Cura Strategies

What Cura Strategies does

CURA Strategies is a bipartisan strategic communications and public affairs firm founded in 2016 by Anne Woodbury and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. The firm exclusively serves the healthcare sector, providing integrated communications, advocacy, government relations, coalition building, media relations, digital marketing, branding, and event management services to pharmaceutical and biotech companies, medical societies, patient advocacy nonprofits, and federal health agencies. Its service portfolio spans ten core offerings delivered through senior strategic counsel rather than modular productized units, with multi-year engagements being typical. Notable client work includes media relations for the American College of Cardiology (600-1,500 original articles annually), legislative advocacy for CareDx (helping pass the 2020 immunosuppressive drug coverage act after 16 years), coalition mobilization for the Honor the Gift transplant initiative (200+ congressional visits), and federal contract delivery through GSA Multiple Award Schedule #47QRAA25D0091.

The firm operates a proprietary digital platform called Advocacy Accelerator that provides downloadable advocacy resources, a Capitol Corner blog, and a 60-minute Advocacy Academy course. CURA has created and launched 12 coalitions over eight years across disease areas including diabetes, opioid recovery, kidney disease, and transplantation. Revenue derives from professional services fees on customized engagements plus federal agency contract work under the GSA schedule; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is structured around engagement scope and team composition. The firm holds WBENC woman-owned small business certification and has earned over 30 industry awards including PRovoke North American Boutique Agency of the Year (2023) and Global Best New Agency of the Year (2018). CURA is privately held with no disclosed external funding or PE/VC ownership, appearing to be organically grown and bootstrapped since founding.

Name

Cura Strategies

Legal name

CURA Strategies LLC

Website

https://curastrategies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CURA Strategies is a bipartisan healthcare-focused strategic communications and public affairs firm founded in 2016, serving pharmaceutical companies, biotechs, medical societies, patient advocacy nonprofits, and federal health agencies with integrated communications, advocacy, coalition building, and government relations services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Strategic Communications and Public Affairs

NAICS

Advertising Agencies (541810), Public Relations Agencies (54182), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Healthcare/Pharma Creative Agencies (MPAAAAAJ)

Keywords

• Healthcare communications
• Public affairs consulting
• Government relations services
• Advocacy campaigns
• Coalition building

Headquarters

HQ city

Arlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Strategic Communications Services: Professional services revenue from integrated communications, public affairs, advocacy campaigns, media relations, digital marketing, and related consulting engagements with healthcare organizations.
2. Federal Government Services (GSA): Delivers integrated communications, PR, marketing and graphic design services for federal agencies through GSA Multiple Award Schedule contract.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CURA Strategies is a boutique strategic communications and public affairs firm that provides integrated healthcare-focused services including research and analysis, branding and positioning, communications planning, program development and execution, corporate communications, advocacy and government relations, coalition building, media relations, social and digital marketing, and meetings and events. The firm serves pharmaceutical, biotech, medical device, medical society, patient advocacy, nonprofit, and federal health agency clients to drive behavior change, shape policy, and advance healthcare transformation.

