LOVELL COMMUNICATIONS - Key Persons
Amanda Maynord is a native Nashvillian, former journalist and life-long hockey fan. Fueled by a passion for hospital and health system operations and a talent for crisis, issues and change management communications, Maynord helps organizations across the health care spectrum protect brand reputation. She serves as trusted counsel for clients as they forge new pathways, shepherding organizations through change with confidence while ensuring seamless continuation of quality service.
As a senior account executive, Bailey Hinesley helps health care providers develop strategic internal and external campaigns to support colleague engagement and business-building referral marketing efforts. Through carefully curated research and media monitoring, Hinesley offers impactful content that empowers agency clients as they traverse new and creative avenues for communications. Her efforts bolster social media engagement and management as well as positive media relations. In addition to supporting a broad range of health care clients, Hinesley manages Lovell Communications' internship program.
Originally from Indiana, Hinesley is a graduate of Purdue University, where she received a bachelor's degree in Public Relations with a minor in Psychology and a certificate of entrepreneurship. During her four years at Purdue, she completed numerous communications internships and was a member of Purdue's Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) social media committee. She also managed an account team with Boiler Communications, a student-run PR firm whose public relations campaigns have won numerous PRSSA Pinnacle awards. Presently, she is an active member of Leadership Healthcare, an initiative of the Nashville Health Care Council.
Hinesley spends her free time traveling, hiking, or curling up with her dogs and a good book.
In the critical role of Assistant Office Manager, Aiken supports colleagues and clients with dedicated media monitoring, research projects, event planning, database monitoring and customer relationship management. She also manages Lovell's own marketing efforts and serves on the operations team that manages the firm's administrative, human resources and technology initiatives. Her dedicated attention to detail and capability in agency operations ensures Lovell colleagues and clients experience efficiency and high performance daily.
Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, Aiken moved to Nashville in 2013, holding event coordination and marketing roles before joining Lovell. A graduate of Presbyterian College, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. She served as a four-year captain of the Women's Lacrosse Team at Presbyterian, and through various leadership roles, developed a true passion for guiding others to success.
Aiken is a lover of the outdoors and an adventure-seeker at heart. She completed her 2,190 mile thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail in the summer of 2017. On any given day you can find her outside running, hiking, cycling or dreaming up her next adventure.
Dana Coleman joined Lovell in 2010 with more than 25 years of public and private sector communications experience in areas as diverse as health care, education, government, retail and professional services. As Vice President, she offers organizations crucial insight that fosters more positive media relations and internal communications as well as effective issues and change management. Coleman's thought-provoking campaigns elevate brands and preserve reputations. Thanks to her detail-oriented approach, Coleman's wide range of clients simultaneously see growth of their business and protection of their core values and vision.
Prior to joining Lovell, Coleman held communications director and management roles in Tennessee's Office of the Governor and Department of Environment and Conservation. Her public sector experience also includes serving as press secretary to the Mayor of Nashville and several years spent working with the Tennessee Department of Education. In the private sector, Coleman has led communications efforts for public and private health care companies that include hospital systems, home health, behavioral health and physician practice management companies, as well as not-for-profit hospitals and academic health centers.
Coleman received her Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and is a graduate of Leadership Brentwood. She is active in her community, having served on the boards of Komen Greater Nashville, Owl's Hill Nature Sanctuary, the Tennessee Environmental Council and children's literacy organization Book'em. One of her greatest joys is the downtown Nashville view from her home as she watches, with amazement, the evolving skyline of her hometown and one of the "hottest cities" in the country.
Job Titles:
- Managing Editor of Cardiology Today and CardioSource World News
- Senior Account Supervisor
Eric Raible brings more than 15 years of medical communications, publishing and multimedia expertise to the Lovell Communications team. As a former editor and award-winning journalist, Eric has a passion for creating compelling content that advances client goals.
