WASHINGTON: PR agency Weber Shandwick has brought on Antoinette Forbes as EVP to lead its Washington, D.C., healthcare practice.
Forbes started at Weber in late November. She is reporting to Paul Massey, president of Weber specialist public affairs firm Powell Tate and head of Weber’s global social impact practice. Forbes has replaced Michelle Baker, who left the agency to join Signal Group.
Forbes is responsible for building the D.C. healthcare practice by adding staff and clients and developing services such as data and analytics. Forbes is also collaborating with Weber’s global healthcare team on client work. Weber’s Washington healthcare practice works industry sectors including nonprofits, health systems, and biopharma, she said.
"Our healthcare practice is a cornerstone of a lot of the work we do in Washington," Massey said. "It’s exciting to take that to even greater heights. We’re looking to accelerate partnerships across [each sector] and looking to ways we can contribute to broader global healthcare work across Weber. There is no more important sector we can be focused on and delivering our best work."
Forbes is taking the lead of the practice during turbulent times for the healthcare industry with lawmakers considering policy changes that could affect areas from tackling high drug prices to reforming the rebate system or changing the Affordable Care Act.
"We’re looking to work with client partners across complex business, policy, and social issues and ensuring that we’re at the forefront of these issues," Forbes said. "We’re focused on achieving the best outcomes for patients, whether it’s affordability of care or access to care. How can we mold our clients’ needs so we’re still delivering the best for patients?"
Previously, Forbes spent eight years at Edelman as SVP and global client lead for health. Earlier in her career, Forbes worked at Porter Novelli for more than nine years.
