Team

Our team of senior-level professionals brings skill, experience, and dedication to every program.

  • Chris Smith

    Chris founded SmithSolve in 2006 to offer more strategic and integrated communication and patient engagement programs. His experience in health communications spans more than three decades, with leadership positions in global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and public relations firms.

    Chris and his teams are at the forefront of developing new strategies and tools to involve patients in the development and commercialization of new therapies. With deep experience in rare diseases and gene therapies, he knows how to address the scientific, medical, clinical, social, and economic aspects of bringing new medicines to patients.

    His work on behalf of dozens of biopharma companies includes corporate branding, pipeline communications, data announcements, media relations, investor events, patient advocacy, and patient engagement across many disease areas, including CNS disorders, hematology, metabolic diseases, oncology, and ophthalmology.

    Chris is a founding member of the Rare Collective®, a group of trusted advisors in orphan drug development; a faculty member of Professional Patient Advocates in the Life Sciences (PPALS); and a creator of Fast Forward for RARE, a partnership to prepare rare disease advocates to visit their legislators on Capitol Hill.

    “It’s a great feeling when clients see how communications can educate and motivate people to achieve a common goal of improved health. It strengthens their relationships, builds their reputation and speeds their success.”

  • Katie Burns, MBA

    Executive Vice President and Managing Director

    She’s seriously motivated.

    Katie Burns, MBA

    Katie is the executive vice president and managing director of SmithSolve and is a six-year veteran of the agency. She is responsible for directing the agency’s operations to ensure it achieves its objectives effectively and efficiently. Katie brings almost two decades of experience in developing integrated marketing communications programs across healthcare, business-to-business, non-profit, and consumer industries. She is passionate about client service and delivering results that exceed expectations.

    Prior to joining SmithSolve, Katie led the healthcare practice at a boutique public relations agency where she built and executed thought-leadership, disease awareness, corporate communications, and media relations programs on behalf of marquee clients. She is a faculty member of the Professional Patient Advocates in Life Sciences (PPALS) and a frequent speaker on communications and patient advocacy and engagement topics.

    Katie is certified in healthcare regulatory compliance for Public Relations, Digital Promotion, and Advertising/Promotion through the Center for Communication Compliance. She graduated with a B.A. in public relations from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and completed her Master of Business Administration at Montclair State University.

    “It’s rewarding to be part of a team that involves and empowers stakeholders to help drive healthcare forward.”

  • Lisa Savitt

    Lisa brings more than a decade of experience in strategic development and execution of medical communications programs involving healthcare professionals, patients, and advocacy organizations. She thrives on providing her clients with thoughtful, exceptional service by understanding their needs and offering creative solutions to meet their strategic objectives. Lisa is passionate about details, energized by science, and motivated to help patients and their families.

    Prior to joining SmithSolve, Lisa led the editorial team at a medical communications agency where she managed advisory boards, competitive intelligence workshops, disease state education, commercial launch activities, and publication planning for medical and scientific affairs, marketing, advocacy, outcomes research, and other client teams. Past clients include Amgen, Celgene, Gilead, Pfizer, and Relypsa, among others. Lisa graduated from Dickinson College with a degree in biology and concentration in education.

    “Patients are not their disease. They are people. It is an honor and a privilege to communicate people’s stories, advocate on their behalf, and ultimately improve their lives.”

  • Alex Van Rees

    Vice President of Client Service

    He makes it look easy.

    Alex Van Rees

    Alex is the Vice President of Client Service at SmithSolve and an 11-year veteran of the agency. He is responsible for building, maintaining, and managing internal programs, processes, and resources to ensure high performance teams and overall agency performance. In his role in client service, Alex maintains excellent client relationships through delivery of superior insights and provides access to all network resources to ensure successful delivery against business objectives. In addition, he supports and manages business development efforts.

    Prior to his role in client service, Alex developed and lead corporate, product, and patient-focused communication programs on behalf of rapidly growing biopharmaceutical companies for SmithSolve. He has extensive experience announcing pivotal data, launching corporate and clinical trial websites, preparing for investor-related events, moderating patient panels, among other activities.

    Alex is certified in healthcare regulatory compliance for Public Relations, Digital Promotion, and Advertising/Promotion through the Center for Communication Compliance. He is a graduate of James Madison University with a degree in media arts and design with a concentration in journalism and a minor in Spanish.

