Mary Christ-Erwin, Partner and
Executive Vice President, is based in Porter Novelli’s Washington, D.C.
office. Over the past two decades, she has committed significant
attention to the challenges and opportunities presented to industry
products and services by issues such as obesity, food policy guidance,
issues advocacy and emerging consumer health and nutrition trends. She
regularly works with industry and influencer organizations to identify
communications strategies to address issues in the context of consumer
lifestyle needs, particularly as they target creating synergies among
family and community. Currently, she provides ongoing counsel to
clients including the Almond Board of California, Nature Made, and
SOYJOY, among others. These programs, designed to communicate
leadership and demonstrate issue preparedness require significant
insight into current and emerging issues. Translation of science into
influencer, business and consumer communications on issues is a hallmark
of Mary’s work for corporations, commodity groups, associations and
public/private coalitions. A frequent speaker on development and
communication of issues-driven messages, she helps to facilitate the
Columbia University Industry Roundtable, created by Columbia’s Human
Nutrition Institute, has spoken at their meetings and recently was a
guest speaker for the new obesity course created by Columbia’s College
of Physicians and Surgeons. Mary is a member of the Institute for Food
Technologists Nutrition Committee and is a member of the IFT Joint Task
Force on food science and nutrition.
“It is an honor to work every day to
help promote awareness of the importance of health and nutrition,” Mary
says. “No matter what the challenge, I am always inspired by the
dedication and the talent of the people I work with.”