The value of the communications role: ‘We can either stoke a fire—or put it out’

To say there’s never a dull moment in his workday would be an understatement. As senior director of public affairs and brand communications for Kaiser Permanente, John Stratman is accustomed to constant change.  He’s among those leading the messaging for the nation’s largest nonprofit health plan, with more than 200,000 employees serving more than 11 million members from 600+ locations in eight states and D.C.

“The biggest challenge is the time-sensitivity of the information and sheer volume amid all the unknowns and anxieties people are facing,” says Stratman, who’s been with Kaiser Permanente for nearly 14 years. Prior to Kaiser, he held numerous public affairs roles at the state and local levels and at major corporations, including director of external affairs for AT&T.

John Stratman

As a senior member of the Kaiser Permanente Orange County Leadership Team, Stratman oversees the company’s government relations, corporate communications, media relations, issues management and the community health program.

He spoke to Ragan from his home in Coto De Caza, California, and shared these morsels of wisdom about work, life and being the calm in the storm: