Michelle Mendes Email & Phone Number

Baltimore, Md, Us

Rockville, Maryland, United States

Responsible for building a technology-enabled service to help patients take medication. Oversaw program development, operations, hiring, technical documentation, and clinical and support staff management. Managed a team of 40+ individuals (combination full time employees and full time contractors) who facilitated the operations 46 customers that constituted the majority of the company’s revenue.Rapidly expanded the Patient Solutions department and built new processes and team structures in response to COVID-19-related business growth, including developing new roles, launching new customer types, standardizing customer implementation plans, and establishing auditable billing processes.Oversaw the project management of research projects supported by $5 million in NIH grants. Developed and managed the execution of research growth strategy to align business goals, product roadmap development, and service implementation needs. Initiated an engagement and onboarding campaign for patients with chronic conditions to encourage participation in an adherence program.

Baltimore, Maryland Area

Baltimore, Maryland

Supervised emocha’s brand, reputation, and communications strategy to facilitate growth and serve new markets. Managed all aspects of communications and marketing, such as media relations, content development, event management, stakeholder engagement, and digital media. Led communications efforts surrounding NIH Small Business Innovation Research Program-funded projects, including those supporting the use of technology to support patients with opioid use disorder. Oversaw advocacy efforts around new Medicare reimbursement policies, galvanizing stakeholders to echo organizational messages. Upon policy approval, executed a communications plan to position emocha as a thought leader, which led to presentations to several state associations and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Patients Over Paperwork Committee. Expanded the communications/marketing department, managing two FTEs and coordinated efforts with external public relations partnerships.Garnered top-tier media coverage, including placements in The Hill, POLITICO Magazine, and the Associated Press.Led the relaunch of emocha’s website, including oversight of an external development firm. Developed the company’s first communications strategies and core messages.Composed external communications materials (e.g., fact sheets, blog posts, PowerPoint presentations, etc.) and edited communications products for accuracy, syntax, and format.

Served as a senior communications advisor, developing and executing an agency-wide communications plan to improve health in Baltimore City, eliminate disparities, and establish the department as a public health leader.Expanded national media presence, securing coverage in PBS NewsHour, NPR, The Hill, Politico, USA Today, STAT, Buzzfeed, Fusion, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, NBC, CBS, CNN and CNBC.Led the launch of the department’s first-ever civic tech program, which leveraged the city’s startup community to bring attention to and solve public health needs through technology. Launch led to local and national coverage, including VICE News. Participated as an active member of the agency’s senior leadership team, routinely advising on overall agency strategy.Oversaw the agency’s branding overhaul, constituting a substantial update to materials to align with current goals, target audiences, and best practices.Cultivated relationships to receive in-kind communications support, including partnerships with T. Rowe Price and the University of Maryland Department of Communication.Solidified core messaging and led media outreach for priority areas, such as substance use disorder & maternal health. Managed the agency’s website and led the strategy for its online presence, including Facebook and Twitter pages, which increased by hundreds of followers during my tenure.Supervised a full-time staff member responsible for marketing communications support.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Developed and implemented strategic communications activities for health advocacy programs, including Pew’s state-based dental and federal school nutrition policy campaigns. Responsible for translating health care research and policy into accurate and compelling narratives.Established a relationship with the USDA that resulted in the agency’s adoption of Pew’s messaging on school nutrition topics, mention of the project’s work in multiple announcements, and invitation to participate in a joint media teleconference with the Secretary.Developed and executed a plan involving traditional media outreach, online advertising, partner coordination, and social media engagement to generate 200,000 comments for school nutrition standards.Secured top-tier media coverage in publications such as the Associated Press, Bloomberg, FOX News, New York Times, Reuters, TIME, and The Wall Street Journal, including front-page stories in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and TIME for Kids.Managed communications efforts in five states for legislative campaigns to improve access to dental care.Developed the message training curricula used for school nutrition advocacy days.Devised the release plan and created materials for national poll, resulting in tweets from First Lady Michelle Obama and New York Times writer Mark Bittman that linked directly to Pew’s content.Oversaw the coordination of data collection to develop various communication products, including the publication of two national research reports, four surveys, and numerous fact sheets and infographics.

Washington D.C. Metro Area

Conducted media relations, participated in grassroots outreach initiatives, and supported search engine optimization efforts for federal government and private sector clients.Supported U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with a national communications campaign to encourage adoption of health IT and meet meaningful use standards for EHRs. Responsible for generating in-market media coverage for strategic technical investments. Worked with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to raise awareness of and increase enrollment rates for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Provided technical assistance to state-based grantees through customizable materials, social media engagement, and media analysis.Managed and secured media coverage for Best Buy’s Geek Squad in the Baltimore market.Conducted media outreach to raise awareness of DC Public Schools’ anti-truancy campaign.Supported new business activities through the development proposals for government health agencies, including serving as the project manager to complete a $1M+ proposal for NHLBI that Ketchum won.

Provided real-time monitoring and analysis of online discussions about clients.

Developed content for the hospital's print and online resources, including the quarterly newsletter, Patient and Visitor web page revamp, and Facebook and YouTube accounts. Supported the hospital's special events through venue research, on-site logistics coordination, and volunteer recruitment.

Assisted in the development of the organization's communication strategies, strategic plan and fundraising initiatives. Accomplishments included fostering relationships between the organization's executive director and local business and non-profit leaders, connecting the organization to potential donors, and identifying key stakeholders in the community.

Managed a team of four HR assistants and handled student employment activities throughout the department. Responsible for developing and implementing student recruitment initiatives, maintaining personnel information, and processing employment contracts. Accomplishments included planning and executing the department's first Terp Transportation Fair, which has since become an annual recruitment and customer service event. During my tenure, the department achieved all recruitment objectives and overcame a student driver shortage.