Raible joined Lovell after serving as the managing editor of Cardiology Today and CardioSource World News (a publication of the American College of Cardiology). During his medical journalism career, Raible coordinated coverage of major medical conferences; developed custom editorial projects for prominent pharmaceutical companies; directed editorial teams; interviewed key opinion leaders for print and video formats; and supported the launch of several professional medical society publications and periodicals.
Raible earned his undergraduate degree in journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia, where he also received a master's degree in broadcasting, telecommunications, and mass media. He holds a certificate in biomedical marketing writing from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia and has taught introductory communications courses at Delaware County Community College. Raible is a lifelong New Jerseyan and lives in Cherry Hill with his wife and daughter.
Job Titles:
- Vice President
- Strategic Counsel
Erin George is a trusted source of strategic counsel for health care organizations across the country. Her deep experience in thought leadership, media strategy, transaction communications and issues management support companies throughout the life cycle of business and reputation development. Thanks to George's meticulous analysis and creative communications campaigns, agency clients find stability during challenges and are better positioned for growth and success.
George joined Lovell Communications in 2011 after spending the first phase of her career as a business journalist. Leveraging her media expertise, George has earned multiple industry awards for her writing and has secured positive media coverage for health care clients in formats ranging from small community and trade publications to major daily newspapers and national network news programs. In addition to positioning her clients as industry thought leaders, she has navigated complex transactions and issues ranging from mergers and acquisitions to service line closures, managed care disputes and leadership transitions.
Prior to joining Lovell, George was managing editor and health care reporter for the Nashville Post. She also covered health care and a range of other topics for the Nashville Business Journal and Pittsburgh Business Times.
A native of Pennsylvania, George graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh with Bachelor of Arts degrees in English Writing and History of Art and Architecture. She lives in Louisville, Kentucky.
As an account executive, Isabelle Nelson provides crucial support to agency clients looking to expand and maximize their online, mobile and social marketing assets. Nelson's keen eye for market research and natural talent for social media content development ensures agency clients stay at the forefront of online reputation management and thought leadership. She assists organizations as they grow their brand recognition through insightful email marketing campaigns, social media strategies and effective media monitoring.
Nelson received her bachelor's degree in English Literature at Rhodes College, where she exercised her passion for writing as editor of a Memphis-based online newspaper. In her hometown of St. Louis, she held multiple communications internships and a full-time marketing position in the nonprofit performing arts world. Through these roles, Nelson honed her skills in the areas of media relations, content marketing and collateral development. Outside of work, Nelson can be found exploring the city's newest restaurants, attending fitness classes and immersing herself in Nashville's eclectic music scene at local concerts.
Job Titles:
- Senior Account Supervisor
Jessica Hopson uncovers the pivotal role health care organizations play in their communities and develops comprehensive marketing strategies to help her clients effectively promote their services, generate new leads and engage key stakeholders.
Hopson assists clients in launching multi-channel patient and customer acquisition strategies to drive consumer preference and increase brand awareness, with a special talent for managing digital advertising campaigns across multi-site health systems. She also supports consumer relations, engagement and retention by promoting patient success stories and positioning health organizations as leaders in their communities. As Senior Account Supervisor, Hopson's work with clients drives value and builds brand loyalty, both internally and externally.
Prior to joining the Lovell team, Hopson served as the director of marketing at Inbound Marketing Agents, where she specialized in creating digital marketing and customer acquisition campaigns for post-acute and behavioral health clients, among others, in both business-to-business and consumer-focused arenas. She previously worked in marketing and communications in the corporate and nonprofit sectors, managing lead generation, email marketing and corporate events.
Hopson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Mississippi State University. She is active in several community and professional organizations, including the International Association of Business Communicators, Nashville Chapter, and Junior League of Nashville. At home with her husband, son and two delightfully rambunctious dogs, she aspires to be a master baker and pasta creator.
Job Titles:
- Senior Account Supervisor
Kristy Lucero develops and implements integrated communications strategies that enhance brand reputation and improve audience perception. She is well-versed in corporate and internal communication and brings a wealth of expertise in digital engagement strategies, including online reputation management, social media, SEO and email marketing.
