Health Update: Zeno names Dana Gandsman global head of health, wellness – What Experts Say

Zeno Group has hired Dana Gandsman as global managing director of health and wellness, effective January 5. 

Based in New York, Gandsman will oversee a portfolio of clients across the health sector, including AbbVie, Alcon, American Academy of Family Physicians, Argenx, CSL and Edwards Lifesciences, as well as an integrated team of subject matter experts and specialists, the agency said in a statement. 

Gandsman reports to global CEO Barby Siegel in this role and will be part of Zeno’s global leadership team. Kristie Kuhl previously held the role before departing in September for biopharmaceutical company Invivyd, a Zeno client, where she is chief communications officer. 

“Of particular interest to me is how we, as an agency, will directly address the expansive reach of health matters into business and society,” said Gandsman. “Health now influences innovation, consumer behavior, workforce strategy, and reputation far beyond the healthcare industry itself. This is an important dimension of growth for Zeno in how we think about and advise on health and wellness across sectors.”

Gandsman joins Zeno from Pfizer where she worked for over 16 years, most recently as VP of enterprise reputation, leading reputation communications, branding and digital content strategy. 

Gandsman departed the pharmaceutical giant in the fall following EVP and chief corporate affairs officer Sally Susman’s announcement that she would be stepping down from her role at the end of 2025. Ed Harnaga, SVP and chief communications officer, and Caroline Roan, head of global health and social impact, also departed Pfizer last fall. 

Amy Rose, VP of corporate communications, is leading comms at Pfizer.

During her time at the company, Gandsman spearheaded Pfizer’s rebrand, led consumer-facing campaigns during the COVID-19 pandemic and architected digital advocacy and misinformation strategy, according to Zeno. 

Earlier in her career, she worked as a VP at MMC, Ketchum and FleishmanHillard. 

Other recent additions to Zeno’s team include Taylor Gray as head of Zeno Atlanta, Kevin Lawlor as U.S. head of public affairs, Karyn Barr as head of U.S. technology and Justin D’Onofrio as head of AI.

Zeno Group reported a 2% revenue decrease to $140 million globally and a 3% decrease to $114 million in the U.S. in 2024, according to PRWeek’s Agency Business Report 2025.

Editor’s note: This story was updated on Janaury 8 with comment from Gandsman. 

This article originally appeared on PRWeek US.