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Communicating for Good: Storytelling To Change and Save Lives with Rhonda Curry

Words shape lives.

If you want your communication to build trust, inspire action and change—or even save—lives, this episode is for you.

Chris was joined by Elevation Collective member Rhonda Curry, a global communications and marketing leader who has spent decades shaping the narratives behind health and cancer research, prevention, treatment and care.

From UCLA Health to the University of Miami Health System, Rhonda has been at the forefront of telling stories that build trust, inspire hope, accelerate philanthropic support and help breakthrough science reach the people who need it most. Rhonda’s work spans local, national and global audiences, including initiatives across Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Together, Chris and Rhonda explored how “communications for good” works in practice, and why simple, human relatability is often the key to translating complex science without losing accuracy or integrity.

This conversation is designed to be genuinely useful. Rhonda shared six principles for writing compelling marketing communications, with real-world examples of powerful storytelling — from patients telling their own stories, to the craft of “transcreation” across cultures and languages, to how leaders can embrace generative AI without sacrificing authenticity, ethics or trust.

Here are some insights from the interview you don’t want to miss:

The Power of Personal Stories in Communication
Rhonda emphasised that while data and statistics have their place, translating them into human stories is much more impactful. People are inspired when they can relate to an individual’s experiences rather than just numbers.
Knowing and Understanding Your Audience
One of the most practical principles for effective communication is to “know your audience.” Rhonda discussed how messages are tailored for different groups—whether communicating with scientific audiences, students, or patients—and the importance of “dialling up or down” the complexity based on scientific literacy.
Human Relatability as the Key to Trust and Action
Authentic, relatable storytelling can build trust and inspire hope, whether the message is about health, services, or products. Rhonda noted that the “human story is always the most compelling way.”
Patient Consent and Ethical Storytelling
Sharing patient stories drives emotional connection, but Rhonda was clear about the importance of privacy and consent. Stories are only shared with voluntary, informed agreement.
Transcreation vs. Translation for Global Impact
For communications to reach global audiences effectively, it’s not enough to simply translate; content must be “transcreated” to resonate culturally and linguistically. Rhonda highlighted the need for native speakers to review and adapt messages for local relevance.
The Role of Prevention Messaging
Communication around prevention (e.g., “don’t smoke,” promoting sunscreen use) can save lives. Rhonda pointed out real-world examples where storytelling moved public behaviour, like increased colonoscopy rates after influential personal stories aired in the media.
Balancing Creativity and Accuracy
Ensuring scientific accuracy and integrity in storytelling is vital; content is always reviewed and approved by the relevant experts before publication. There was a lighthearted anecdote about how a DNA image in marketing was almost published backwards—reminding us to “trust but verify.”
Omnichannel Strategies and the Value of Paid Media
Rhonda described how her teams use a mix of owned, earned, paid, and experiential channels to reach audiences, and how decisions about paid campaigns depend on budget and strategic priorities.
AI as a Support—Not a Replacement—for Human Writers
AI tools are embraced for their ability to assist with efficiency and offer a “second set of eyes,” but original creative work—especially in translating complex topics—still relies on skilled communicators and writers.
Global Collaboration Fuels Optimism
Despite media negativity, Rhonda shared her optimism about worldwide collaboration in health research and the ongoing good work being done to solve mysteries of human health.
Everyone Has an Inspiring Story
The interview closed with the beautiful reminder that everyone’s life contains stories worth sharing, and connecting through those stories brings hope and meaning both personally and professionally.

Every person has a story and it is worth hearing. It is part of our humanity and that is universal.
– Rhonda Curry

Listen in for a hopeful, practical and deeply human conversation about storytelling with integrity, leadership with purpose, and how great communication can create meaningful global impact.

You can listen to this Business Elevation Show interview with Rhonda Curry & Chris Cooper here. Alternatively on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Tunein, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio (latter US only).

More about Rhonda Curry:

A seasoned communications executive, Rhonda has decades of experience leading strategic marketing and communications for academic medical centers with an emphasis in cancer research, prevention, treatment and care.

She leads communication and marketing at the University of Miami Health System for its NCI-designated cancer center. She previously served as chief of communications and interim chief of marketing at UCLA Health in Los Angeles, California. Prior experience also includes leading communications and marketing for the renowned Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle, Washington, home to three Nobel Laureates.

The throughline of Rhonda’s career reflects her deep commitment to telling the story of health care research and advances in urban and rural settings, from coast to coast across the United States. In addition, she leads marketing and communications for global cancer research – focus areas have included China, Uganda, South Africa, and Latin America.

An innovative MarComm leader, she designs teams around digital content hubs to earn top-tier media placement, industry awards, increased philanthropic giving and new patient acquisition.

At the University of Miami Health System since 2022, she has created and leads a specialised MarComm team focused on cancer research and prevention, clinical care and community engagement. The geographic endowment of Miami as the gateway to Latin America is a unique opportunity for cancer research that will benefit human health in the US and across the globe. Rhonda earned her Bachelor of Science degree in health care administration from St. Joseph’s College of Maine, and her Master of Arts in communication and leadership studies from Gonzaga University. Her proudest accomplishment is being Nonna (Italian grandmother) to twelve beautiful children to whom she dedicates her work.