WASHINGTON — Judy Stecker, who led the US government’s external Covid outreach, has joined Hill+Knowlton Strategies as the firm’s US healthcare media and public affairs lead.


In the newly created position, Stecker will work across H+K’s US healthcare portfolio, reporting to US healthcare head Mary Jane Walker. Her hiring is part of H+K’s larger effort to expand its Washington and New York healthcare teams in response to growing client needs.

Stecker joins H+K from the US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), where she most recently held the role of deputy chief of staff for operations and strategy, as which she managed public affairs, congressional, intergovernmental, external affairs, media relations, and secretarial operations for the cabinet-level department.

During her tenure at HHS, Stecker served as the lead executive for all Covid and Operation Warp Speed external outreach, including communicating vaccine, therapeutic and diagnostic development and distribution plans to relevant stakeholders. Stecker also supported internal and external communications campaigns on important public health issues including reducing teen smoking/vaping, addressing the opioid crisis, and reducing maternal mortality.

Before that, Stecker was the American Enterprise Institute’s executive director of media relations and strategic marketing.

“I’m thrilled to officially welcome Judy to our team of talented healthcare advisors,” said Walker. “With her respected experience in both the public and private sectors, she brings a unique level of strategic expertise to our clients, as they solve for some of the most pressing healthcare challenges of our time.”