Lucero has spent the majority of her career working for communications agencies of various sizes in support of clients including hospital systems, medical device manufacturers, health IT companies, home health providers, behavioral health organizations and other health care companies. She is a skilled relationship manager and thrives on getting to know the intricacies of her clients' business so she can work with her team to make an impact on their goals.
Prior to joining Lovell, Lucero worked for public relations and marketing agencies supporting international health, nonprofit and consumer clients. She also worked in the communications department of the United Kingdom tourist board, where she helped promote the 2012 London Olympics and first visit to the U.S. by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Lucero graduated cum laude from the University of Southern California, where she double majored in public relations and communication. A fluent Spanish speaker, Lucero enjoys traveling and learning about different cultures and traditions. She resides in Sacramento, California, with her husband, two dogs and two cats.
Job Titles:
- Account Supervisor
- Communications Director for the Tennessee Department of Economic
Laura Elkins' experience with both public and private sector communications and marketing enables her clients to bolster their content creation, community awareness and outreach efforts. As an Account Supervisor, Elkins helps health care organizations find their footing as subject matter experts and gain traction as respected thought leaders.
Working with everyone from top government officials to corporate CEOs, Elkins has served as communications director for the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. Other previous experience includes leading internal communications efforts for a company with more than 4,000 employees, and managing group marketing efforts for a well-known Nashville attraction.
A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Tennessee, Elkins majored in consumer science with a minor in business. She graduated from the University of Tennessee College of Law and is licensed to practice in the state of Tennessee.
With more than 20 years of business operations experience, Lisa Lambert is responsible for all office management, human resources and bookkeeping functions within the firm. She manages contracts, is a primary interface with firm vendors, and provides crucial support to Lovell team members. Her capable guidance over Lovell's daily operations allows colleagues and clients to work seamlessly together.
Prior to joining Lovell, Lambert served as office manager to companies in the engineering, accounting and food service sectors. She is a University of Tennessee graduate and a very proud mother and grandmother.
As an Account Executive, Natalie Simpson's work in social media management and strategic media relations supports agency clients as they seek to reach and influence stakeholders. Simpson's talent for KPI monitoring and market research leads to carefully curated content development for well-defined audiences, helping health care organizations emerge as thought leaders and launch finely crafted communications online to optimize their offline impact.
Simpson attended the University of Missouri, where she earned a Bachelor of Journalism degree with an emphasis in Strategic Communication and a minor in Spanish. There, she honed her communications skills as a student reporter, business director of the on-campus television station and member of the National Association of Black Journalists. She also served as the PR specialist on an account team at Adzou, a student-run advertising agency. Through these roles, she was able to exercise her passion for writing. A native Nashvillian, Simpson has held internships around the city, allowing her to gain experience in both internal and external communications.
In her free time, Simpson enjoys exploring Nashville's diverse restaurant scene, discovering new music and canoeing down the Harpeth River.
With a talent for capturing unique voices and synthesizing complex material into relatable content, Patrice Wilding offers an extensive background in journalism as well as health care writing to meet the needs of agency clients. A lifelong love for storytelling, coupled with her experience in health care marketing, allows Wilding to effectively engage and connect diverse health care audiences and stakeholders.
Before joining Lovell, Wilding served as the marketing and communications content manager for The Wright Center, the nation's largest graduate medical education and safety-net primary care consortium. While in that role, she enhanced the organization's recognition by producing exclusive branded content, including bimonthly published health columns and several televised specials. Wilding's work helped usher the organization to the forefront of thought leadership and advocacy with local, state and federal decisionmakers and news outlets.
