Contact Us

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  Holly Auer

  Associate Vice President for Communications

  Phone: 215-349-5659

  Cell: 215-200-2313

  holly.auer@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  Holly leads the Penn Medicine Communications Department’s 15-member team of media relations, internal publications, and digital communications professionals. Prior to assuming her leadership role in the department in 2013, Holly handled media relations for Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center beginning in 2008, including communications for Penn Medicine’s research using personalized cellular therapy to treat blood cancers -- from publication of trial results in the first three patients in 2010 through approval as the nation’s first CAR T cell therapy by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in 2017. Holly came to Penn Medicine in 2007 following six years as a newspaper health care reporter. She previously worked for The Buffalo News, The Post & Courier in Charleston, S.C. and the Scripps Howard News Service in Washington, D.C., and freelanced for magazines including Glamour, Self, and Prevention. She is the recipient of numerous national and statewide awards for her writing and editing as both a journalist and a public relations professional. She is a graduate of Syracuse University, where she majored in magazine journalism, and she earned a master’s degree in bioethics at Penn in 2009.

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  Abbey Hunton

  News Director

  Phone: 215-349-8369

  Cell: 215-796-4829

  abbey.hunton@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  As the Associate Director of News, Abbey Anderson Hunton oversees the day-to-day operations of Penn Medicine’s media team, which includes seven press officers and the Assistant Director of Strategic Communications. She also provides strategic oversight of departmental initiatives such as medical meeting press plans, publicity for major gifts and new centers and facilities, as well as leads traditional and social media strategies to amplify news about key institutional initiatives. Abbey also spearheads the department’s performance reporting efforts for faculty and leadership across the Health System. Abbey joined Penn Medicine as a press officer in 2015 after five years of working in PR agencies doing media relations and branding work for health care, higher education, technology, and athletics clients. Abbey holds a BA in corporate communications from Elizabethtown College.

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  Rachel Ewing

  Editorial Director

  Phone: 215-662-4802

  Cell: 267-584-3496

  rachel.ewing@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  As Editorial Director, Rachel Ewing provides editorial oversight and strategic planning for all Penn Medicine publications, including Penn Medicine magazine and the system-wide suite of internal publications, and for digital content and social media campaigns. Her role entails overseeing all aspects of Penn Medicine magazine, the organization’s flagship publication for all major external constituencies, including alumni of the Perelman School of Medicine, leadership at top academic colleges and health systems, health care thought leaders, members of the media, elected officials and their staff, current and prospective donors, and a variety of other groups. She conceptualizes and manages all aspects of the editorial and production process for the magazine, including management of graphic designers, photographers, freelance writers, and other contributors.

  Rachel has been editor of the magazine since 2016, when she re-joined the Penn Medicine Department of Communications following experience with science and medical writing and public relations at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute and at Drexel University. Her prior work at Penn Medicine focused on digital communications, social media, and special projects. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Brandeis University and master’s degrees in science communication and publication management from Drexel University.

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  Alex Gardner

  Senior Medical Communications Officer

  Phone: 215-349-8062

  Cell: 215-873-3870

  alex.gardner@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  Alex joined Penn Medicine in 2019 after more than five years as a journalist, many of which were spent on staff at Men’s Health magazine. He has reported on a wide variety of health and science topics including cardiovascular disease, urological health, and Infectious Diseases, often working with clinicians and researchers all over the world to accurately report the latest research news. His writing and editorial contributions have appeared in print, online, and on the airwaves. Alex has a passion for communication and a bachelor’s degree in English from Muhlenberg College.

  Topics

  • Dermatology
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Nursing
  • Urology
  • Family Medicine and Community Health
  • Global Health
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Gastrointestinal Medicine
  • Colon & Rectal Surgery
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  John Infanti

  Senior Medical Communications Officer

  Phone: 215-349-5660

  Cell: 215-301-5221

  john.infanti@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  John joined Penn Medicine in 2016 after almost a decade in TV news. His work as a producer took him from Scranton to Pittsburgh, where he won an Emmy and an Edward R. Murrow Award, and finally to Philadelphia. During his time in the newsroom, John covered presidential elections, Papal visits, G20 Conventions, Stanley Cups, Super Bowls, and a variety of breaking news topics. John holds a B.S. in Broadcast Journalism from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and an MPA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government.

