Clio Health Innovators: Amy Restko, Planning Director, AbelsonTaylor Group
Amy has a deep understanding what makes people tick and why they do the things they do. She brings the voices of patients, healthcare providers and other target audiences to life, combining behavioral insights with deep market and product knowledge to help develop brand strategies for a range of clients and products. Amy is also an outstanding mentor who encourages co-workers to set ambitious goals, challenge the status quo and cultivate a growth mindset.
How do you bring creativity and innovation to your work
I believe my role is to help bring out creativity and innovation at the team level. One way I do this is by translating key insights from our research into compelling stories that put each team member in the shoes of our target audiences. When we truly understand and feel invested in the needs of our audiences, we can better solve the challenges they face. Another way I foster creativity and innovation is by facilitating productive collaboration. I help create a psychologically safe environment, where people feel comfortable asking lots of questions, contributing their wildest thoughts and having fun building on each other’s ideas.
A recent project you’re proud of
I recently introduced an agency initiative that lets junior and mid-level planners broaden their skills and flex their creativity. I lead monthly “IncubATor Sessions” that guide participants in exploring different processes and tools to work more effectively and spark ideas quickly. These sessions are a fun way to inspire great work and build the next generation of planners.
What you’re most excited about right now in the health space
I am extremely excited and proud to be on the team that recently helped bring the first oral treatment for postpartum depression to market. ZURZUVAE is a much-needed therapeutic advancement for women with postpartum depression, a condition the CDC reports to affect one in eight women in the U.S. The availability of the brand and resulting discussions about postpartum depression are helping shed light on mental health issues for new moms.
What it means to you to be selected as a Clio Health Innovator
Being selected as a Clio Health Innovator is an immense honor and validation of the work that I and my colleagues at AbelsonTaylor Group do every day. It shows that you can do amazing things when you make your work fun and feel supported and encouraged to explore new territory. It’s a motivation for me to continue pioneering exciting new solutions and push boundaries.
“Amy is a passionate and inspiring planning director who contributes significantly to AbelsonTaylor Group’s performance and culture. Combining superior research skills with an intuitive understanding of people, she sets the stage for successful healthcare campaigns by discovering the drivers of audience behaviors and helping develop strategies that meet the needs of patients and healthcare providers as well as the business goals of client brands.”-K Pearson Brown, director, marketing & communications, AbelsonTaylor
Click here to see all of this year’s Clio Health Innovators