RACHAEL SPARKS
MARKETING EXECUTIVE | STARTUP VETERAN | FRACTIONAL CMO
CONTACT SUMMARY
512-576-4418
rach@yarmarketing.com
Raleigh, NC
bit.ly/rsparks-linkedin
I’ve spent my career bridging science and marketing to guide organizations to the forefront of their markets. I am an executive with experience building brand awareness and demand in new markets, saving runway through selfperformance of tasks most executives hire contractors to perform. Dedicated to guiding innovative ideas from proof of concept to dominant healthcare and medtech startups, I combine research with voice-of-customer insights to drive strategic growth, and adhere to a listener-leader mindset teamed with a hands-on approach.
EXPERTISE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
FOUNDER AND CEO
• Brand development and strategy
• Market research and market development
• Healthcare tech and startups
• Startup growth and GTM, pricing strategy
• Corporate communication & PR strategy
• Venture evaluation
• Investor communications
• Marketing automation
• Deep knowledge of public health, infectious diseases, biotech, cell and gene medicine, microbiome, med device
• Sales strategy and training
• Infection Prevention
• Process design, implementation & validation
YAR MARKETING | 2018 - present
Marketing agency and consultancy focused on healthcare and biotech startups and growth-stage ventures, referral-only client base
• Marketing & PR consultation for healthcare and biotech startups
Venture mentoring and strategic vision planning
Marketing research to guide new-to-market product strategy
• Website design and construction
• CRM & Automated marketing programming and execution
Attribution framework architecture and implementations
Pricing and ROI analysis and restructures
• Data visualization for maximum impact
SOFTWARE FLUENCY
Adobe Creative Suite: Graphic, Video, Audio Design & Layout | Altru | Basecamp | EHRs | Gantter | Google Analytics | GSuite | Hootsuite | HTML | Learning Mgmt Systems | Marketo | Office Suite | Pardot | Salesforce | Slack | SQL | Tableau | WordPress | Vidyard | Vyond Animation
512-576-4418
EDUCATION
MBA Healthcare Admin focus, Western Carolina University | paused during pandemic
Bachelor of Science, Microbiology, Texas A&M University
CTBS: Certified Tissue Banking Specialist American Association of Tissue Banks
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE CONTINUED
VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING
KINNOS | 2021 - 2023
Enterprise marketing strategy and execution for a game-changing new infection prevention product with zero brand awareness and unfocused value prop. Led two product launches and expansion of brand awareness industry-wide.
• Implemented CRM & automated marketing platform (Pardot)
• Grew database and leads by 196%, 8X revenue growth 2021 to 2022
• Gained board healthcare C-suite alignment through presentations and networking
• Designed collateral and content library, modernized marketing software and content delivery platforms
BOARD MEMBERSHIPS
President of the Board Asheville Museum of Science
Startup Mentor Venture Asheville
Board Member Miracles in Sight Eyebank
• Developed clinical research strategy and KOLs, thought leadership roadmap to build clinical credibility
Qualitative and quantitative market research projects designed and executed to guide product development, go-to-market strategies, and impactful messaging
Led clinical research projects yielding powerful insights to efficacy, patient safety impacts, and market leverage
Launched two Gen 2 products including product, website, advertising, social, marketing automation and PR strategy and execution
Content development: writing, graphic design, web design, video Investor relations, corporate communications
PATENTS
• USD 745763S1 Handle for mobile device, 2013
• US 2014/059698
Containment curtains as well as systems and apparatuses, 2014
VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING
ANGELINI PHARMA US | 2020 - 2021
End-to-end marketing for a 100-year-old infection prevention company, a subsidiary of Italian pharma giant Angelini Pharma, which had an aging portfolio and goals to launch a legacy Italian brand into U.S. market.
• Oversaw $2M budget
Developed Italian legacy product into new American brand, including renaming product for U.S. audience
• Designed and delivered business proposal for new product portfolio rebanded under new name to Italian executive team
• Created research strategy to expand current products into new markets
Designed go-to-market strategy, business plan, and led team with Deloitte, international biz dev to strategize initial American expansion
• Enterprise marketing for existing dialysis infection prevention portfolio
• Implemented Marketo automated marketing, integrated to Salesforce flows
• Content development: writing, graphic design, web design, video
ARTICLES
The Antibiotic Crisis Scares Me So Much I Wrote a Novel About It, Killer Nashville, 2018
How to Balance a Career and Writing, SheWrites.com, 2018
Implementing for Long Term Success, H&HN, 2016 (coauthor Geri Genant)
Winning the Infection Prevention Battle, Becker’s Healthcare, 2015
Surgical Site Infections – How Some ORs Are Winning the BattleSurgical Products Magazine, 2015
An Evidence-Based Case for the Germ-Zapping Robot, Becker’s Healthcare, 2014
The Valley Hospital – Partnering to reduce C.difficile infection rates and lower costs, ICT 2013
Hidden Costs of Isolation Cases, ICT 2013
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE CONTINUED
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR & CLINICAL MARKETING MANAGER
XENEX | 2011- 2019
Guided product development and marketing in extremely crowded competitive space to move Xenex from unknown newcomer to industry leader in under 4 years. Served as corporate spokesperson, including on national primetime news interviews regarding our intervention for the first Ebola case in the US.
Brought new product to market, then to 45% market share in <4 years
• Led Xenex rebranding, website relaunch, 4 product launches in 3 years, 4 due diligence funding rounds
Served as Xenex community and corporate spokesperson - Media interviews, PR strategy, earned and paid media representation, including on major news outlets during Ebola crisis
• Developed strategic marketing initiatives, grew brand awareness from unknown to industry leader in 3 years, 40-50% YOY growth in sales from 2011-2015
Led key stakeholder presentations, trial planning and execution, and management of high profile accounts:
Managed high-profile accounts: Boston Children’s, Duke, Massachusetts General, Univ of Michigan, MD Anderson, KaiserPermanente, Mayo Rochester, HCA System, VA Healthcare System, Dept of Defense Hospitals, National Health Service (UK), Servizio Sanitario Nazionale (Italy)
Launched Xenex to 18 international markets, distributor vetting, and int’l stakeholder engagement
• Consulted with hospitals on workflows, internal engagement, PR strategy, and program adoption strategies
• Oversaw studies of Xenex UV disinfection technology, clinical assistance to hospitals for study design, data analysis, manuscript development, journal submission
Served on design team for cloud-based customer device management portal and med device UX/UI design
• Managed Salesforce CRM, Marketo, customer cloud portal, website and e-commerce site
Led product & clinical marketing including pricing, clinical voice, market research, creative design and messaging, content, budget, earned/paid media, social, automated marketing, sales collateral, KOLs/references, graphic design, blogs, web design, video & audio production, animation, and install base marketing
• Conducted investor relations, education, and board presentations
Responsible for sales training, enablement and annual conference management
Developed and managed contracted nationwide med device maintenance and repair program