    “SmithSolve allows me to grow, develop and hone my communications skills in the healthcare field and ultimately reach my goal of affecting and changing people’s lives.”

  • Rommie Carnevale

    Rommie has more than a decade of experience in marketing communications and patient engagement. He works seamlessly with patient communities, clients, and colleagues to find common ground and speed the development and acceptance of innovative new medicines. In recent years, he has empowered hundreds of patients and caregivers to share their journeys through advocacy training, story development, insights gatherings, and content creation. His intentional and caring approach to these relationships drives meaningful outcomes and successful results.

    Rommie has worked in numerous disease states including beta thalassemia, Crohn’s disease, epilepsy, hemophilia, multiple sclerosis, head and neck squamous cell cancer, psoriasis, and more. His past clients include Bristol Myers Squibb, EMD Serono, Merck, and UCB.

    “Listening is the first step to understanding and improving the lives of the people we serve.”

  • Jim Barton

    Controller

    He unlocks value for clients.

    Jim Barton

    Jim brings more than 20 years of experience in senior accounting positions for leading consulting and advertising firms. In his role at SmithSolve, Jim supports teams and clients by managing finances and analyzing data to inform decisions and maximize results. Throughout his career, Jim has guided the growth of multiple organizations through business planning, benefits administration, insurance, and more. He has a knack for understanding the story behind the numbers. Jim graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a B.B.A. in finance, and from Suffolk University with a Master of Science in accounting. He is an active member of the Institute of Management Accountants.

    “When you join SmithSolve, you quickly realize the agency is more than a business – it’s a mission to improve the lives of patients. Solid financial management makes this possible.”

  • Susan Aromaa

    Susan brings 20 years’ experience working with communities and healthcare clients in communications, advocacy, policy development, and consulting to improve outcomes for individuals affected by disease. At SmithSolve, she partners with clients to tell their stories and advance their work in developing therapies for devastating and life-threatening diseases.

    Before joining the agency, Susan helped a variety of clients reduce health disparities and improve the patient experience in healthcare delivery. She worked with researchers to integrate the patient voice in clinical research and development and to increase diversity in clinical trial participation. Part of this work included engaging communities in education on the research process and leading them through their own community-based research projects.

    In the state of Oregon, Susan has worked with rural health practices to improve health and health care delivery and reduce urban-rural health disparities. She helped healthcare centers incorporate shared decision making and comprehensive primary practices into their patient interactions.

    She has also worked on federal, state, and local drug and alcohol addiction research, policy, and communications advocating for evidence-based treatment and prevention. Susan is certified in healthcare regulatory compliance for Public Relations, Digital Promotion, and Advertising/Promotion through the Center for Communication Compliance. She earned her B.S. in Psychology and Sociology and an M.S. in Communications both from Boston University.

    "We work on important issues for real people. It means that every success is one that really counts."

  • Emily Wu

    Emily joins SmithSolve with more than a decade of experience securing insights that drive drug development and commercialization for biopharma companies. At SmithSolve, she works closely with clients and teams to engage patient communities, boost disease understanding, meet critical needs of patient communities, and ultimately improve health outcomes.

    Emily specializes in research projects such as needs assessments, burden of illness studies, and patient journeys. Her work includes qualitative and quantitative methods, spans global markets, and focuses on rare disease, autoimmune disorders, and oncology. Prior to SmithSolve, Emily was vice president at Fulcrum Research Group and a consultant with the primary market intelligence groups at Trinity Partners (now Trinity) and Quintiles (now IQVIA).

    Emily holds a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience and a minor in the history of science and medicine from the University of Michigan. She received a certificate in patient advocacy training from the Professional Patient Advocates in Life Sciences (PPALS) and Sanford Research Institute, and she is certified in healthcare regulatory compliance for Public Relations, Digital Promotion, and Advertising / Promotion through the Center for Communication Compliance.

    “I listen for how I can help, and strategically connect the dots between needs and solutions for both patient communities and clients.”

  • Kathleen Hayes, MPH

    Kathleen brings over a decade of public health experience, drawing on a rich background in federal government, healthcare, and non-profit organizations. Her diverse background allows her to bring a unique perspective to health communications and cultivate enduring relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

    Kathleen translates complex science into stories and messages that can be easily understood by patients, advocates, the public, and other audiences. Her project management and forward-thinking strategic planning skills earned her a reputation of doing hard things well.

