Celebrating ‘Pride in Profession’: Steff Tortell steps into ISMPP Chair of the Board of Trustees role

As the medical communications industry prepares to celebrate #MedCommsDay this Wednesday (June 24) and this year’s theme, Pride in Profession, Inizio Medical is also proud to recognize an exciting achievement from within our network. Stephanie Tortell (Steff), President at Ashfield MedComms, has been appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees of the International Society for Medical Publication Professionals (ISMPP), following a year serving as Co-Chair. The appointment was announced during the ISMPP Annual Meeting in April.

This year’s #MedComms Day theme, “Pride in Profession,” feels particularly fitting. The annual campaign, run by ISMPP, celebrates the people behind medical communications and the role they play in helping scientific information reach healthcare professionals, patients, and the wider public. After serving as ISMPP Co-Chair over the past year, stepping into the Chair of the Board of Trustees role reflects not only her personal leadership journey, but also her longstanding commitment to advancing excellence, integrity, and innovation across medical publications and communications.

A career spent helping medical communications evolve

ISMPP brings together medical publication and communication professionals from across the world, helping shape conversations around best practice, innovation, and the future of the industry. For Steff, the appointment reflects a career spent helping medical communications evolve alongside science and healthcare.

With more than 35 years of experience across pharmaceutical companies and medical communications agencies, she has worked across medical affairs, commercial strategy, and global publications, supporting the development and launch of medicines and vaccines. Since joining Ashfield MedComms in 2013, she has held several senior leadership roles before becoming President in 2021, where she now leads global teams delivering scientific communications across a wide range of therapy areas. As the profession continues to evolve, from the increasing use of AI to growing expectations around transparency, accessibility, and patient engagement, strong leadership across the industry has never been more important.

“Medical communications professionals play such an important role in helping ensure scientific information is communicated clearly, ethically, and meaningfully,” said Steff. “I’m incredibly honored to step into the role of ISMPP Chair of the Board of Trustees and to continue working alongside colleagues across the industry who are passionate about advancing standards, collaboration, and innovation in publications and communications. The #MedComms Day theme of ‘Pride in Profession’ feels especially meaningful this year because it reflects the dedication and expertise I see every day across our industry.”

Reflecting on her experience as Co-Chair, Steff added: “Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to work with so many talented individuals who care deeply about the future of our profession. I’m excited to continue building on that momentum as Chair of the Board of Trustees and to help support the next generation of Global Publication Professionals as our industry continues to evolve.”

An exciting milestone for Inizio Medical

Dan Bridges, CEO of Inizio Medical and former ISMPP Chair of the Board of Trustees, also welcomed the announcement. “Steff’s appointment as Chair of the Board of Trustees is very well deserved,” he said. “She’s hugely respected within the medical communications community and brings a great mix of experience, insight and enthusiasm to the role. Having previously served as ISMPP Chair of the Board of Trustees myself, I know the impact the position can have across the profession, and I’m sure Steff will do an excellent job leading the organization and supporting the wider medical publications community.”

For Inizio Medical, Steff’s appointment is not just an exciting milestone for the business, but also a reflection of the people helping move the profession forward every day. As #MedComms Day celebrates pride in the industry, her new role feels like a fitting reminder of the expertise, passion, and collaboration at the heart of medical communications.