2025 executive JURY CHAIRS
ALLISON CERASO - health & wellness
Allison’s secret to success is simple: she genuinely cares about people. “The brands we work on, the work we do, has real impact on people's lives," shared Allison. "In the space of health and pharma, our end user doesn't always want to be using our products; they must, for the sake of their health. Building meaningful relationships with customers might be the hardest thing to do in advertising, but when we do it, we change lives and help people be better, and ultimately, live better."
She has recently joined Publicis Health as Chief Creative Officer for Digitas Health — the largest health agency within Publicis — with a vision for integrating inclusive design and creativity in health and wellness advertising. Her previous award winning ParkinSex and ScART initiatives inspired Parkinson’s and Breast Cancer communities and delivered on her vision of design inclusivity.
Allison has made impactful work with her health clients, recently in asthma and Alzheimer’s Disease, getting big Pharma recognized at Cannes, NYF and Clio Health. Allison has been a Cannes Lions “See It, Be It” Mentor in 2024, was recognized by Campaign US as a “40 over 40,” and was an HBA Rising Star. She works closely with FIT Ad Design school and is a board member of the Research Foundation to Cure AIDS.
kathleen nanda - Pharma
Kathleen, a 14-year veteran of FCB Health NY, has spent more than 20 years creating effective, award-winning work on marquee brands across a broad range of categories. She began her career in consumer advertising, working for notable clients such as AT&T, Ford, Citibank, Sprint, Kodak, and the US Marine Corps, among others. After discovering healthcare, she eagerly jumped in and never looked back.
Over the span of her career, she has been both a winner and a juror at The New York Festivals, Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Clios, Effies, and more. Her category experience is vast, and she’s created award-winning work for all types of brands, from dermatology to virology.
Grounded in a firm belief that creativity has the power to help improve lives, she relentlessly pushes for work that breaks through and changes human behavior in new and unexpected ways.
The tremendous potential of healthcare advertising still excites her daily, and she is thrilled to be in a position to help enhance the work, and most importantly, the lives of those impacted by it.
Join host Aleisia Gibson Wright, President of GW Health Public Relations, on behalf of New York Festivals, for the launch of In The Chair with the 2025 NYF Health Executive Jury Chairs.
Get to Know the Chairs
SUPPORTED BY GW HEALTH PUBLIC RELATIONS
Allison Ceraso, Chief Creative Officer, Digitas Health
Aleisia and Allison dig into a dynamic conversation that explores the intersection of creativity, healthcare, and humanity. Allison offers a behind-the-scenes look at what makes award-winning work stand out: authenticity, nuance, and a deep understanding of the human condition. She stresses the importance of clear, compassionate messaging. From redefining innovation beyond tech to championing personalized experiences, she believes in leading with heart and purpose—a powerful reminder of why healthcare needs creativity, and why creativity needs heart.
Kathleen Nanda, Chief Creative Officer, FCB Health New York, an IPG Health Company
Aleisia Gibson Wright founded GW Health Public Relations to transform how healthcare organizations connect with key stakeholders and audiences. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare and corporate communications, she has led global campaigns, shaped industry narratives, and driven impactful storytelling initiatives that inspire meaningful action.
Recognized as a PRWeek Top 30 Health Influencer, Aleisia’s expertise spans pharmaceuticals, biotech, and healthcare sectors. She has successfully launched groundbreaking initiatives across diverse therapeutic areas, including weight loss, diabetes, rare diseases, and oncology. As a sought-after speaker and panel moderator, she is a respected thought leader dedicated to advancing and expanding health communications.
Aleisia and Kathleen share a candid conversation about creativity, leadership, and the power of storytelling in healthcare. Kathleen offers a sharp look into what moves the jury: work that surprises, challenges, and connects on a deeply human level. The boldest ideas, she says, are the ones brave enough to say something new—and true. Known for her fearless voice and emotionally charged work, Kathleen shares how curiosity, compassion, and clarity fuel her creative drive. She believes healthcare ideas should be as bold and beautifully crafted as any consumer campaign.
