Ellen Rostand brings two decades of communications experience to her role as assistant dean for communications at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis. 

In her role, Rostand leads the development and execution of external and internal communications and marketing strategies, plans, and programs that support the overall strategic goals of the school. Her team’s most recent efforts include the launch of the school’s new Master of Public Health degree program, which was recently recognized by IABC for its strategic and creative excellence.

She also is the editor of the school’s award-winning magazine, Social Impact.  She currently serves on the advisory board for University’s alumni magazine; the Chancellor’s Advisory Council for Marketing Communications, and the University’s Digital Communications Marketing Advisory Board.

Ms. Rostand joined the Brown School in 2005 from Fleishman-Hillard, Inc, an international communications consultancy based in St. Louis.  As a senior vice president with the firm, she has:   

• Developed and implemented communications programs to support new organizational, product, and service launches.
• Executed consumer, trade, and professional education initiatives to raise awareness of new technologies, trends, and approaches to care.
• Developed and implemented organizational positioning efforts that incorporate speaking programs, by-lined article development, and media relations.

Clients included UnitedHealthcare, ExpressScripts, Wal-Mart, Procter & Gamble, Washington University School of Medicine, American Healthways, CIGNA HealthCare, Abbott Laboratories, Hospira, Centene Corporation, The National Patient Safety Foundation, Kodak Health Imaging, and the Disease Management Association of America.  

 Ms. Rostand’s roots are in social work and public health. As a project specialist for a large social services organization in Philadelphia, she drew upon a wide range of communications skills — including media relations, grant writing, collateral development, special events, and third-party outreach — to raise the visibility of the agency’s programs, translate and promote its research efforts, and diversify the organization’s funding base. 

Ms. Rostand earned her master’s degree in business administration and a certificate in health administration and policy from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. She earned her undergraduate degree from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Biography courtesy of Ellen Rostand. Caricature from Rostand’s Facebook page.