T2B April Comm Convo: Beyond Self-Care to Structural Change
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Comm Convo pricing:
Complimentary for T2B Pro and Student community members (log into your T2B account and access your promo code here)
$40 for Basic members (access to live event only, not the recording)
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COMM CONVO: BEYOND SELF-CARE TO STRUCTURAL CHANGE
Burnout among biopharma communicators is real, widespread, and worsening—but the solution isn't more self-care listicles. We're strategic leaders managing high-stakes work in an 'always on' profession where half our peers have considered leaving their jobs this year due to exhaustion (MuckRack 2024 Work-Life Balance report). The challenge is that individual resilience strategies can't fix organizational problems: unclear processes that create unnecessary work, workload expectations that outpace available resources, and cultures where we're asked to be perpetually available without systems to protect our teams' capacity. This Comm Convo opens a practical discussion about the policies, leadership practices, and structural changes we can advocate for and implement to address burnout at its roots, because as leaders with teams, protecting our people's wellbeing is part of the job.
WHY ATTEND
Address communications-specific burnout drivers that differ from other functions such as the constant availability expectations, public-facing pressure, and crisis mentality that our profession uniquely faces
Build the case for organizational changes that reduce burnout by identifying which policies and structural shifts actually work, from realistic staffing models to protected time-off systems that leadership actively models
Learn to recognize and address team burnout early by identifying warning signs among direct reports and implementing intervention strategies before high performers burn out or walk out
Share strategies for influencing up when you're not the final decision-maker on staffing, resources, or policies but can still shape how your organization approaches sustainable work practices
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Nikki Little, Chief Marketing Officer, Franco
Barbara Palmer, Perspectives Coach, Broad Perspective Consulting
PANEL MODERATOR
Arran Attridge, Principal, Attridge Communications
MEET OUR SPEAKERS
Arran Attridge, Principal, Attridge Communications
Arran Attridge most recently served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications for Vir Biotechnology where she led communications, patient advocacy and stakeholder engagement. Attridge now serves as a strategic communications advisor to emerging biotech CEOs and leadership teams as they navigate key business opportunities and inflection points. Her work helps build positive reputation and trust across key stakeholders to support long-term business strategy. She has more than two decades of experience as a public relations and advocacy leader, guiding communications strategy through pre-clinical and clinical development, regulatory review, launch and in-market access across a range of therapeutic areas.
Previously Attridge served as Vice President at CymaBay Therapeutics which was acquired by Gilead Sciences for $4.3bn. There she led corporate communications in preparation for commercialization and through the acquisition of the company. Prior to that, Attridge served over a decade at Gilead Sciences where she held roles of increasing responsibility in the U.S. and Europe. During her tenure she led communications across HIV, viral hepatitis (B, C and delta), COVID-19, liver diseases, inflammation, emerging viruses and cancers. She served for over nine years as a public relations consultant to the pharmaceutical industry with a focus on corporate reputation, advocacy and product commercialization.
Attridge completed her Bachelor of Science degree in genetics from the University of York in the U.K. and holds a professional certificate from the U.K. Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Nikki Little, Chief Marketing Officer, Franco
Nikki Little is Chief Marketing Officer and co-owner/shareholder at Franco, a Detroit-based integrated communications agency with over 60 years of industry leadership. In her role, Nikki serves on the executive leadership team to guide the agency's strategic vision and growth strategy, with a specific focus on new business development and marketing alignment. She also provides strategic counsel for client programs, oversees talent development, and leads Franco's AI efforts in close collaboration with the agency's director of digital and AI, including the implementation of Franco's AI Taskforce.
With 18 years of experience in integrated communications, Nikki brings deep expertise across strategic planning, media and influencer relations, digital marketing, content marketing, social media strategy, crisis communications, branding, and event planning. She has worked with local, national, and international companies across B2C and B2B industries, including healthcare, nonprofit, automotive/tech, entertainment, restaurants, financial services, and retail.
Nikki is the founder and publisher of The MichComms Report, a bi-weekly newsletter serving as a job, events, and news resource for more than 1,500 communications professionals in Michigan. Her work has received numerous industry awards, and she was recognized with a 2023 Crain's Detroit Notable Leaders in Marketing Award and a DBusiness 30 in Their Thirties award.
Barbara Palmer, Perspectives Coach, Broad Perspective Consulting
With over 30 years of experience in entertainment and technology, for both clients and agencies, Barbara Palmer brings her broad perspective of women at all stages of career development to each engagement. Her focus on operational excellence and results-driven solutions guides employees on their individual path to professional fulfillment.
From early management roles to board seats, Barbara focuses on an employee’s potential to lead, mentor and achieve success. Her programs and coaching guide clients through their Oh Sh*t Moments: early leadership opportunities, professional development, transitional periods such as returning from parental leave, boundary-setting, difficult conversations, boundary setting, and finding work-life integration. Barbara is the Top Broad at Broad Perspective Consulting, Founder of Your 4th Trimester(TM), a Certified Fair Play Method Facilitator, and has served on both public and private boards of directors.