Sami Leonardo

Samantha Leonardo is a strategic communications leader with nearly a decade of experience in the health and life sciences sector. She has developed and executed communications and advocacy strategies for biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, trade organizations, government agencies, and political organizations. Her expertise spans product and pipeline communications, patient advocacy, and reputational and policy communications.

She has previously led high-profile campaigns and patient advocacy initiatives across oncology, rare disease, and R&D assets, including managing crisis communications during the federal COVID-19 response as Press Secretary for the Joint Information Center at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Earlier in her career, she directed healthcare policy communications at the Republican National Committee, producing research and messaging that shaped national policy conversations.

Samantha holds a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Spanish from Michigan State University.