she interned at Harvard Health Publications in Boston, MA and was responsible for media relations and corporate communications. Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications and a Liberal Arts Minor in Biology from Boston University.

Liz Pingpank
Account Executive

Liz joins LaVoie Group with a background in life sciences/healthcare, public relations, event planning, and corporate finance. As an Account Executive, Liz's client-related activities include public relations, corporate communications, investor relations and branding programs for various life sciences accounts. In addition, she provides media relations, project management, competitive tracking and information gathering services for LaVoie Group clients and manages the Life Sciences Events Planning Calendar featuring investor, medical and industry events.

Prior to joining LaVoie, she was an Account Representative at Lois Paul & Partners, a PR agency in Woburn, MA. At LP&P, her duties included media pitching, analyst relations, identifying and pitching speaking opportunities,drafting press releases and bylines, and conducting social media efforts for life sciences and hi-tech clients. Liz also worked in UBS’s Healthcare Investment Banking Group as a Market Data Analyst, responsible for executing the group’s Life Sciences, Healthcare Services, and Specialty Pharmaceuticals conferences. In addition, she provided competitive intelligence on companies, trends, and products, tracked competitor and industry conferences, and provided news briefs for senior management.

Liz holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Georgetown University.

Nicole Franklin
Strategic Media and Public Relations Consultant

Nicole Franklin has 14 years of experience developing and implementing public relations programs for healthcare and consumer products.  In her role, Nicole is responsible for developing integrated media relations programs that utilize traditional media outreach, as well as social media and SEO. Nicole will provide expert guidance on strategic and tactical facets of public relations, new product launches, corporate communications, thought leadership initiatives, patient/provider education, clinical data announcements and crisis/issues management. 

Prior to joining the LaVoie Group, Nicole was a senior account manager in the life sciences division at Lois Paul & Partners, where she utilized both traditional and social media strategies to build awareness for new companies in the pharmaceutical and healthcare technology space.   

Previously, Nicole spent over five years working in Porter Novelli’s New York healthcare division, exclusively in the pharmaceutical and healthcare space. Previous clients include Merck/Schering-Plough, GSK, Xanodyne, Merck, Amgen, Shire, and Berlex. She has also worked at Stanton Crenshaw and Ruder Finn, where she was involved with each companies launch and re-positioning; led them through financial situations such as IPOs; and implemented ongoing communications programs for various companies.

Nicole started her career at GCI Group, where she participated in programs to support a number of consumer brands including American Express, Italian Trade Commission, Hebrew National and P&G.  Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Hofstra University. 

Jamie Scranton
Business/Office Manager

As Office Manager, Jamie leads the agency’s best practices in administrative functions including assisting in client and agency communications, the setting of office protocols, coordinating and maintaining office support services, as well as human resources.

Prior to joining LaVoie, Jamie has held numerous professional management positions and her experience spans HR, management and healthcare resource liaison.

Jamie holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Suffolk University and a Juris Doctorate from New England School of Law.

Sharon Correia
Senior Consultant

Sharon has been actively involved for more than 20 years in life science marketing and corporate communications management at both public and private companies.  Her background includes expertise in integrated corporate marketing & communications strategies; investor, public and professional advocacy relations; corporate naming and positioning; branding; government affairs; technical & scientific communications; tradeshow, conference & event planning; website and corporate collateral development.

Most recently, Sharon was the Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Alseres Pharmaceuticals, a microcap biotech firm focused on diagnostics and therapeutics for CNS indications such as Parkinson’s disease and spinal cord injury.  Prior to Alseres, she performed similar roles building innovative corporate, marketing, product and/or investor programs at Aderis Pharmaceuticals, Oscient, Caliper Life Sciences and Millipore.  Sharon also directed a research laboratory and provided expert HPLC customer support services for Waters/Millipore while living in Europe.  She is a member of NIRI, PRSA, MBC and the Neurotech Industry Organization and serves as a member of the National Spinal Cord Outcomes Partnership Endeavor.

Sharon completed her degree in Biochemistry from Penn State University and graduate courses in finance and management from American University.  In 2004 she received the Outstanding Advocacy Award from the Parkinson’s Action Network in Washington, DC and continues to serve on the board and planning committee for the Morris K Udall Achievement Award.  For the past 15 years, she has served as the Chairman of the PR and Marketing committee and member of the executive board of the Metrowest YMCA and holds board seats for various other charitable organizations.