“Be purpose-conscious, not self-conscious.”
Over the years, this favorite phrase of her father’s became a maxim for Lynann Bradbury. It’s one she’ll continue to embrace in her new role as Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’s vice president of Communications & Marketing, which she began June 19.
Clarity of purpose has always been paramount for Bradbury — as a communications strategist working with Microsoft and other technology companies, and through decades of community service in Seattle and around the world. Now tasked with building awareness and support for Fred Hutch, she will use purpose to align her skills and her team’s strategies with the goals of the organization.
“Lynann is a consummate communications and marketing professional who brings experience and connectivity that will enable us to promote the Hutch’s mission,” said Fred Hutch President and Director Dr. Gary Gilliland.
That mission proved magnetic for Bradbury.
“Clarity of purpose drew me to Fred Hutch,” she said. “No matter where you sit in the organization or what role you play, you know the ultimate purpose here is to cure cancer.”
As leader of the Communications & Marketing team, Bradbury will work closely with Fred Hutch’s faculty and staff, board of trustees and senior leaders. That includes Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Steve Stadum, who describes Bradbury as a critical thinker.
“She asks probing questions to better understand the landscape and the underlying goals,” Stadum said. “She has a lot of energy, is passionate and has a great sense of humor.”
Bradbury brings to the Hutch a wealth of experience as a communications strategist for companies in the technology industry. She spent 15 years at Waggener Edstrom, a global communications agency now known as WE Worldwide, where she worked with Microsoft and other clients and launched Waggener Edstrom’s Digital Strategies business. More recently, she co-founded the Seattle chapter of the Anita Borg Institute, the largest global network of women in technology.
Her international experience includes co-leading a global program to support women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) in emerging markets, which she helped pilot in Kenya. She lived in South Africa, bringing mobile-based e-learning to rural schools, as well as mentoring social entrepreneurs in low-income townships and working with children affected by HIV/AIDS. She has also volunteered abroad extensively — building houses in New Zealand, mentoring business professionals in Cuba, helping micro-entrepreneurs in Peru, and teaching digital storytelling to Tibetan refugee children in northern India.
In her new position, Bradbury — herself a three-time cancer survivor — said she is especially eager to expand the Hutch’s stellar reputation on a global basis.
“The prospect of elevating our brand and our great work nationally and internationally is an incredibly exciting challenge. And it’s an important one,” she said. “Fred Hutch is a crown jewel of this community, and the rest of the world needs to know that.”
Andrea Detter, editorial director at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, oversees the writing team. Her ability to translate complex scientific concepts for a mainstream audience has earned her the appreciation of readers and the respect of researchers. She’s written on a host of topics including new discoveries in biomedical research, patient care and the intricate and innovative ways science gets done today. Reach her at adetter@fredhutch.org.
Every dollar counts. Please support lifesaving research today.
For the Media