SPOTLIGHT: Annette Zaffiro

This is the first of a series of articles, the idea being to learn a bit more about the lives behind the faces we meet at our HD events, such as our support group meetings, Walk, etc.

My first interview guest is Annette Zaffiro. I first got to speak with her this past summer at our HD Education Day/Support Group meeting. Annette told me she is the Teva Pharmaceuticals representative for our area and wished to learn more about HD, meet HD families, and the support resources in our area. Teva is a large national financial supporter of HDSA, especially in the area of research. [Perhaps you have noticed the Teva logo on our annual Team Hope Walk shirts.]
 
Since that first event, Annette has attended support group meetings, worked a table at the Team Hope Walk, and anchored a verse of our memorable Twelve Days of Christmas sing-along this past December! All this devotion led me to learn more about Annette …
 
Over coffee at Starbucks, I discovered that we are extremely fortunate to have Annette as a resource to our HD Community – patients, caregivers, AND medical teams. After growing up in Price Hill, here in Cincinnati, and graduating from Seton High School, Annette joined the pharmaceutical community. During the ensuing years, she served in a diverse array of roles, interacting directly with medical professionals, insurance companies, managed care, hospitals, and more.

During the evolution of her career path, a clear common denominator emerged… Education. “I learned about Telling versus Selling,” she told me. This understanding evolved into a liaison role in her pharmaceutical community, managing the connectivity across various teams, always with a focus on the ultimate benefit to the end-user customer – the consumer ...  i.e. you and me!
 
Fast forward to today … Annette is focused on bringing that interconnectivity mission to our area HD community [and other communities, as well] via her role at Teva Pharmaceuticals. Back when I was a caregiver for an HD patient, I would have greatly valued her knowledge and experiences. Given what I now know today, I value her knowledge even more.

-Tom Long