# Melissa Brotz

> Melissa Brotz is Abbott's senior vice president of global marketing and external affairs, serving as the company's chief marketing, communications, and sustainability officer and president of the Abbott Fund. She joined Abbott in 1996 from the agency world and spent nearly three decades turning a 130-year-old health company into a brand people recognize, rising to lead marketing, communications, and philanthropy for a business with roughly 114,000 employees. A Northwestern Medill journalism graduate, she is a fixture on PRWeek's Power List and a steady voice on how identity and reputation become a company's most durable assets.

- **Role:** Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and External Affairs at Abbott
- **Organizations:** Abbott, Abbott Fund, Arthur W. Page Society, Public Relations Society of America, Association of National Advertisers Global CMO Growth Council, Medill School of Journalism Board of Advisers
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor of Science in Journalism (BSJ), with a double major in Political Science, Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism
- **Known for:** Rose from an agency-side hire to Abbott's top marketing, communications, and sustainability role over nearly three decades, Serves as President of the Abbott Fund, the company's philanthropic foundation, Repeatedly named to PRWeek's Power List of most influential communications leaders

## Career timeline

- **pre-1996** — Works agency-side, including as Senior Account Executive at Porter Novelli and Group Supervisor at GolinHarris
- **1996** — Joins Abbott after several years at leading public relations agencies
- **2018** — Named Vice President, Global Marketing and External Affairs (September)
- **2021** — Inducted into Medill Hall of Achievement at Northwestern University
- **2024** — Promoted to Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and External Affairs, serving as chief marketing, communications, and sustainability officer (November)

## Achievements

- Rose from an agency-side hire to Abbott's top marketing, communications, and sustainability role over nearly three decades
- Serves as President of the Abbott Fund, the company's philanthropic foundation
- Repeatedly named to PRWeek's Power List of most influential communications leaders
- Inducted into the Medill Hall of Achievement in 2021
- Led the marketing and communications behind Abbott's 'Life. To The Fullest.' brand platform, whose website won a 2017 WebAward

## Latest updates

- **2024-11** — Promoted to Senior Vice President, Global Marketing and External Affairs, adding chief marketing, communications, and sustainability officer responsibilities.

## Links

- Website: https://www.abbott.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-brotz
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/mdbrotz

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/melissa-brotz
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-14