CURA Q3 Newsletter

Hi friends,

Recently, I’ve been humbly reminded that launching something new takes A LOT of work and when it comes to getting people to actually act, it is always going to take longer than you expect.

We recently unveiled the beta phase of our Advocacy Academy, a virtual boot camp built to train people on how to advocate to policymakers around health care. The response from our network has been phenomenal. And honestly, I was not surprised—I know organizations need an affordable and convenient advocacy training program for their advocates.

What surprised me, however, is how hard it has been to get advocates to start the course that's free to them (and to the limited launch partners we are engaging). So, we will do what we always do when we know we have the right idea—we will cheerfully persist. We are doubling down on giving our launch partners the tools to get them engaged, and I’m confident the Advocacy Academy will become a “must do” training for any organization ready to mobilize their mission.

In other news, CURA is sponsoring a booth at the National Organization for Rare Disorders Breakthrough Summit in DC, Oct. 16 – 17! Will we see you there? Visit us at booth #316! We say it every year, but fall is our busiest season. The updates below showcase our work, CURA’s future and the fun along the way.

Talk soon!

Anne

Shaking it up this newsletter by putting government relations/advocacy updates on top! Why? Well, with the House in chaos with the removal of Speaker Kevin McCarthy and—like much of America—we can’t stop wondering how it is all going to play out. While that’s true, the real reason is that advocacy is a hallmark of CURA’s work, and this quarter was supercharged with hill meetings, briefings and events. Some highlights:

Honor the Gift Hill Day

It was an honor to spend a day on the Hill with transplant advocates from around the country to encourage Congress to protect access to post-transplant care.

West Health Hill Briefing

We were proud to facilitate West Health’s Hill briefing on Site Neutral Payment Reform, helping West Health lead the way in policy solutions that reduce patient costs.

OUTbio Reception on the Hill

CURA was privileged to support a reception on the Hill for OUTbio, the biotech industry’s largest LGBTQ+ professionals group. Members of Congress joined OUTbio members from across the country to elevate biotech professionals and honor 2023 Congressional Champion Rep. Angie Craig's (MN-02) commitment to the industry and diversity.

Advocacy Academy

As mentioned above, the program is in beta phase and will launch publicly in Q1 2024. We designed it specifically for non-government relations professionals who want to raise their voice in Congress about critical health issues. If you want to be a launch partner or learn more about the nine courses, get ahead by checking it out!

Advocacy Academy

Sign up for our Capitol Corner emails

If you haven’t already, consider signing up for our Capitol Corner updates, which specifically cover the intersection of advocacy and communications. The content is written by government relations experts for readers ready to learn about advocacy strategies and the latest health care policy news.

In addition to our advocacy work, this quarter we supported Mezzion Pharmaceuticals at the World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery, supported the introduction of a new cardiovascular medicine board, led a media training for the American College of Cardiology, managed the Rockford Ready Back to School Bash and were shortlisted by PRWeek for a Purpose Award for our work with Rockford Ready!

We're honored to be working with our newest client partners:

Our team is growing! If these positions resonate with you or you know someone who might be interested, please reach out!

Digital Marketing Director – Minimum of 7 years of work experience in digital marketing with experience and strong interest in leading and managing social, email and digital marketing campaigns.

Account Supervisor – Ideally 4-5 years of public relations/communications experience demonstrating media relations and stakeholder management experience.

Check out our Careers page

Public speaking is fun, right? It is when you’re passionate about the work! In Q3, our team chatted patient advocacy, public health and ambassador programs.

8th World Congress of Pediatric Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery

Our SVP of GR Scott Leezer is a CHD patient and advocate who presented on the Congenital Heart Initiative at this distinguished meeting, focusing on his experience building a patient-centered registry.

National Community Action Partner Annual Convention

Public health pro Falen Petros shared her wisdom on community action partners and how to collaborate with grassroots organizations to promote health literacy and amplify voices of color to address social determinants of health.

Women in Government Relations Advocacy Conference

Anne Woodbury and Sydney Shepherd led a discussion on building effective advocacy ambassadors at this year’s Professional Women in Advocacy Conference. As a woman-owned business, it’s in our DNA to empower women to advocate for the issues that matter most to them.

Between all that’s happening, it’s important to make time for team connection, so we squeezed in a Macklemore concert in support of our client, Mobilize Recovery, and held a quarterly in-house retreat that concluded with a team outing to a Nats game!

Have questions? Message us!

If you need communications or advocacy support, we are here for you! We’ll work with you to develop a strategy and choose the right tools to help you achieve your organization’s goals. Shoot us a message!