Michael Cestare

Michael Cestare has extensive experience in communications and healthcare. Michael began their career as a Health Communications and Knowledge Management Intern at the Pan American Health Organization in 2010. Michael then worked as a Research Assistant at the Rutgers School of Public Health from 2012 to 2014. In 2014, they became a Program Manager at the New Jersey Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, where they managed healthcare training initiatives and led communications for priority projects. During their time there, they helped secure over $1 million in funding for public health programs and planned a national immunization conference. From 2015 to 2016, Michael worked as a Personal Trainer at the CentraState Fitness & Wellness Center.

In 2016, they joined ICAP at Columbia University as a Communications Officer, where they led communications for the Gates Foundation-funded HIV Coverage, Quality and Impact Network (CQUIN) and special projects. Michael designed and executed CQUIN's communication strategy, resulting in improved policies and $3,000,000 in funding over two years.

Most recently, Michael worked at EmblemHealth, starting as a Senior Communications Specialist in 2019 and later becoming the Lead Communications Specialist. In these roles, they developed and executed communications strategies to improve quality measures, member satisfaction, and enrollment in plans and programs. Michael also played a key role in disseminating health education materials during the COVID-19 pandemic and led EmblemHealth's health and wellness content strategy.

Michael Cestare has a diverse education history. In 2005, they earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Journalism from West Virginia University. Michael furthered their education by obtaining a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Health Education and Behavioral Science from Rutgers University between 2011 and 2013. Additionally, they have completed certificate programs in Seth Godin's Akimbo Workshops, including The Marketing Seminar in 2021 and The Story Skills Workshop in 2020. Michael also holds several certifications, such as Google UX Design Specialization from Coursera (expected in 2023) and various levels of Spanish as a Second Language from the Berges Institute (obtained between 2019-2020). In 2017, they obtained a certification in Writing Headlines from LinkedIn.