Veteran Leader Brings Two Decades of Proven Agency Growth and Innovation

Appointment Reinforces the Agency’s Integrated, AI-Driven Healthcare Strategy Across PR, Product Marketing, Digital, and Creative

Additional Key Senior Healthcare Hires Underscores Broader Investment

NEW YORK, May 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Ruder Finn, one of the world’s largest independent global marketing and communications agencies, announced today that Kelley Yoder has joined as MD, Global Head of Health and Life Sciences, strengthening the firm’s leadership team and accelerating the continued growth across pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device, and diagnostic industries. Yoder will enhance Ruder Finn’s ability to deliver integrated healthcare solutions at the intersection of corporate and product communications, marketing, and AI. Yoder’s appointment builds on the agency’s strong year-over-year growth in healthcare and reflects its continued investment to meet the demands of a dynamically changing health and life sciences environment.

“We’re building the agency of the future,” said Kathy Bloomgarden, CEO of Ruder Finn. “As AI fundamentally reshapes decision-making across the health ecosystem, we’re continuing to invest in capabilities that are more personalized, more relevant, and precision-targeted to how influence works today. Kelley brings valuable new thinking to our already stellar, award-winning healthcare team, helping to accelerate our innovation-first mindset and global healthcare growth.”

Yoder will work in close collaboration with the agency’s rf.Digital, rf.Studio53, and rf.TechLab teams, connecting strategy, creative, and technology to deliver unified, insight-driven programs that drive influence during a time of shifting stakeholder behaviors and accelerating innovation. As novel therapies and products reach the market, Ruder Finn is focused on ensuring client programs are precision-targeted to reach and address people’s real health needs and priorities.

Yoder brings more than 20 years of experience driving high-impact communications and product marketing strategies for global organizations across pharma, biotech, medical devices and diagnostics. A recognized leader in healthcare communications, she has partnered with former clients advising on complex market challenges, reputation management, and integrated product campaigns, while playing a vital role in advancing AI-driven innovation.

“The future of healthcare communications demands a unified team that brings every capability to bear — seamlessly, strategically and at scale,” said Yoder. “I am thrilled to be joining Ruder Finn to connect world-class talent, deep sector expertise, and a breadth of capabilities spanning corporate, product, digital, AI and beyond. Together we are building the integrated team and culture that clients will need as healthcare grows more complex.”

Working closely with Yoder, Christie Anbar will continue to lead Ruder Finn’s healthcare product work, and Kate Hardin will continue to lead Ruder Finn’s corporate healthcare work. Further strengthening the team, Ruder Finn has expanded its healthcare leadership bench with three additional senior hires:

• Kate Foss, EVP, Healthcare, brings a strong track record in leading integrated, omnichannel healthcare campaigns that are both creative and compliant, and establishing best-in-class practices that ensure teams are equipped to deliver high-impact work in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
• Tara Yates, EVP, Healthcare, brings seasoned leadership to guide day-to-day client relationships, strengthening Ruder Finn’s ability to scale its growing healthcare practice while ensuring the highest level of strategic oversight and best-in-class execution.
• Alli Wiese, SVP, Healthcare Content, will lead the continued elevation of Ruder Finn’s healthcare storytelling capabilities across all channels, ensuring insight-driven, high-impact narratives remain at the core of how clients break through in a complex health landscape.

This major leadership investment positions Ruder Finn to move faster and more effectively at the intersection of innovation and commercialization by helping health and life sciences brands not only bring new therapies and products to market but ensure they resonate with the right audiences in the right moments. As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, the agency remains focused on scaling capabilities that translate complexity into clarity, and strategy into measurable impact.

About Ruder Finn
Ruder Finn is one of the world’s largest independent global communications and integrated marketing agencies, leading the industry in AI strategy and implementation. Founded in 1948, Ruder Finn has defined and redefined PR for over 75 years, shaping communications that move industry-defining brands, companies, and leaders from what’s now to what’s next. Ruder Finn provides clients with bold strategies based on a global perspective and localized market knowledge that redefine leadership, reimagine the marketplace, and rethink customer experiences. The agency is organized around five core areas of expertise—Health Transformation, Technology Acceleration, Brand Experience, Stakeholder Relations, and Workplace of the Future—with innovative tech incubator RF TechLab providing cutting-edge predictive analytics, AI-powered creative hub RF Studio53 offering breakthrough creative, and specialized teams delivering customer-focused digital engagement. Ruder Finn has offices across North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the Middle East. Wholly owned agencies and offerings within Ruder Finn Group include: Ruder Finn Inc., RF Studio53, RF Engage, Touchdown, Peppercomm, RF Comunicad, Ruder Finn Atteline, Pandan Social, ERA Communications, Big Sky Communications, and Missouri Creative. For more information visit www.ruderfinn.com.

Contact:
Megan Fitzgibbon
megan.fitzgibbon@ruderfinn.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ruder-finn-appoints-kelley-yoder-global-head-of-health-and-life-sciences-signaling-major-investment-in-next-phase-of-growth-302767131.html

SOURCE Ruder Finn