A journalist by training, Wilding collected numerous awards over nearly 14 years as a reporter and copy editor for Times-Shamrock Communications, including at its Pulitzer Prize-winning daily newspaper, The Times-Tribune. She was named Journalist of the Year by the Pennsylvania Women's Press Association in 2019. Wilding also served as on-air talent for radio stations across numerous national markets, including Reno, Nevada, and her hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
Wilding earned a Bachelor of Arts from Wesley College in Dover, Delaware, where she majored in Media Arts, Communications and Political Science. Wilding resides in Northeast Pennsylvania with her son, where she is also known as an award-winning party DJ.
Paula Lovell founded national public relations and crisis communications firm Lovell Communications Inc. in 1988 following 10 years as a print and television journalist, producer and on-air talent. She spent more than 30 years in PR and crisis management and 25+ as president and CEO of her firm, working with clients throughout the U.S.
Lovell guided start-up companies, mature businesses and those going through IPOs. She is recognized for crisis communications strategies successfully impacting national companies, issues management and corporate reputation repair in the areas of corporate fraud and abuse, bankruptcies, mergers and acquisitions, workforce reductions, natural disasters, product liability/malpractice and corporate executive felonies and misdemeanors. While dealing with national and international media, Lovell worked with national and state governing entities including the Department of Justice, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, The Joint Commission, and numerous state attorneys general and departments of health.
She has been a featured speaker for the American Marketing Association, the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), American Women in Radio and Television, the Society of Professional Journalists, the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), various chambers of commerce, the Eastern and Southern Associations of College and University Business Officers, The Committee of 200 and the Business and Professional Women's Association. Lovell was named the 1997 Woman Business Owner of the Year by NAWBO and was honored as a finalist for the 1998 Executive of the Year in the Small Business Awards. She was also a nominee for the 2002 Ernst & Young "Entrepreneur of the Year" award, winner of the Junior Achievement 2007 Spirit of Free Enterprise Award, winner of the Hercules Award from the Nashville chapter of PRSA and winner of IABC's 2007 Career Communications Achievement Award. Lovell was also inducted into the YWCA Academy of Women of Achievement in 2015.
Lovell is a past Chairman of the Board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, which covers the southeast region of the U.S. including branches in Jacksonville, Miami, Nashville, Birmingham and New Orleans. She served on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta from 1998-2003, and on the board of the Nashville branch of the Fed from 1993-1998.
Lovell holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vanderbilt University, participates as a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary and serves on numerous civic and corporate boards of directors including Averitt Express, Inc., Abe's Garden and Nashville Public Radio.
Philip Betbeze joined Lovell after more than two decades as a nationally recognized health care journalist. Agency clients benefit from Betbeze's extensive background in media relations to develop and execute thought leadership and corporate communications strategies. His guidance, connections and persuasive writing skills help position clients as subject matter experts, allowing them to articulate mission-critical messages to diverse audiences, and empowering organizations to thoughtfully define the unique value of their products and services.
As a former senior editor with HealthLeaders Media, Betbeze covered emerging business models, analyzed financial trends and dissected federal policy. His specialties include hospital and health system consolidation, financial and revenue cycle issues, care transition strategies, patient-centered care, telehealth, population health and health modality interconnectivity.
Previously, Betbeze served as an editor at the Nashville Business Journal. His work has been recognized by the American Society of Business Publication Editors, the American Society of Healthcare Publication Editors among other industry recognition.
He is a cum laude graduate of Mississippi State University in English and economics. He enjoys auto restoration and mechanical hobbies, motorcycling, cooking and coaching sports teams for his children.
Robin Embry has been an integral part of the Lovell Communications team since 1997. She helped establish the firm's Thought Leadership Practice and continues to develop award winning media relations campaigns for our clients across the country. In recent years as the distinction between earned and paid media has increasingly narrowed, Embry has focused her energies on Lovell's Marketing and Digital Strategies Practice.
Over the years Embry has generated hundreds of national, regional, local and industry media placements including the covers of Modern Healthcare and HealthLeaders and placements in Becker's Hospital Review, HFM Magazine, STAT, Fierce, Managed Healthcare Executive, Today's Hospitalist and many others. Coverage she has secured has been syndicated in publications including USAToday, NPR, Kaiser Health, Reuters and the Associated Press. Embry regularly places clients as speakers at industry events and helps secure industry awards, then leverages those accomplishments across paid, owned and social channels.