Product overview

Cura Strategies offers a comprehensive suite of strategic communications and public affairs services focused on transforming healthcare. The company operates as a unified service offering rather than a modular product platform. Their core services include Research and Analysis, Branding and Positioning, Communications Planning, Program Development and Execution, Corporate Communications, Advocacy and Government Relations, Coalition Building, Media Relations, Social and Digital Marketing, and Meetings and Events. They also operate the Advocacy Accelerator platform, an online resource hub that provides downloadable advocacy tools and educational courses. These services work together as an integrated approach to help healthcare organizations drive behavior change, accelerate access, and advance better care through strategic communications, public affairs, and advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Research and Analysis Comprehensive research services including media analysis, social listening, disease landscape assessment, environment scans, surveys, IDIs, influencer mapping, and political landscape assessment to inform strategic communications campaigns for healthcare organizations.
• Branding and Positioning Brand identity development services including message development, audience segmentation, visual identity (logo, brand, color/font), brand strategy, brand workshops, and name and tagline development for healthcare clients.
• Communications Planning Strategic communications campaign development including goals and objectives identification, research and analysis, workshop facilitation, strategy development, tactical program development, reporting and campaign evaluation, and audience prioritization.
• Program Development and Execution End-to-end program management including program design, measurement and reporting, proposal support, needs assessment, video development, material development, media relations, and social and digital marketing for healthcare initiatives.
• Corporate Communications Corporate reputation management and stakeholder communications including executive visibility strategy, issues and crisis management, thought leadership, executive media training, and public affairs for healthcare organizations.
• Advocacy and Government Relations Government relations and advocacy services including grassroots activation, training, fly-ins, advocate communications, coalition building, legislative and regulatory tracking, regulator market access, Hill briefings, federal and state advocacy, issue briefs and materials, and media strategy and execution.
• Coalition Building Multi-stakeholder coalition development and management including branding, government relations, stakeholder mapping and outreach, management and operations, member relations and communication, member recruitment, policy advocacy, and board and advisory management.
• Media Relations Media engagement and publicity services including key messaging development, editorial calendar planning, op-eds and bylines, media monitoring, reporting and measurement, newsjacking and rapid response, and press conferences and briefings.
• Social and Digital Marketing Digital engagement and online marketing services including community management, social channel development and management, content planning and development, website refresh and development, paid strategy, digital and traditional advertising, email marketing, search engine marketing, influencer marketing, website and SEO audits, and measurement and analysis.
• Meetings and Events Event planning and management services including roundtables, trade shows, medical meetings, press conferences, patient summits, virtual events and webinars, event branding, exhibit coordination and staffing, sponsorship identification and management, media relations and press room management, promotion and registration, program development and coordination, logistics management, technical coordination, and speaker coordination.
• Advocacy Accelerator Online platform providing downloadable advocacy resources, Capitol Corner blog, and 60-minute Advocacy Academy course taught by CURA's government relations team to help organizations build advocacy capabilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50% expanded coverage for CareDx's flagship diagnostic products in the last five years
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Advocacy Accelerator PlatformcoreOthersCURA-developed digital platform providing downloadable advocacy resources, Capitol Corner blog content, and 60-minute Advocacy Academy course taught by CURA's award-winning government relations team. Platform serves healthcare stakeholders seeking policy advancement resources.

Scale indicators23 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GMMB: Washington, D.C.-based strategic communications and public affairs agency specializing in mission-driven healthcare, education, and cause work. Closest direct peer given shared DC footprint, healthcare/public affairs focus, and prior CURA hire Sarah Whitworth came from a 13-year GMMB tenure.
• JPA Health: Boutique health communications agency offering public relations, advocacy, and marketing services to pharmaceutical, biotech, nonprofit, and federal health clients. Highly comparable on healthcare vertical focus, advocacy capabilities, and boutique scale (Stephanie Wight and other CURA staff previously at JPA Health).
• The Reis Group: Washington, D.C.-based healthcare public relations firm serving providers, payers, associations, and advocacy organizations. Comparable on healthcare PR specialization, DC location, and similar-sized boutique positioning (CURA's VP Media Relations Stephanie Wight previously led earned media activities at The Reis Group).
• Health+Commerce: Healthcare-focused PR and digital marketing agency serving biopharma, medtech, and nonprofit clients with media relations, branding, and content services. Comparable on healthcare vertical specialization, integrated PR/digital model, and boutique scale (CURA Account Director Laura Wagner joined from Health+Commerce).

Broad incumbents

• Real Chemistry: Large healthcare-focused marketing and communications agency (formerly W2O Group) offering PR, digital, data analytics, and patient engagement services to pharma and biotech clients. Comparable on healthcare specialization and integrated service model, but materially larger scale and broader data/technology stack.
• Edelman: Global public relations firm with one of the largest healthcare and health policy practices, serving pharma, biotech, and consumer health clients worldwide. Comparable on PR/public affairs capabilities but operates at vastly greater scale with global office network and full-service offerings.
• Weber Shandwick: Global public relations and communications agency with a dedicated health practice serving pharmaceutical, consumer health, and public health clients. Comparable on integrated PR/advocacy offerings but with global scale, deeper digital capabilities, and broader category coverage.
• FleishmanHillard: Global public relations and integrated marketing agency with healthcare, public affairs, and social marketing practices. Comparable on healthcare and public affairs capabilities, particularly relevant given shared GSA contractor status and federal health agency experience.
• APCO Worldwide: Global advisory and communications firm with strong government relations, public affairs, and healthcare practices serving multinational and federal clients. Comparable on bipartisan advocacy/government relations and federal contracting capabilities (CURA team member Noah Price previously interned at APCO).
• Ketchum: Global public relations agency with healthcare and public affairs practices serving pharmaceutical, consumer health, and nonprofit clients. Comparable on integrated communications and public affairs capabilities but operates at significantly larger scale with broader category coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/curastrategies
• Facebookfacebook.com/CURAStrategies
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cura-strategies

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cura Strategies