Our backgrounds are strong, varied and cast a wide net of experience, from integrated health systems and hospitals, to physician offices, university level teaching settings and more. Clients choose us for our expertise, broad perspectives, and our ability to get results. Meet our team.
Karen Corrigan, Founder and Chief Strategist
Strategist. Activist. Perpetual Learner.
Over the course of her career, founder and chief strategist Karen Corrigan has worked as a strategy consultant, health system executive, chief strategy officer, marketing executive, and business owner. Today, she oversees Corrigan Consulting’s industry insights, forecasting and thought-leadership on competitive strategy.
Prior to launching her consulting career, Karen served as corporate vice president for Norfolk, Virginia based Sentara Healthcare, where she led health system development, market expansion, new business growth and public affairs for the system’s inpatient, ambulatory, post acute care, medical group and health plan lines of business. She previously held planning and marketing positions with two other Virginia health systems.
Karen is a graduate of Virginia Wesleyan College where she serves on the President’s Advisory Council, and is active in the Forum for Healthcare Strategists, Healthcare Executive Forum, and Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development. She is the publisher and lead blogger for Chief Marketing Officer and has authored numerous articles, white papers and books, including The Complete Guide to Service Line Marketing (HealthLeaders Media 2010) and Impact Marketing (AHA 2004).
In 2013, she was the recipient of the American Hospital Association’s Award for Individual Professional Excellence by the Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development (SHSMD), and the 2014 John A. Eudes Award for Vision and Excellence.
When not researching, writing or consulting, Karen serves on the boards of several non-profit organizations and is active in community outreach and improvement initiatives.
Email: karen@corriganconsulting.com
Brian Whitman, President and CEO
Builder. Leader. Customer Synergist.
As President and CEO of Corrigan Consulting, Brian leads the business development and operational performance of the firm, in addition to providing counsel to clients in the areas of competitive strategy, product and brand development, partnership development, merger and acquisition communications and customer experience. With more than 30 years of healthcare marketing experience, Brian has expertise in marketing and communications planning with extensive experience in brand launches and revisions, new product launches, community health communications, marketing, corporate communications, crisis management and merger communications.
Brian previously served as Chief Operating Officer for Corrigan Partners. In addition, he was a valuable member of the leadership team for five years at Indiana University Health Bloomington serving as Regional Vice President of Marketing, Business Development, Community Health and Service Excellence overseeing marketing, community relations, business development, service excellence and community health. Earlier in his career, Brian worked at Clarian Health Partners, Methodist Hospital and Corporate Creations. While at Corporate Creations as Director of Post Production, Brian worked on a variety of healthcare and non-healthcare national accounts including Cummins Engine, Delta Faucet, Heritage Environmental Services, Methodist Medical Group, Methodist Hospital and many others.
Brian holds a Masters in Businesses Administration with a focus in healthcare management and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Indianapolis.
Brian serves on the board of At Your School, and formerly served on the boards of the United Way of Monroe County, Lant and Associates, Inc. and the Near-Northside Neighborhood Development Corporation, LLC, as well as, on the PR Advisory Councils for the Volunteers of Medicine of Monroe and Owen Counties, and the Bloomington Chamber of Commerce.
Outside of his professional life, Brian is a professed geek with an intense passion for Legos, SciFi (especially Star Wars), and comic books. He also enjoys many winter sports with his family near their home in Colorado.
Email: brian@corriganconsulting.com
Carla Bryant, Executive Vice President
Innovator. Pathfinder. Giver.
Over the course of her career, Carla has worked in a variety of leadership and innovator roles in both integrated health systems and technology firms. Today, she serves as Executive Vice President and leads the firm’s Consulting Solutions division.
Carla is known for her ability to identify and implement new products, service and technology innovations that support the brand, and business and growth strategies for her client’s organization. She is passionate about the intersection of technology and marketing, and calls upon her years of experience as an innovator and strategist to help clients improve competitive performance through brand, marketing and engagement innovations that empower employees, providers, and consumers.
Prior to joining Corrigan Partners, Carla worked with The Strategy Group and Navvis & Company, where she led brand and marketing engagements. She previously served as senior vice president for product development and chief technology officer for HealthOnline. In addition, she was director of emerging technology and director of strategic planning for Sentara Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading integrated health systems. Her innovative product strategy for Sentara’s SpinWeb, one of the first physician portals in the nation, was profiled in Bill Gates’ book Business @ The Speed of Thought.
Carla holds a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Virginia Tech and frequently speaks and writes on competitive strategy, advanced marketing and health industry innovation. While Carla is devoted to her clients, she finds time to relax with her husband and share their love for antiques, canoeing and college football. However, we find Carla to be more extraordinary at what she gives away: Carla donated a kidney to her brother. #Inspiring.