She has received numerous awards for her creative work in the areas of collateral development, advertising and marketing, and is especially skilled at video production and the management of multimedia creative campaigns. Embry has received dozens of awards from the Public Relations Society of America and the International Association of Business Communicators.
She is a former Board Member and Secretary of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and a former board member of the Nashville Chapter of the National Leukemia Society. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in public relations with a minor in business management from the University of Alabama. Roll Tide.
With more than 25 years' experience in all aspects of public relations, communications and marketing, Plorin became president of Lovell Communications in 2014 and chief executive officer in 2015. She's now leading Lovell through a sustained period of growth while keeping the company firmly committed to delivering exceptional strategy and client service.
Plorin has vast issues and crisis experience in both the private and public sectors, having worked in the communications aspects of numerous mergers and acquisitions, labor negotiations, civil and criminal matters, and regulatory issues for companies large and small across a wide variety of industries. Specializing in health care crisis management, Plorin has worked with dozens of hospitals, health systems, primary care and post-acute providers on projects such as negative DOH surveys, CMS terminations and Joint Commission denials; hospital sales, acquisitions and bankruptcies; drug diversions and DEA investigations; medical staff credentialing issues; inappropriate patient health information disclosures; DOJ and OIG reimbursement fraud investigations; euthanasia allegations; major medical malpractice cases; clinical trial complications and patient abuse allegations. She has worked with virtually all major news outlets including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, Reuters, Bloomberg, Newsweek, CNN, "60 Minutes," "20/20" and local news outlets across the country and internationally.
Plorin has served as faculty or guest presenter in webinars and conferences presented by numerous organizations including the American Health Law Association, American Bar Association, Federation of American Hospitals, Federation of American Regulatory Boards, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, the Federation of State Medical Boards, Modern Healthcare magazine, the Public Relations Society of America and the International Association of Business Communicators. She has presented to graduate communications and business management classes at Belmont University and the Vanderbilt University Owen Graduate School of Management.
Plorin is a graduate of Denison University in Granville, Ohio, and an active member of several trade organizations, including the Public Relations Society of America and the International Association of Business Communicators. In her hometown of Nashville, she serves on the board of directors for the Nashville Health Care Council and the Franklin Road Academy Board of Trust and Executive Committee. She is a member of the Dean's Advisory Board of the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, as well as the Business Conditions Council of the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and the board of directors of the Nashville Entrepreneurs' Organization. Plorin has been recognized by the Nashville Business Journal as a Woman of Influence, a Healthcare Hero and one of Nashville's Most Admired CEOs. She's also been honored by the Nashville Medical News as a Woman to Watch, is regularly included in NashvillePost's annual "In Charge" list and is a 2014 Fellow of the Nashville Health Care Council.
Susanne Powelson helps lead Lovell's Issues Management practice which encompasses both crisis communications and transaction support. She brings extensive experience working with all segments of the health care industry, including health systems, physicians, managed care organizations, health IT and government.
Powelson helps clients navigate a host of complex issues and challenges from initial response through longer-term recovery efforts. She has delivered highly effective communication strategies for addressing quality concerns, cybersecurity issues, mergers and acquisitions, labor union activity, executive leadership changes, managed care contract negotiations and other legal and regulatory matters.
Powelson has also worked extensively on public policy strategies. She has delivered testimony to federal agencies and regulatory committees and maintains a strong understanding of Medicare, Medicaid and the factors that influence the quality and cost of health care.
Prior to joining Lovell Communications, Powelson held leadership positions at UnitedHealth Group, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Emdeon (now Change Healthcare) and the State of Tennessee. Powelson holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
She still dreams of writing that best-selling novel someday, but meanwhile she loves ballroom dancing, long walks and a little Tarheel basketball every now and then.