MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL (July 12, 2024) — Children’s Minnesota is pleased to announce the promotion of Hillery Smith Shay to chief marketing and experience officer, senior vice president of communications, effective immediately. In her elevated role, Shay will now be a part of the executive leadership team, reporting directly to president and CEO, Dr. Marc Gorelick.
The position adds the responsibility of defining and building an enterprise-wide experience strategy to Shay’s portfolio. This is in addition to her ongoing leadership and strategic direction for organizational marketing and communications.
“At Children’s Minnesota, we’re working towards a clear vision to be the region’s premier independent provider of specialized pediatric care. The experience of our patient families, referring providers and staff is a fundamental component of that,” said Dr. Gorelick. “Hillery has proven to be a transformational leader, elevating our organization’s reputation and reinforcing our commitment to equity. I’m confident she will bring the same passion to transform our health care journey into a more seamless experience for the providers who work with us and the families who depend on our kid experts every day.”
Under Shay’s leadership, the organization has:
- Developed a strategic marketing and communications plan with key performance indicators (KPI) that tie directly to the organization’s growth goals.
- Improved Children’s Minnesota’s reputation scores among community members, from 51% in 2021 to 56% in 2023.
- Improved health care provider preference from 64% in 2021 to 71% in 2023.
- Dedicated budget and resources to building credibility with multicultural media outlets and influencers in the Twin Cities.
- Created and implemented The Kid Experts® branding which is now a key part of the Children’s Minnesota identity.
Shay brings nearly 25 years of leadership experience in health care and mass communication, with a proven track record of success leading national and global public health campaigns and marketing initiatives. Prior to her role at Children’s Minnesota, Shay served in leadership roles at Abbott Labs leading professional education, marketing, communications and scientific congress strategy. She also served as a journalist and team leader for more than 10 years at the Associated Press and the Baltimore Sun, including as a photojournalist covering two sitting U.S. presidents as well as the Pentagon on 9/11.
Shay earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Haverford College in Pennsylvania, as well as a master’s degree in business administration from Bethel University in Minnesota.
“This is a pivotal moment for Children’s Minnesota as we celebrate 100 years of serving patients and families and look towards what the next century of care will look like,” said Shay. “I’m honored to serve the community in this role, continuing to lead a strong marketing and communications team while focusing on how to improve the experience of everyone who interacts with our kid experts.”
About Children’s Minnesota
Children’s Minnesota is one of the largest pediatric health systems in the United States and the only one in Minnesota devoted exclusively to children, from before birth through young adulthood. An independent and not-for-profit system for more than 100 years, Children’s Minnesota offers more than 60 pediatric specialties through its two hospitals, multiple specialty centers and clinics throughout the metro area. The Kid Experts® at Children’s Minnesota are chosen by more families than any other pediatric health system in the region.
Find us on Facebook @childrensminnesota or on Instagram @childrensmn. Please visit childrensMN.org.
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