Meet Sarah McLeod of Activate Health

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah McLeod.

Sarah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
After earning a degree in Consumer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, I kicked off my career working for Fortune 500 health insurer CIGNA Healthcare, in their voluntary benefits division. As a marketing manager in the Phoenix-based office, I worked with product and research staff members, art directors and PR managers, to develop a holistic approach to marketing certain voluntary products, which include dental, disability and other employee-paid coverage. I followed that role with a transition to Univita Health, where I was an all-hands-on-deck Marketing Director, handling everything from media relations to signage after the company acquired many organizations and rebranded them as new divisions. The final stop on this journey—and the one I’m most proud of today — is my role at Activate Health. Today, I partner with CEO and Creative Director Laura Reagen to offer our healthcare clients access to all of these services of a traditional ad agency (creative, media relations and strategy) along with the expertise and knowledge they can’t find anywhere else.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like all busy professional moms, it’s sometimes difficult to balance my personal and professional life, but I’ve found that other women have a lot of great knowledge to impart in this area… so I’m not reinventing the wheel. I’m always looking for advice from other great women leaders who have managed to stay sane while balancing so many responsibilities.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Activate Health – what should we know?
Activate Health is a boutique marketing firm focused on serving the healthcare and health technology industries. We work with hospitals, health plans, specialty pharmacies, care management companies and others, offering everything from content marketing and social media support to more strategic consulting services. Our clients tell us that our key differentiator is our unsurpassed knowledge of this industry. My partner and I have decades of combined experience in this space — so we have no learning curve when we engage with a new customer. And that saves our clients time and money! We’re also staying on the cutting edge of new technology and offerings. For example, we’re developing virtual reality videos for our clients, that showcase the behind-the-scenes look at areas like their laboratory facilities, clinics and other patient care areas. These videos are fun and exciting and a great way to engage with their key audiences.

What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
We just opened a new office in Nashville, which is an exciting change. As for me, I love the Valley too much to live anywhere else, so I’ll continue to manage our Arizona-based operations and service our clients in the Southwest and Pacific Northwest. My partner and I, love what we do and I think that passion is a big driver of our continued growth!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.activate-health.com
• Phone: 800-516-2881
• Email: smcleod@activate-health.com
• Other: www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmcleod

Getting in touch: VoyagePhoenix is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.