Email: carla@corriganconsulting.com
Allison Cooper, Executive Vice President
Planner. Analyst. Women’s Health Advocate.
Allison Cooper’s area of expertise is strategic planning, in particular the analysis of market, financial and competitive trends to help clients clearly understand the present and inspire a vision for their future. She helps her clients grow their business by making smart business decisions rooted in both evidence and aspiration.
Having worked in strategic, operational and financial roles – and a project manager by personality and training – Allison is adept at communicating and building consensus from all corners of the c-suite and levels of the organization.
Allison started her healthcare career working within the provider setting at Massachusetts General Hospital and Partners Healthcare in Boston, MA where she learned how hospitals and health systems could operate efficiently and differentiate themselves in a highly competitive market. Upon discovering that strategic planning was her professional passion, she moved into consulting in 2005 to focus full time on helping her clients understand growth opportunities and plan for success.
Allison has had a lifelong interest in women’s health issues and proudly serves as board chair of the Virginia League of Planned Parenthood. Allison holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from Boston University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics from Brandeis University.
Email: allison@corriganconsulting.com
Amanda Baker, Vice President
Relationship Builder. Travel Enthusiast.
Amanda Baker is an experienced business builder providing counsel to health system executives, boards and physicians across the country on strategy, performance, and leadership, with particular expertise in patient engagement and brand equity.
Prior to joining Corrigan Consulting, Amanda was a Vice President with BVK and Navvis Healthways, specializing in competitive strategy in the health industry. She helped health systems focus and accelerate business model redesign to deliver the triple aim of improved outcomes, cost and experience for patients, and defining, measuring and achieving success in population health management. She worked on the development, implementation and management of growth and diversification initiatives to support value-based payment transformation, including Government Care Innovation Programs such as ACOs, bundled payments, care transitions, and high-performing post-acute networks.
Amanda has over ten years of experience in the management and operation of physician group practices. She has extensive experience in the financial operations, human resources, information technology management, managed care, operations, governance, strategic planning and marketing of surgical, behavioral healthcare and academic medical practices.
When not on the road, Amanda is out exploring the world with her camera and four rescue dogs.
Email: amanda@corriganconsulting.com
Dee Dee Becker, Senior Consultant
Writer. Story Teller. Community Building Strategist.
Dee Dee Becker offers a wealth of marketing, communications and PR experience which began in non-profit more than thirty years ago with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, American Diabetes Association and Sentara Healthcare (Norfolk, VA). In 1998, she founded Becker Communications, consulting with clients in the entertainment, transportation, education and legal sectors, including The New York Times Company, Virginia Port Authority, and ESPN.
Today, Dee Dee’s super powers are spent crafting and telling the stories of health systems “doing good” for their communities. From life-saving health programs and service-line initiatives to extraordinary patient successes, Dee Dee leverages the power of digital media to maximize online presence, engage communities and build brand loyalty.
Dee Dee’s expertise is rooted in communications planning, writing and management across multiple platforms including traditional, web and social media. Her background includes planning and managing major corporate communications and PR initiatives for healthcare organizations, ranging from mergers and acquisitions to program and service line publicity and crisis management. Ask her about the time a Navy jet crashed in Virginia Beach (all survived!) – or the time one of her clients experienced a bomb threat and it played out over social media. Fascinating experiences in healthcare PR.
When not consulting, this University of Mary Washington graduate wears myriad other hats: Virginia Tech Hokie mom. Happy wife. Eldest of six girls. Administrator for the Virginia Tech Parents Facebook group and moderator of the nationally celebrated Grown and Flown Parents Group – a riveting web destination for parents of older kids. In other words, she’s NEVER without an entertaining story!
Email: deedee@corriganconsulting.com
LeeAnn Clifford, Senior Consultant
Dedicated Writer. Effective Communicator.
LeeAnn’s 23 years of experience in marketing and communications – of which the last 21 have been in the healthcare realm – have given her an exceptional ability to manage multiple projects, build and sustain important relationships, communicate effectively and ideate creatively.
She utilizes her experience to bring results-driven success in this competitive industry. LeeAnn provides project management from conceptualization through fruition; communicates clearly and concisely with both clients and consumers; and cultivates excellent relationships internally and externally.
While project management is a strength, LeeAnn’s true passion is writing for healthcare clients. From internet posts to annual reports, from ghost-written letters to e-newsletters, she has a knack for creating meaningful communication, a keen eye for proofreading, and an adept skill for editing.
Prior to her role as a consultant, LeeAnn worked in marketing and communications for what was at the time the nation’s second largest hospital. Prior to that, she worked at an advertising agency with several healthcare clients. LeeAnn holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Purdue University with concentrations in marketing, advertising and public relations and a minor in English.
