Elise Pietracatella Joins AbelsonTaylor Group as Planning Director

AbelsonTaylor Group  today announced that Elise Pietracatella has joined the agency as Planning Director. A seasoned strategy leader with more than two decades of experience across pharmaceutical advertising, digital health, and medical communications, Pietracatella brings deep expertise in insight-driven brand planning and integrated strategy.

Pietracatella is known for her ability to translate complex clinical data and human behavior into clear, compelling brand strategies that inspire creative and drive impact. Her background uniquely blends strategic rigor with creative instinct—spanning roles as a brand strategist, engagement strategist, and creative leader—enabling her to not only define the right strategic direction, but shape how it comes to life in meaningful, resonant ways.

She joins AbelsonTaylor Group following her work as an independent marketing and strategy consultant, where she led planning-focused brand strategy across immunology, oncology, and payer audiences. Prior to that, she held senior leadership roles at Heartbeat, Medisafe, and Twill, and spent more than a decade at Saatchi Wellness and FCB Health, building a strong foundation in pharmaceutical launches and integrated campaigns for leading healthcare brands.

Throughout her career, Pietracatella has led end-to-end planning initiatives—from market research and insight mining to audience narrative development, positioning, and creative briefing. She has also played a key role in new business efforts, securing growth through insight-led strategy, and is recognized for fostering collaborative, psychologically safe team environments where strategists can thrive. Her work has earned industry recognition, including Effie, Tempo, and Echo awards.

In her new role, Pietracatella will serve as an integrated strategist across key accounts, leading brand planning efforts and partnering across disciplines—including engagement, media, social, and marketing intelligence—to deliver cohesive, insight-driven strategies. She will also contribute to thought leadership, mentor junior team members, and play a leadership role in new business initiatives.

“Elise brings a rare combination of depth, curiosity, and creative perspective to planning,” said Mike Czuba, VP, Insights Innovation, at AbelsonTaylor Group. “She has a remarkable ability to uncover meaningful human insights and translate them into strategy that not only guides the work, but elevates it. Her leadership will make our teams stronger and our thinking sharper.”

Pietracatella holds a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communication Design from the University of Dayton. She is deeply committed to patient impact, having served in volunteer leadership roles including Corporate Chair for the New York City Arthritis Foundation’s Walk to Cure Arthritis.