OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente announced today that Kathryn Beiser has been selected as senior vice president and chief communications officer for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Hospitals, known as Kaiser Permanente.

"With the ever-changing health care environment and our ongoing transformation of health care within Kaiser Permanente, we have many stories to tell and important information to share that will create healthy individuals, healthy communities and a healthier America," said Bernard J. Tyson, chairman and CEO. "With the addition of Kathy to our team, we will be better prepared to make healthy lives possible."

As chief communications officer, Beiser will serve on the National Executive Team and be responsible for public relations, internal and external communications, media relations, issues and crisis management, executive communications and other communications that enhance the Kaiser Permanente performance, alignment, brand and reputation.

She will serve as communications advisor to the CEO, senior leadership and the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. and Hospitals Boards of Directors. She will also be accountable for the development, maintenance, execution and coordination and measurement of the organization's communication strategy, policies and standards, activities and key messages. In this role, she will work collaboratively with Permanente Medical Group colleagues, labor partners, the Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine and the Kaiser Permanente national marketing function.

"It is a privilege to join Kaiser Permanente — a mission-driven organization at the forefront of fundamentally changing health and health care in America," Beiser said. "I am excited to become a member of their world-class leadership team, as well as have the opportunity to work with such a talented group of communication professionals."

Currently, Beiser is senior advisor with APCO Worldwide and formerly served as global chair, Corporate Practice, for Edelman Public Relations Worldwide, the world's largest independent public relations firm. Prior to that, she served as executive vice president, Corporate Communications, for Hilton Worldwide. She served as vice president of Corporate Communications for Discover Financial Services, and spent nearly 20 years with some of the world's leading public relations firms, including Burson-Marsteller, Golin and Hill & Knowlton.

Beiser is a trustee of the Arthur W. Page Society, the professional organization of chief communication officers, as well as a former trustee of the Institute for Public Relations. She also serves on the board of Break the Cycle, a nonprofit organization aimed at ending domestic violence and promoting healthy relationships among teenagers. Beiser holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Northwestern University and a master's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern. She begins her new role at Kaiser Permanente on Jan. 8, 2018.

About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America's leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 11.7 million members in eight states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: kp.org/share.

For more information, contact: 
Carmella Gutierrez Carmella.M.Gutierrez@kp.org 
510-271-6628

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente

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http://www.kaiserpermanente.org