Important Dates
Open FOR ENTRIES July 24
Early Deadline September 15
Final Deadline October 24
New York Festivals Health Awards 2024 Reel
Congratulations to the agencies from around the globe whose innovative work impressed the healthcare industry creative leaders who served on the NYFHealth Grand Jury and Executive Jury panels. Between both Executive Juries, they awarded 12 Gold Towers, 20 Silver and 22 Bronze awards.
In addition to the Medal Winners, the Grand Winner went to the campaign “The Most Beautiful Sound” created by Grey New York for American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). “The Most Beautiful Sound” was the world’s first project to capture the sounds of cancer cells dying.
The project is an exclusive partnership with Harvard Medical School and a two-year, scientifically-validated study designed to capture the sounds of apoptosis – cellular death – in cancer cells. The sound is used to aid patients during their healing process.
Creativity from the Other Side Featuring: Susan Perlbachs
Join host David Sable at Silverstein Studios in Lower Manhattan for an insightful episode of "Creativity from the Other Side," presented by New York Festivals. In this episode, David engages in a fascinating conversation with Susan Perlbachs, Chief Creative Officer at EVERSANA INTOUCH. Renowned in the pharma industry and honored as one of Pharma Voice's 100 Most Inspiring People, Susan shares her compelling story of transitioning into the world of advertising and pharma.
Susan also illuminates what she values in submissions in her role as the jury president for the health and wellness jury. This episode is a deep exploration into the mindset of a creative leader, highlighting the resilience and adaptability necessary to succeed in the dynamic field of advertising.
2023 Pharma Winners Reel
McCann New Jersey was in the spotlight for earning the 2023 Best of Show Award for their bold and disruptive campaign “House Rules.” Featuring Schitt’s Creek star Annie Murphy, “House Rules” delivered an empowering message while generating awareness of Phexxi to millions of women seeking pregnancy prevention that is hormone free. HUGE Congrats to McCann New Jersey!
2023 Health and Wellness Winners reel
‘The Bridge' created by KIick Health for PAWS NY was honoured with the 2023 Health & Wellness Grand Award for their heart warming animated short film that explores mental and animal health. Check it out and all of the other incredible Health & Wellness winners!
Creativity from the other side with David Sable: Featuring Adam Hessel
David Sable and Adam Hessel discuss his career, working with Spike Lee at SpikeDDB, going from Swiffer Super Bowl Ads to health advertising, "identifying the unmet need," and his role as the 2023 EJ President for the return of NYFHealth.
Creativity from the Other Side: Featuring June Laffey
NYFHealth® Awards has honored June Laffey with the 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award! This special award recognizes industry leaders, innovators, and driving forces in the industry whose accomplishments have advanced their field and made a lasting impression on the industry. June built a stellar creative and leadership career within the healthcare advertising space, her remarkable reputation spans more than two decades, from APAC to the Americas. With a decade of service at McCann Health, she started in 2010 in Australia as a creative, and rose to CCO of the flagship New York office.
A visionary leader, she led a culture of creativity to elevate the network to world’s number one. June has now turned her creative talents to empowering creative leaders to be their best. With her new Executive Creative Coaching business, FUN (For U Now). She now guides clients with a blueprint for success which supports, upskills, and empowers people to be better leaders. Her workshop/accommodation space, Topi Topi, is a world away from the hustle and bustle located on beautiful land three hours north of Sydney. At the retreat center June provides curated tailored intensive programs with powerful guest speakers. Don’t miss David Sable, Host of NYF’s Creativity From The Other Side, interview with June Laffey. In this lively and intimate conversation David and June delve into what leadership is, what “love” does for creativity, how to stop “being” and “be all you can be,” her multi-decade career in advertising, her thoughts on tech and creative in healthcare, and much more.
To get the word out about NYFHealth® we turned to the streets. Check out what happened when we went wild posting.
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