    Prior to joining SmithSolve, Kathleen worked at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a Designated Federal Officer (DFO) managing two high-profile advisory committees. This work involved adhering with regulatory directives and communicating appropriate information to the public to maintain transparency and support education.

    Before her tenure at FDA, she worked as a health scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In her roles in the Office of Science and in the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, she coordinated and managed data quality initiatives and helped to bring the latest technologies to address public health needs across the CDC. She organized and executed a variety of health communication activities, developed communication materials, and disseminated communication tools and public health messages to multiple audiences.

    Kathleen earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) in international health and a B.S. in Human Development from Oregon State University.

     

    “By exercising empathy, you connect with people and create opportunities to inspire and empower them.”

  • Peter Steinberg

    Director of Scientific Content

    He translates science with precision.

    Peter Steinberg

    For more than 20 years, Peter has provided specialized editorial services and strategic counsel to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, medical device manufacturers, managed care organizations and professional societies. As part of the SmithSolve team since 2010, Peter researches and produces medical content for news releases, websites, corporate messages, slide presentations, review articles, newsletters, patient materials and more. Peter takes difficult scientific concepts and makes them easier to understand for a variety of audiences. He works with speed, accuracy and integrity, and has earned the respect of investigators, thought leaders, medical affairs colleagues and management teams.

    "SmithSolve represents clients with compelling research and breakthrough innovation. It’s a privilege to explain what this science means for physicians, patients and society."

  • Logan Ruppel, MA

    Logan brings more than 10 years of experience in health policy research, consumer experience strategy, and public affairs. In his work across multiple industries and with dozens of state governments, Logan provides clients with data and insights that guide informed decisions, drive progress, and improve patient care.

    At SmithSolve, Logan dives into complex aspects of science and healthcare to identify clear solutions and develop engaging, persuasive content. He sees the bigger picture and leverages communications to empower people to be active participants in their healthcare.

    Prior to joining SmithSolve, Logan worked at the Oregon Health and Science University conducting research on behalf of state Medicaid programs. He studied health policy issues including Medicaid enrollment, Medicaid pharmacy benefits, COVID testing, and telehealth provision. Before this, Logan worked in the research and advisory practice of Gartner to help clients center the customer in their strategy and at AARP researching Medicare drug policies, private insurance coverage, and long-term care financing.

    He earned a B.A. in Political Science from American University and an M.A. in Public Management from Johns Hopkins University.

    “Great ideas, even those that can save lives, don’t speak for themselves. They need to be given a voice.”

  • Ellie Leick

    In her role at SmithSolve, Ellie draws on her experience in scientific writing and digital media to conduct research, prepare messages, and support account teams. Prior to joining the agency, she worked for a medical publisher to communicate disease and clinical trial information to oncologists. Ellie knows how to produce high-impact videos and digital content, and she tackles projects with creativity and enthusiasm. She graduated from Rowan University with a B.A. in public relations and writing.

    “I enjoy using digital media as a powerful and evolving tool to meet the needs of patient and physician communities.”

  • Emily Wrzos

    At SmithSolve, Emily supports clients and account teams through advocacy communications, content development, overall project management. She draws on her attention to detail and interpersonal skills to understand project goals and deliver meaningful, measurable results for clients.

    She brings to the agency experience in organizational communication, marketing, strategic public relations, and content writing in the arts and education fields. Emily also spent her childhood as a rare cardiology patient, which helps her relate to the needs and concerns of people living with serious and rare diseases.

    Emily is certified in healthcare regulatory compliance for Public Relations, Digital Promotion, and Advertising/Promotion through the Center for Communication Compliance. She received her M.A in organizational management from The American University of Florence in Italy. Prior to that, Emily graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. in communications and a specialization in strategic public communication and public relations, as well as a B.A. in visual arts.

    “I combine my technical communication skills with my personal experiences to help our clients engage and empower patients and their families.”

  • Lauren Bradley

    Account Executive

    She cares about making a difference.

    Lauren Bradley

    At SmithSolve, Lauren drafts content, conducts research, tracks and manages projects, and coordinates social media on behalf of account teams and clients. She brings a strong work ethic, good listening skills, and a positive attitude to every project. She seizes the opportunity to ask incisive questions, strengthen relationships, and deliver positive results.

