Molly Dunham-Friel, MPH
Atlanta,GA
Summary
Passionate Patient Advocate and Health Communications Specialist with a proven track record at the CDC, enhancing public health through strategic communication and effective community engagement. Expert in content development, relationship building, and project management, I've significantly increased engagement and streamlined health campaigns. Skilled in building trust amongst patients using emotional intelligence. I've led teams to achieve over a million monthly web views and increased use of marketed resources across the nation.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Health Communications Specialist, GS 13
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
06.2022 - Current
- Serve as technical monitor/manage for two cooperative agreements (recipients: American Academy of Pediatrics and the Association of Public Health Nutritionists)
- Provide technical assistance, strategic planning, health communication and education expertise
- Oversee projects, budgets and award documentation in accordance with federal guidelines
- Serve as technical monitor/manager for Public Health Communication and Marketing Contract (recipient: Porter Novelli)
- Manage the development of high quality, highly visible, evidence informed communications products for a variety of priority audiences (ex: fact sheets, videos, talking points, reference/implementation guides….)
- Manage over 300 webpages across three websites in English and Spanish, resulting in over a million views per month, the highest for the entire center
- Manage and oversee the creation, clearance, and dissemination process of program social media on CDC channels resulting in the highest engagement across the division month-over-month
- Supervise Health Communication Fellows
- Assign tasks, oversee workload, provide robust training, mentoring, and career support
- Facilitate trainings for WIC staff and community-based leaders teaching how to implement the LTSAE program
- Travel to national conferences to provide health education, present program benefits, and advocate for program
Founder
Better Bellies by Molly, LLC
01.2018 - Current
- Advocate for health policy reform on Capitol Hill and with patient and provider groups
- Create blog and social media content to educate and support patients living with IBD and IBS
- Served as Patient Advisory to biotech start-up by advising on creation of new drug delivery system for ulcerative colitis
Health Communications Specialist, GS 12
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
02.2021 - 06.2022
- Led development of strategy for the Division's social media presence for @cdchep on a day-to-day basis, including monitoring retweets, likes, engagement with followers, and optimization of content
- Established evaluation plans for marketing campaigns and monthly social media
- Created partner social media toolkits resulting in partner engagement and health communication dissemination engaged and met the needs of partners through development and promotion of social media toolkits
- Managed development of all communication plans and products for key health observances including web content, partner letters, social media, partner engagement, and evaluation reports
- Provided technical assistance to states and community-based partners on implementation of communication tactics
- Managed a $1.1 million cooperative agreement, overseeing four grantees, funded to engage in coalition building, hepatitis education, and training of health care providers
Associate Director, Research Projects
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
10.2017 - 02.2021
- Managed research portfolio for Emory's Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) research program
- Worked closely with research administrators and principal investigators on submitting grant applications
- Oversaw the invoicing and payment process for multi-site clinical research studies
- Created multiple case report forms and databases for perianal fistulizing Crohn's Disease research study
- Ran weekly all team meetings and weekly clinical staff meetings
- Direct supervisor to three full-time Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs) and Data Analyst
Assistant Program Director
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
07.2017 - 01.2021
- Created, updated, and disseminated cumulative communication summary of all COVID-19 related research within the center
- Independently updated Emory Vaccine Center website with relevant news, media, and research updates
- Led the inception of a 20-page Emory Vaccine Center online and print magazine
- Collaborated with Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) leadership to create an Emory Vaccine Center promotional video
- Served as operations manager for the Emory Vaccine Center at Yerkes National Primate Research Center
- Direct supervisor to center administrative assistant and laboratory assistant
- Strategically implemented new protocols to save more than $13,500 in annual operating costs
- Planned and ran monthly science meetings for 250+ guests
- Facilitated faculty recruitment efforts
Health Communications Specialist III Contractor: Chenega Time Solutions
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Atlanta, GA
01.2016 - 07.2017
- Collaborated with graphic designers to create infographics for the public and policy makers
- Wrote engaging emails for internal and external communications reaching over 200,000 subscribers
- Led the creation of a new webpage to promote CDC collaborations and efforts to reduce healthcare-associated infections
- Completed FEMA/GEMA two-day training on: “Communicating in an Emergency”
- Created and managed strategic communications plan for CDC's participation in National Patient Safety Awareness Week
Project Coordinator
Emory University
Atlanta, GA
08.2013 - 09.2016
- Developed and led Emory Women's Heart Center (EHWC) community health screening and research program designed to screen 10,000 African American women in metro Atlanta for cardiovascular risk factors
- Led the team to complete full biometric screening and health educational on over 400 women within the first year
- Created and evaluated research database for all patient information, resulting in insightful prevalence data
- Presented research findings at the Annual Women's Health Congress in Washington, DC
- Communicated, marketed, and advertised EWHC's community program by partnering with interdepartmental communications managers, updating website information and crafting social media content
- Managed the accounting, reporting, and communications between Emory Cardiology and over 100 primary care practices around Metro-Atlanta
Program Coordinator
Emory University
- Coordinated projects related to communication process improvement, salary distribution, physician incentive packages, human resources, annual reporting, intranet creation and website content for senior leadership
Education
Master of Public Health - Health Management & Policy
Georgia State University
01.2016
Bachelor of Science - Public Communication
University of Vermont
01.2011
Skills
- Patient Engagement
- Patient Advocacy
- Marketing & Communication
- Public Speaking
- Teaching
- Training
- Social media channel management
- Content development
- Community event planning
- Project management
- Emotional Intelligence
- Community Engagement
- Health Campaign Management
Certification
- CITI Program: Health Privacy & Information Security
- CITI Program: Human Subjects Research
- Health Union: Patient Leader Certificate Program
Timeline
Health Communications Specialist, GS 13
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
06.2022 - Current
Health Communications Specialist, GS 12
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
02.2021 - 06.2022
Founder
Better Bellies by Molly, LLC
01.2018 - Current
Associate Director, Research Projects
Emory University
10.2017 - 02.2021
Assistant Program Director
Emory University
07.2017 - 01.2021
Health Communications Specialist III Contractor: Chenega Time Solutions
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
01.2016 - 07.2017
Project Coordinator
Emory University
08.2013 - 09.2016
Program Coordinator
Emory University
Master of Public Health - Health Management & Policy
Georgia State University
Bachelor of Science - Public Communication
University of Vermont
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