Jennifer R. Owen will join Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University on November 22 as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer.
Jennifer R. Owen will join Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University on November 22 as Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. Owen will lead Winship's communications team who work to promote the institute's research, treatment, and educational mission as Georgia's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Owen comes to Winship from the VCU Massey Cancer Center in Richmond, Va., where she was Senior Director of Public Relations and Marketing Communications for more than 11 years.
"What really attracted me to Winship," Owen said in an interview, "is that it already has such a strong, phenomenal reputation in all the places that matter. I really and truly care about the mission to improve cancer care, and the best way to do that is through strong research and education. So I am passionate about the 'tripartite' mission of cancer research, care and education."
Winship leaders are equally enthusiastic about welcoming Owen. "We are excited to welcome Mrs. Jenny Owen as our new CMCO," said Suresh S. Ramalingam, MD, Winship's executive director and the Robert C. Goizueta Chair for Cancer Research at Emory School of Medicine "Winship is making strong strides in improving the lives of patients with cancer through research, education and clinical care. Jenny will play the anchor role in communicating the exceptional work done at Winship with our key constituents."
Kimberly F. Kerstann, PhD, Winship's chief administrative officer, added, "We are thrilled to have Jenny join the Winship team. Her wealth of knowledge and experience in communications and marketing at NCI-designated cancer centers will be transformational for our program. We are all excited to work with her as we advance Winship's mission together."
Amy Comeau, MBA, vice president of marketing for Emory Healthcare, said, "I look forward to having Jenny join our strong Emory Healthcare marketing leadership team to build Emory's cancer brand and attract and retain patients who benefit from the life-changing cancer care, only found at NCI-designated cancer centers." She added, "Individuals who choose Winship also benefit from the wide resources available, from primary care to cardiology and more than 70 specialties in between, at Emory Healthcare, the most comprehensive academic health system in the state of Georgia."
Owen is excited not only to continue working in the cancer space, but at Winship in particular. "Winship has always been on my radar," she said. "It has a very strong reputation among other NCI cancer centers. That says a lot—not just about the quality of the work, but the goodness of the people. That is what attracted me as an employer."
She said that Winship has "great stories to be told," and she is excited to help tell them. "It's not just about helping to build and protect the Winship reputation," she said, "but helping the community to really understand the role of an NCI-designated cancer center and how that benefits their community, and to help them build an affinity for and support of Winship, and really build pride in having such a stellar place in their own backyard—and why that matters."
Owen added that she also sees her role as helping Winship employees and supporters to "feel a real sense of pride for the accomplishments and the impact that the cancer institute is having on the community—and not just the local community, but the worldwide community because, as we make these excellent advancements, it has the potential to save lives all over the world."