  Topics

  • Hematology-Oncology
  • Radiation Oncology
  • Endocrine & Oncologic Surgery
  • Otorhinolaryngology
  • Plastic Surgery
  • Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Government and Community Affairs
  • Pennsylvania Hospital
  • Women's Cancers
  • Basser Center for BRCA
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  Lauren Ingeno

  Senior Medical Communications Officer

  Phone: 215-614-1937

  Lauren.Ingeno@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  Lauren joined Penn Medicine as a press officer in 2019. She worked previously as a News Manager at Drexel University, where she generated national media attention about advancements in health care, engineering and biomedical research. Before returning to her hometown of Philadelphia, she was a science writer for publications at the George Washington University, where she covered a variety of topics, including infectious diseases, neuroscience and public health. She has also completed internships at The Philadelphia Inquirer, Inside Higher Ed and USA Today. Lauren is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, where she earned degrees in journalism and English.

  Topics

  • Sleep Medicine
  • Radiology
  • General Internal Medicine & Penn Presbyterian
  • Geriatric Medicine
  • Ophthalmology
  • Home Care, Hospice and Palliative Care
  • Biostatistics and Epidemiology
  • Inclusion and Diversity
  • Pharmacy
  • Penn Medicine Community Practices (Cherry Hill, Radnor, Valley Forge, Woodbury Heights)
  • Community Outreach & Engagement
  • Center for Excellence in Environmental Toxicology 
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  Mike Iorfino

  Senior Medical Communications Officer

  Phone: 215-349-5825

  Cell: 267-588-5939

  mike.iorfino@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  Mike joined Penn Medicine in 2018 with more than seven years of journalism and communications experience. In previous positions, he worked with a variety of pharmaceutical and healthcare clients to develop strategic communications and promote thought leadership on critical industry issues. Mike began his career as a healthcare and business reporter at the Scranton Times-Tribune, where he covered everything from the rollout of the Affordable Care Act to the implementation of electronic health record systems. He is a graduate of the University of Scranton, where he received a BA in Communications.

  Topics

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Cardiothoracic Surgery
  • Emergency Medicine & Trauma
  • Vascular Surgery
  • Transplant Surgery
  • Anesthesiology
  • Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care
  • Renal-Electrolyte and Hypertension
  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Bariatric Surgery
  • Center for Weight and Eating Disorders
  • Genetics
  • Cell + Developmental Biology
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  Chris Mallard

  Digital Strategist and Social Media Manager

  christopher.mallard@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  Chris joined Penn Medicine in 2018 with six years of digital communication experience, three of which were in the health care industry. As Digital Communications Manager overseeing the department of Communications' digital presence, he can often be found updating the Penn Medicine News homepage, managing social media channels, and providing metrics on a multitude of digital projects. His role also includes the production of specialized graphics, the digital version of Penn Medicine magazine, as well as all of the department’s suite of internal publications. Chris is a graduate of the University of Illinois with an MS in health care communication.

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  Hannah Messinger

  Senior Medical Communications Officer

  Phone: 215-349-5653

  Cell: 267-240-2448

  Hannah.Messinger@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  Hannah joins Penn Medicine with more than seven years of communications and marketing experience. Hannah brings strong media relations, executive positioning, internal communications, and social media expertise to the organization. In previous positions, she worked with a wide variety of clients to develop strategic communications and thought leadership programs in the higher education, technology, life sciences, and food and beverage sectors. Hannah is a graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and College of Arts and Sciences where she earned a dual degree in public relations and psychology.