Outside of the office, LeeAnn can be found volunteering at her children’s schools, reading a book or on the sidelines of a sporting event (professional or kids).
Email: leeann@corriganconsulting.com
Tom Comes, Senior Consultant
Marketer. Connector. Runner.
Tom Comes has a passion for both the art and science of marketing and was a pioneer in the application of customer relationship management (CRM) tools to healthcare strategic marketing. He is known for using analytics and sound marketing intuition to develop and deploy strategies that create deep, emotional brand connections with consumers and employees.
Through his career spanning more than 35 years, he has developed an innate understanding of all marketing and communications disciplines including customer segmentation, digital marketing, brand development, direct marketing, content marketing, social media, public relations, and advertising. Tom understands the need to swiftly bring action to strategic marketing plans, stay on budget, and deliver return on marketing investment (ROI).
Prior to joining Corrigan Consulting, Tom worked with Borgess Health, a large healthcare provider located in southwest Michigan. Tom has also served as vice president & account director for several marketing communications agencies including Lawler Ballard (MI), Doe-Anderson (KY), and Fahlgren (OH) where he worked on a variety of business to business, consumer and retail accounts including Blue Care Network, McDonald’s, Owens-Corning, Ames Lawn & Garden Tools, Jewish Hospital and Brunswick Boat Group.
Tom holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a major in marketing management from Miami University (OH). Tom has received numerous national, regional and local awards throughout his career. He serves as a board member for the southwest Michigan chapter of the American Marketing Association and the Hospital Hospitality House and is a published author on fitness and health care marketing.
Tom is an avid baseball fan, accomplished photographer and runner, finishing 11 half marathons.
Email: tom@corriganconsulting.com
Gina Gardner, Senior Consultant
Intuitive Marketer. Driven Tactician.
Gina is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience as an intuitive and strategic marketer capable of integrating a variety of resources in order to yield positive results.
Prior to joining the Corrigan Consulting team, Gina served as the Service Line Marketing Program Director at Banner Health in Phoenix, AZ, where she led various consumer marketing initiatives for specific acute service lines within the health system by utilizing research, market data and digital/traditional marketing tactics. She found success in measuring and reporting results in an effort to realize overall lift to her assigned service lines.
Before her role at Banner, Gina spent several years with Dignity Health serving as the Marketing Manager for the Arizona region. She was a strategic leader in developing marketing initiatives for oncology, general surgery and medical group service lines. Her role involved researching and analyzing data to identify consumer perception and the competitive environment, develop and implement marketing plans to meet the business objectives of the organization, and ensure the use of tracking mechanisms to measure the return on marketing investment.
Her background also includes Director of Marketing Operations for HealthSouth Valley of the Sun, Marketing Director for the John C. Lincoln Health Network, marketing for a third-party administrator and consulting organization for health plans, and ad agency work with 40+ healthcare clients.
Gina and her husband recently left the “dry heat” of Arizona for the more humid climate of South Carolina where she plans to expand and use her healthcare marketing experience to empower consumers to reduce risk and know when to seek care for a better life. Beyond her professional expansion, Gina is now closer to family including two grandchildren she intends to spoil rotten.
Email: gina@corriganconsulting.com
Cindy Rose, Senior Consultant
Marketing Expert. Advocate. Lifelong Learner.
Cindy has a wealth of experience in marketing, communications and brand development. She has more than 25 years of healthcare experience including management positions at Johns Hopkins’ All Children’s Hospital, The Cleveland Clinic, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Ohio, and the Tampa-based Pediatric Health Alliance, where she was vice president of marketing and network development. Before joining Corrigan Consultants, Cindy was the Vice President Marketing, Brand and Communications and served as a corporate officer on the Board for All Children’s Health System in Saint Petersburg, Florida.
In her role at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, Cindy led multiple departments and services, including marketing, media relations, digital and interactive services, physician relations, advertising, branding, sponsorships, call center and community programs. This included leading the branding campaign and directing all marketing communications efforts tied to the integration of All Children’s Hospital and Johns Hopkins Medicine.
She holds bachelor and master degrees in community and public health from Kent State University.
Cindy is a member of several not for profit boards in the Tampa Bay area. She currently serves as president of the More Health Board. In 2011, the Tampa Bay Business Journal honored her as the Not for Profit Business Woman of the Year.
Cindy enjoys spending time with her big Italian family. Since she loves to cook and try out both new and old family recipes, she kickboxes, runs, and crosstrains regularly. She also enjoys writing her blog leadershipaldente.com that combines her passion for cooking with her leadership zeal and experience. Cindy also loves hanging out with her new labradoodle puppy Gracie!
Email: cindy@corriganconsulting.com