    Lauren joins the agency with experience in customer relations, problem solving, and marketing development. She previously managed all social media, digital content, and leasing for her firm and has experience working with healthy consumer food, beverage, beauty, and lifestyle clients. She has had experience working at home health care providing services and working within providing customer relationship management services to life science companies. Lauren has always been interested in being involved in healthcare from some people close to her suffering from rare disease.

    With a passion for working to help others, Lauren values the opportunity to work in making a difference in healthcare and rare disease. She is certified in healthcare regulatory compliance for Public Relations, Digital Promotion, and Advertising/Promotion through the Center for Communication Compliance.

    Lauren graduated from Rowan University with a B.A. in public relations and advertising with a minor in communications studies.

    “I love being a part of a team where our work is making a difference in people’s lives.”

  • Maya Dagher

    At SmithSolve, Maya supports account teams and clients through project management, strategic communication, and content creation. Using a detail-oriented and collaborative approach, she helps to organize work, keep programs on track, and deliver results.

    Maya graduated from Emerson College in May 2025 with a B.S. in Communication Studies with a concentration in healthcare and advocacy. Through her academic and professional experience, Maya has supported collaborative healthcare initiatives and developed a passion for translating complex science into accessible information that resonates with diverse audiences.

    Maya is certified in healthcare regulatory compliance for public relations, digital promotion, and advertising/promotion through the Center for Communication Compliance.

     

    “Healthcare is human. I’m proud to work alongside teams and clients who elevate people’s voices to advance life-changing medicines.”

  • Brooklyn Duncan

    Brooklyn supports clients and account teams by coordinating projects and developing content across programs and channels. She brings creativity, organization, and a thoughtful approach to her work.    

    Prior to joining  SmithSolve, Brooklyn completed internships and contract roles in digital marketing, social media, and integrated marketing communications. Through this hands-on experience, she contributed to communication strategy, brand consistency, and audience engagement.   

    Brooklyn is certified in healthcare regulatory compliance for public relations, digital promotion, and advertising/promotion through the Center for Communication Compliance. She graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.A. in sports media and analytics from the School of Communication with a minor in digital marketing strategy from the Pamplin College of Business.

    “I’m grateful for the opportunity to use my skills to help people feel informed, understood, and connected about their health.”

  • Ray Hogrelius

    Drawing on his creativity and passion for helping others, Ray translates complex information into clear and compelling visuals. With experience working across a variety of design mediums, Ray believes good design can inform people, inspire action, and solve seemingly intractable problems. He finds this is particularly true when explaining science and medicine through meaningful messages that are easily understood and shared.

    Ray approaches every project with a curious mind and applies his knowledge of design to deliver high-quality content.

    Prior to joining SmithSolve, Ray was part of a New York Emmy-nominated team, as well as lead designer at INAGREAT, a New Jersey-based multi-media company. Ray graduated with a BFA in graphic design from Kean University.

    “Great stories inspire great design, and it’s a privilege to work with clients and teams with such powerful information to share.”

  • Bryan Merlucci

    Bryan brings an array of administrative, operational, and planning experience to SmithSolve. In his role as Administrative Executive, he supports the agency’s leaders, teams, and clients by managing a multitude of projects, events, schedules, and deliverables with precise attention to detail. From handling travel requirements for patients to ensuring the office runs smoothly, Bryan consistently exceeds expectations.

    Bryan honed his planning skills at professional service firms in real estate and architecture. In these fast-paced and technical environments, he delivered client projects with reliable quality and accuracy.

    Bryan is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington with a bachelor’s degree in political science and government and an associate’s degree in liberal arts and social sciences.

    “Improving health is important and demanding work. It’s a privilege to help our teams and clients work as efficiently and successfully as possible.”

  • Jean Campbell

    Jean is a nationally recognized advocate for patients with rare diseases. She served the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) for nearly two decades, generating an impressive record of success in membership development, fundraising and corporate relations. As part of her consulting practice, Jean provides the SmithSolve team with valuable perspective and hands-on support. She applies her deep knowledge of non-profit governance to facilitate productive relationships between patient organizations and industry. Her counsel has helped SmithSolve introduce highly effective patient advocacy programs and tools.

    "Sometimes industry engages advocates for the sake of a concept or project. SmithSolve connects with the patient community first and foremost as people, with the goal of understanding and helping. It’s a huge difference that builds trust. We laugh a lot, too. That’s important."

“What sets SmithSolve apart is the level of strategic thinking …”

Paul G. Chaney
President and CEO
PanOptica, Inc