Beyond Optics: Inclusive Healthcare Marketing That Performs

Tune in to this episode of For the Better as Ben Cash, CEO of Reason One, speaks with Melissa Fors Shackleford, Principal of Marketing and Growth at Shackelford Strategies and former marketing leader at Optum, Hazelden Betty Ford, Cigna Evernorth, and Let’s Get Checked.

Melissa shares how inclusive marketing can go beyond optics to expand access, build trust, and improve the patient experience—particularly for communities historically excluded from care. From addressing stigma in behavioral health to designing for accessibility and representation, she outlines how healthcare marketers can lead with purpose and make every digital touchpoint count.