Meet United States’s 101 Top VP’s in the Public Relations Space

Jeff Picarello

Executive Vice President, Health Issues & Crisis of Edelman Digital

Jeff Picarello joined Edelman in 2006 and specializes in strategic communications on behalf of clients in the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. He has vast experience in crisis communications, R&D communications, corporate and public relations, government relations, and stakeholder engagement. Prior to joining Edelman, Jeff spent more than a decade directing public relations, media relations, and community and public affairs for various non-profit entities. As Director of Public Affairs for Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, one of the world’s leading biomedical research institutions, he improved media coverage by more than 314% in less than one year; his work in crisis communications and corporate communications made him a lead administrator at the Laboratory. Jeff also served as the institution’s sole liaison with nearly 50 grassroots organizations which fund medical research. A frequent speaker on various topics that affect human health — from oncological research and treatment to public health initiatives to diseases of memory and cognition — Jeff managed more than $40 million in direct, private contributions by communicating the research of more than 350 scientists to both lay and scientific audiences. At Cold Spring Harbor, Jeff served as the institutional representative for the New York Biotechnology Association (NYBA); The Academic Medicine Development Company (AmDec); the National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR); the National Cancer Institute; and New York’s GeNYsis program to promote biotechnology in the state. Regionally, he served on the Long Island Association’s Bioscience committee; BIO New York; acted as a liaison with OSI Pharmaceuticals, a Laboratory spin-off; and was an advisor to the Broadhollow Bioscience Park, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s technology transfer incubator facility. Following ten years in office management for a nutraceuticals company and law firm, Jeff began his career in the field of public relations at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. There, he began working as an editorial assistant and was quickly promoted to Assistant Director, Associate Director, and finally, Director of Media Affairs — the quickest ascent in the department’s history. Jeff received both his bachelor of arts magna cum laude (English) and Master’s of Business Administration cum laude (Marketing) from the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. He has held board positions with professional associations in public relations, business communications and corporate and government relations, and serves on the board for several disease-based charitable organizations. He is also chair of the board of Food Alliance, an organization focused on sustainable food production and certification, and serves on its Executive Committee.

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About Edelman Digital: Edelman Digital, a public relations firm, offers analysis, advertising, marketing, branding, and content and strategy management services.

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