RESUME: Creative Director Specializing in Healthcare & Pharma Brand Creative & Strategy

Elissa Curtis

PHONE

908-268-5373

LOCATION

NEW JERSEY, USA

My Experience

Accomplished Creative Director with 20+ years of experience leading brand strategy, visual identity, and omnichannel campaigns for healthcare, specialty pharmacy, and pharmaceutical organizations. Expert at partnering with C-suite leadership to translate complex clinical and commercial narratives into compelling brand experiences — across payer, patient, and provider audiences. Proven track record directing multidisciplinary teams, managing creative for large-scale events, and driving enterprise-level creative from concept through production.

2025 - 2026

Creative Director
Elevate Health Technologies

Led end-to-end corporate brand creation for Elevate Health Technologies and the sub brand, OnePulse Connect — a health technology platform connecting providers, patients, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and payers. Directed all creative from naming and identity through launch campaign, building a multi-audience brand system from the ground up.

  • Partnered directly with CEO and CMO to establish visual and verbal identity for OnePulse Connect
  • Built distinct creative suites for four audiences — providers, patients, pharma manufacturers, and payers — unified under one master brand
  • Oversaw digital platform design, brand identity, patient communications, provider marketing, and executive presentations
  • Created surveys, lead-generating email campaigns, and newsletters that promoted the OnePulse Connect platform and drove audience engagement across provider, patient, and pharma channels
  • Managed and mentored the creative team, fostering collaboration and ensuring consistent brand standards across all deliverables
  • Key Achievement: Platform reached 2M+ patient lives, 2,000+ provider locations across 29 states, and 98% client utilization rate through seamless system integrations

2021 - 2024

Creative Director
AscellaHealth

Led enterprise rebranding and ongoing creative strategy for a global specialty pharmacy leader — consolidating four legacy identities into a unified brand system across payer, patient, and provider audiences. Collaborated with Chief Marketing Officer to cultivate and expand brand identity across all touchpoints.

  • Directed full corporate rebrand including logo system, color palette, typography, messaging framework, and brand governance
  • Designed and led development of rebranded corporate website and digital presence
  • Developed branded email campaigns, newsletters, and automated marketing supporting lead generation and executive ad boards
  • Created digital patient support and program education materials for AscellaHealth clients and partners
  • Designed corporate partner brand identities for affiliated organizations including Actum Pharma
  • Produced executive presentations, investor communications, and sales enablement toolkits for C-suite and commercial audiences
  • Oversaw all aspects of project management from concept through delivery across multiple simultaneous initiatives
  • Key Achievement: Positioned AscellaHealth as a globally recognized specialty pharmacy leader — named among The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies 2024 (Financial Times)
  • Key Achievement: Stevie® Award Winner — American Business Awards, Best Marketing Group 2023

2017 - 2021

Creative Director
Mota9 Creative - Princeton, NJ

Designed and managed creative strategy and materials for pharmaceutical clients, directing internal and external resources to produce innovative pre- and post-commercialization campaigns across digital and print platforms.

  • Developed scalable graphic programs for pharmaceutical manufacturing partners and healthcare professionals
  • Directed 360 marketing campaigns and strategic programs for major pharma clients
  • Supported rebranding efforts for major pharma clients, ensuring brand guidelines implemented across all creative
  • Led creative team and account services for client presentations
  • Mentored creative team members, fostering constructive objectives and professional growth
  • Key Achievement: Mota9 became Agency of Record for Bristol Myers Squibb through quality of work and deep understanding of patient access support

2012 - 2016

Creative Director
Asembia - Florham Park, NJ

Directed creative strategy and brand execution for one of pharma's premier market access organizations — including six consecutive years of creative leadership for the Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit. Worked directly with VP of Marketing to build and manage an internal creative group supporting all corporate brand and client services.

  • Managed and evolved the legacy Armada Healthcare brand across marketing and advertising initiatives
  • Led the strategic rollout of the full rebrand from Armada Healthcare to Asembia — ensuring seamless transition across all channels, touchpoints, and the annual Specialty Pharmacy Summit
  • Introduced and embedded Asembia's rebrand seamlessly across the summit environment — signage, digital, print, apparel, and environmental design
  • Directed full event identity system for six consecutive summits, growing attendance from 3,000 to 5,000+ annually
  • Designed large-format environmental signage, stage graphics, branded booths, and dimensional installations
  • Directed multimedia presentation design across main stage screens and AV systems
  • Collaborated with C-level executives to create compelling presentations and branded material
  • Managed vendors and remote staff for seamless on-site and remote creative execution
  • Key Achievement: Asembia Summit became the largest US healthcare conference focused on specialty pharmacy, with 5,000+ participants annually

2008 - Present

Principal, Creative Director
EC Direction - New Jersey

Independently directed strategic creative campaigns for clients across pharmaceutical, healthcare, architectural, engineering, luxury, fashion, and Fortune 500 industries. Advised clients on brand strategy across social media, email marketing, digital platforms, and print.

  • Developed comprehensive creative strategies integrating branding, digital marketing, and visual design
  • Oversaw all project management from initial concept through final delivery, on time and within budget

2011 - 2012

Senior Creative Consultant
Toys "R" Us - New Jersey

Led design and execution of visual content across digital platforms for Toys "R" Us, FAO Schwarz, and Babies "R" Us — ensuring brand consistency and driving in-store and online engagement through cross-functional collaboration with marketing, sales, and product development teams.

2010 - 2011

Freelance Creative Director
Turchette Advertising Agency - New Jersey

Led development of branding concepts and website projects for manufacturing and financial clients, coordinating with designers, copywriters, and senior stakeholders.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE

2002 - 2007

Art Director
Delia Associates

1997 -1998

Art Director
DVC Interactive

1996 -1997

Art Director
Poppe Tyson / Bozell Worldwide

1995 -1996

Art Director - Interactive
Grey Advertising

2008 -2011

Adjunct Professor
Montclair State, RVCC, DeVry

EDUCATION

Master of Fine Arts 
Pratt Institute - New York

Photography & Graphic design

Bachelor of Fine Arts 
UMass Dartmouth - Massachusetts

Visual Design & Photography

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Stevie® Award Winner

American Business Awards, Best Marketing Group 2023

The Americas' Fastest Growing Companies 

Financial Times (AscellaHealth)

Boston Globe Photography Award  

1988 Honorable Mention 

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Adobe Photoshop · Illustrator · InDesign · XD · After Effects · Dreamweaver · Acrobat
Figma · Sketch · Keynote · Microsoft 365 · Google Analytics · FileZilla
WordPress · Strapi CMS · Asana · Basecamp · Trello · Rocket Lane
ChatGPT · Google AI · 
Claude AI · Gamma · Canva · BigMarker Webinars · Photography 

Let's Work Together!