NEW YORK, December 12, 2024 – Burson, the global communications leader purpose-built to create value for clients through reputation, today announced that Global Chairman AnnaMaria DeSalva was named a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) in an induction ceremony that took place this week in Manhattan.
NYAM, founded in 1847 and one of the nation’s longest running non-profit institutions, is a preeminent leader in medicine and public health, focused on maximizing health in every phase of life. It also is home to one of the world’s most important historical medical libraries. NYAM Fellows are leading practitioners, academics and policy makers in their fields which span medicine, nursing, social work, public health, administration, health policy, pharmacy, dentistry, law and government. Fellows participate in cutting edge research, educational and health policy programs, and organize forums addressing critical health issues.
“I’m very grateful to NYAM and to its board of trustees for the honor of being named a Fellow of the Academy,” said DeSalva. “I’ve had the opportunity through most of my career to contribute to innovation and transformation in healthcare, and I believe this recognition reflects the central role of communication in strategy and as a key determinant of human health. I am looking forward to contributing to the mission of NYAM and to help bring together the biomedical sciences, clinical practice and public health strategies to improve health outcomes for all.”
Across a 30-year career in corporate affairs and governance, DeSalva has spent more than 20 years dedicated to healthcare innovation in executive roles at Pfizer and Bristol-Myers Squibb and in various leadership roles at WPP, including as Chairman and CEO of Hill & Knowlton and Global Chairman of Burson. Earlier in her career, she was the first industry expert to be appointed by the Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to serve as an advisor to the Agency in risk communication. In 2000, she co-founded World Cancer Day and authored the Charter of Paris Against Cancer, an international agreement to improve the fight against cancer globally. World Cancer Day and the Charter will recognize a 25th anniversary in 2025. DeSalva has served on the governing boards of two industry leading public companies and currently serves on the governing board of her alma mater, William & Mary.