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​COMM CONVO: STATE OF THE FDA ONE YEAR IN

​One year after the Trump administration took office and RFK Jr. was appointed U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, biopharma communicators face a fundamentally shifted regulatory landscape. Trusted FDA contacts have departed, workflows have changed, and the nonstop stream of updates from FDA, HHS, NIH, and CMS has left communications teams overwhelmed and uncertain about how to move forward. This candid panel brings together current and former FDA professionals to cut through the noise and provide practical insights on what's actually changed, what the agency is prioritizing now, and how communicators can effectively rebuild relationships and navigate this new environment. Expect an honest, no-fluff conversation focused on the operational realities that impact your day-to-day work with the FDA.

​WHY ATTEND

• ​Identify the most significant FDA changes over the past year and their direct impact on biopharma communications workflows.

• ​Navigate the current FDA landscape by understanding what the agency is prioritizing and looking for from industry communicators.

• ​Rebuild effective FDA relationships after widespread departures and staff changes disrupted established connections.

• ​Implement proactive strategies that help communications teams work more confidently and effectively with the agency moving forward.

​MEET OUR SPEAKERS

​Shannon P. Hatch, Former Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Media Affairs, FDA

​Shannon P. Hatch is a strategic public affairs leader with more than 20 years of experience in health and biomedical science communications.

​Shannon has shaped media strategy through four administrations, most recently as Deputy Assistant Commissioner for Media Affairs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, where she guided media strategy and operations aligned with the agency’s regulatory priorities. In this role, she provided high-level counsel to FDA leadership, oversaw a team of 16 public affairs professionals, and managed crisis and executive communications for various topics across the agency’s expansive portfolio.

​Prior to this role, Shannon served as a Media Relations Director at the FDA, leading communications efforts for the agency’s drug, oncology, and tobacco centers—including critical announcements related to high-profile issues such as electronic cigarettes, women’s health, non-prescription drugs, as well as therapeutics for neuroscience and infectious diseases (during the COVID-19 pandemic). Before joining the FDA, Shannon was the Media Relations Branch Chief at the National Cancer Institute, where she significantly expanded the institute’s media outreach and spokesperson engagement capabilities.

​Earlier in her career, Shannon contributed to national policy and advocacy efforts through her work with the Association of American Cancer Institutes and supported public health clients at Feinstein Kean Healthcare, an Ogilvy PR company.

​She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Media Communications from the University of Pittsburgh. Shannon is passionate about using communications to build trust, make science accessible, and support mission-driven work that improves public health.

​Meredith Isola, Managing Director, Healthcare, Narrative Strategies & Former Director of Communications, FDA

​Meredith Isola is a Managing Director at Narrative Strategies. As a seasoned healthcare policy and communications executive with more than 20 years of experience working at the intersection of FDA, HHS, CMS, DHS, and the biopharmaceutical industry, she advises pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies on navigating regulatory change, federal government agency engagement, and high-stakes communications during periods of uncertainty and transition.

​Meredith brings direct experience working inside and alongside federal health agencies, including FDA, DHS, and HHS, and has led communications strategies tied to regulatory milestones, policy shifts, and agency decision-making. She is known for translating complex regulatory dynamics into practical guidance for communications teams—particularly during moments when leadership changes, internal workflows shift, and traditional points of contact disappear. Meredith offers a pragmatic, no-nonsense perspective on how biopharma communicators can adapt, rebuild trust, and operate effectively in today’s evolving FDA environment.

​Marianna Naum, Ph.D., Founder, Science Table Communications & Former Director of External Communications and Consumer Education, FDA

​Dr. Marianna Naum is the founder of Science Table Communications, where she helps science-driven organizations translate complex ideas into clear, compelling messages that build trust and drive impact. She brings more than 15 years of leadership experience at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, where she directed strategic communications, crisis and risk messaging, consumer education, and stakeholder engagement for the Human Foods Program.

​A scientist by training and communicator by expertise, Dr. Naum has advised senior government leaders, guided cross-functional teams, and designed strategies to advance food safety and nutrition goals. She is also an adjunct faculty professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus, where she teaches environmental science, biology, and nutrition courses.

​At Science Table Communications, she continues her mission of empowering organizations at the intersection of science and society to communicate with clarity, credibility, and confidence.