Lumina Corps

We’re thrilled to welcome another talented new team member to Lumina’s Communications Team! Jessica Nguyen, MCM joins Lumina as a Communications Associate, bringing her experience in digital communications and social media strategy to our federal clients’ health and science communications campaigns. “I am honored to join a team full of such intelligent, talented, and considerate people. Every day, I look forward to helping Lumina clients develop their digital and social strategies and create meaningful content that addresses health equity, an important topic that impacts us all.” Please join us in welcoming Jessica to the team!

Happy Fourth of July! It’s a privilege to celebrate our nation’s independence alongside our federal partners who work hard every day to make our nation a healthier place for all.

We’re thrilled to welcome the newest member of Lumina’s writing editorial team, Kelsey Sugrue, Ph.D.! Kelsey joins Lumina as a Senior Science Writer and brings years of experience in health and science writing to our team. “I am a passionate advocate of biomedical and public health research, so I am thrilled to put my passion into practice at Lumina Corps. I am excited to work with incredibly talented and thoughtful colleagues and to support the critical missions of our clients to improve health and well-being.” Please join us in welcoming Kelsey to Lumina! 

Last week, members of our Communications Team joined public health and communication experts from around the country at the Society for Health Communication’s 8th Annual National Summit for Health Communication. At the conference, our team heard from panelists and keynote speakers on a variety of topics, including the growing role of AI in health communications, writing for equity and inclusion, and trust building during public health crises.    Across different panels and discussions, there were conversations around diversity and inclusion in health communications. Panelists emphasized the importance of honoring diverse perspectives and using inclusive language. One panelist suggested creating a company-wide language guide to ensure that teams consistently use inclusive language.     During a session on the power of AI in health communications, panelists discussed the tradeoffs that AI inherently brings to the table while also highlighting its potential benefits. At a time when disinformation threatens the health and well-being of our society, AI could play a transformative role in disseminating messaging that can help keep people safe. For those looking to get a jump on the AI revolution, the panel recommended creating an organization-wide AI policy that clearly defines the company’s approach to this evolving technology.      While there were many other lessons and key takeaways from the conference, the learning that most resonated with our team pertained to the importance of the lived experience. Even as technology and AI continue to progress, the personal experiences of individuals will always be important to consider if we hope to understand our audiences’ needs and connect authentically.     We are grateful for this opportunity to meet with others who share Lumina's mission to transform our nation’s health and well-being through effective, inclusive communications strategies. We look forward to attending the summit again next year!    Emily Dammeyer, Catherine Traynor, Kesha Patel, Sarah Franklin, and Jessica Nguyen, MCM 

The Juneteenth holiday is a critical day of reflection for our country. Today, as we strive to promote equity in public health outcomes across the U.S., we are reminded of the work that’s still to be done to make sure all Americans can live healthy lives. At Lumina, that vision of equality stands at the center of our mission and the work we do every day. 

Did you know the month of June is recognized nationally as Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month? This observance aims to raise awareness of early symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and to raise funding for ongoing research to find a cure. Lumina is proud to support the National Institute on Aging (NIA) Division of Neuroscience genetics portfolio, including the flagship Alzheimer’s Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP). ADSP works to identify gene alleles contributing to increased risk for or protection against Alzheimer's disease, identify potential avenues for therapeutic approaches and prevention of the disease, and more.  Through our work with NIA, Lumina has provided our expertise in science writing, comprehensive project coordination, and logistical support for ADSP Working Groups and for virtual, hybrid, and in-person consortium meetings.   Visit our website to learn more about Lumina’s role in supporting ADSP’s important efforts: https://lnkd.in/e2h9GsxQ 

We are thrilled to announce that our Lumina Corps team is continuing to grow with the addition of our new Executive Vice President of Communications, Emily Dammeyer! Emily brings more than 20 years of integrated communications expertise to Lumina, much of it in the federal health and science arena.    “I’m so happy to join the team at Lumina Corps and excited to lead the Communications practice. With a portfolio of some of the leading public health and biomedical science institutions, anchored by smart, dedicated, and passionate team members, Lumina Corps is well positioned for continued growth.”    Please join us in welcoming Emily to Lumina!

This Pride Month and beyond, Lumina Corps celebrates and recognizes the countless contributions of the LGBTQ+ community to improve our society, institutions, and public policies, including in the realm of science and public health. At Lumina, “Embrace Inclusivity” is one of our “Corps Values” and is central to our work supporting and promoting public health. We believe that an environment of diversity, inclusion, and belonging fosters creativity and excellence. We look forward to celebrating this observance throughout the month of June alongside our federal partners like the National Institutes of Health. Learn more about NIH’s resources and events for #Pride2024 here: https://lnkd.in/etQCqp_B 

In the next segment of our “Meet the Team” series, we’re spotlighting Lumina’s Vice President of Conferences and Events, Almeda Kyser! As head of our events team, Almeda uses her expertise to help Lumina’s public health clients bring together members of the public, federal employees, the nation’s top health and science experts, and others for meetings, conferences, and other important gatherings. Learn more about Almeda’s work at Lumina and the exceptional service she delivers to her clients in this month’s employee spotlight.

Effective communication is a critical component to strong client service and a positive workplace. That’s why the Lumina team strives to “Communicate with Understanding” in the relationships we’ve formed with our clients and our colleagues. Every day we strive to understand the varied perspectives and experiences of our audiences, clients, and team members so we can engage meaningfully, work with empathy, and achieve common goals. To learn more about our “Corps Values,” visit our website: https://lnkd.in/eQzG-8iV