  Topics

  • Medical Education
  • Graduate Medical Education
  • Neurology
  • Neurosurgery
  • Psychiatry
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  Melissa Moody

  Senior Science Communications Officer

  Melissa.Moody@Pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  As Senior Science Communications Officer, Melissa works with foundational science faculty and researchers to share the groundbreaking work happening at the University of Pennsylvania Health System and the Perelman School of Medicine. She came to Penn from her post as Head of Strategic Communications and Marketing for the University of Virginia School of Data Science, where she led PR and media relations, marketing, social media, and editorial and multimedia production. Her work breaking down complex topics into lay-friendly articles, social media postings, graphics, and multimedia productions advances new ways to tell Penn Medicine’s stories. In her previous positions, Melissa worked with higher ed and non-profit organizations on communications and editorial strategy. She began her career as an award-winning journalist, with a background in writing, video production, design, and photography. She is a graduate of the University of Louisville, where she earned a BS in Communication, with specialized study and field work in Biological Anthropology.

  Topics

  • Biochemistry & Biophysics
  • Cancer Biology
  • Cell & Developmental Biology
  • Environmental Toxicology
  • Genetics
  • Medical Ethics & Health Policy
  • Microbiology
  • Neuroscience
  • Path & Lab
  • Pharmacology
  • Physiology
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  Frank Otto

  Senior Medical Communications Officer

  Phone: 215-662-2535

  Cell: 267-693-2999

  Francis.Otto@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  Frank joined Penn Medicine in 2018 with almost four years’ experience in health care and university communications, with specific experience generating media attention in areas including public health, therapy, biology and physics. Frank began his career as a print journalist with the Pottstown Mercury and Delaware County Daily Times, where he covered everything from spot news to public meetings and high school sports. Frank is a graduate of the School of Journalism & Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

  Topics

  • Emergency Medicine & Trauma
  • Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine
  • Rheumatology
  • Health Care Technology Innovation
  • Telemedicine
  • Health care IT
  • Intellectual property, industry partnerships & commercialization
  • Telemedicine
  • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
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  Ylonda Russell

  Office Manager

  Phone: 215-662-2560

  ylonda.russell@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  Ylonda has been providing administrative support for the Department of Communications since October 2000. She coordinates the day-to-day operations of the department, handles budget development, invoice processing, front office reception and outgoing/incoming mail. She also assists in web research; maintenance of appropriate inventory; composes, reviews and edits documents; organizes and maintains files and databases; and general clerical support.

  Ylonda has been with the Health System for more than 10 years and was previously with the Department of Dermatology.

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  Sally Sapega

  Director, Internal Publications

  Phone: 215-662-4488

  sally.sapega@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  Sally Sapega serves as editor of both HUPdate, the monthly employee publication of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and System News, the internal publication for UPHS. In this role, she is responsible for seeking out story ideas, writing articles, taking photographs for stories, and coordinating both the design and the distribution for both publications. As director of Internal Publications, she also oversees the production of employee publications for both Pennsylvania Hospital and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Prior to joining Communications, Sally worked in Penn Medicine’s Department of Marketing and Strategic Support, where she was responsible for producing a variety of marketing tools to promote hospital services to consumer audiences. In addition, she planned special events, such as seminars and health fairs.

  Sally holds a BA in Communications from Simmons College and graduated from Rowan University with a master’s in Public Relations.

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  MaryKate Wust

  Communications Specialist

  Phone: 215-662-6183

  mary.wust@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

  MaryKate Wust joined Penn Medicine in 2017. Her experience in print and digital communications has largely been characterized by her wearing many hats — often all at once. She currently serves as the editor of the Presby Bulletin and What’s New, the monthly internal publications for Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and Pennsylvania Hospital, respectively. She also contributes to the health system-wide publication System News and oversees the daily news clip round-up, Penn Medicine in the News. As the department’s “all-purpose infielder,” she also has a hand in social media, graphic design, and web management. MaryKate received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Susquehanna University in 2015.