Laura Schoen is partner and president of the Weber Shandwick Global Healthcare practice and has over twenty years of global public relations and healthcare experience. She oversees the firm’s global medical and health public relations operations, working closely with its established practices in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Prior to joining the agency, she worked for Euro RSCG for nine years. There, Laura was responsible for the creation and development of Euro RSCG’s healthcare public relations network in the United States. In this capacity, she developed international and domestic marketing/communications strategies for a variety of companies in the health care industry. She also provided direction and counsel to senior management regarding crisis preparedness, corporate positioning and issues management.
The international and American companies that Laura has counseled includes: Bausch & Lomb, Eli Lilly, Pharmacia, Procter & Gamble, Pfizer, and American Home Products, as well as biotechnology, e.health companies and nonprofit groups.
Prior to that, Laura worked for eight years at Burson-Marsteller, where she served as senior vice president and director of the firm's international division. In this capacity, she was responsible for business development as well as managing accounts. She also participated in the acquisition and startup of Burson-Marsteller's operations in Mexico.
Laura has developed and managed a variety of programs to support pharmaceutical products during pre-launch, launch and post-launch campaigns in the fields of immunology, oncology, anti-infectives, antivirals, gene therapy and activation, metabolic disorders, eye care, CNS, orthopedics, pediatrics, women’s health, medical devices.
Earlier in her career, Laura worked in broadcasting news and advertising. She earned a B.A. in journalism and holds a master's degree in international relations and business from the University of Pennsylvania.