Denver, Colorado, United States, June 2026 — Jazz Pharmaceuticals has appointed Erica Jefferson as its first-ever Chief Communications Officer (CCO), marking an important milestone in the company’s evolution as it brings employee and external communications together under a unified function. Reporting directly to President and Chief Executive Officer Renee Gala, Erica will lead the company’s global communications strategy, working closely with investor relations and transformation teams to strengthen Jazz’s corporate reputation, enhance stakeholder engagement, and support its long-term vision. She brings more than 20 years of experience in corporate communications, public affairs, patient advocacy, and government affairs across the biopharmaceutical industry and the U.S. federal government.
Prior to joining Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Erica Jefferson operated as an independent Corporate Communications & Public Affairs Advisor, providing strategic communications, patient advocacy, media relations, and regulatory communications counsel to clinical-stage and commercial biopharmaceutical companies. During this period, she also served as a Fractional Corporate Affairs Consultant at ReCode Therapeutics, supporting external communications, employee engagement, and patient advocacy initiatives. Additionally, she served as an RC Resolve Advisory Council Member at Real Chemistry and continues to contribute as a Foundation Board Member for the Alliance for mRNA Medicines, reflecting her continued commitment to advancing healthcare innovation and public engagement.
Earlier, Erica served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at ReCode Therapeutics, where she led corporate communications, investor relations, policy, patient advocacy, and employee communications for the clinical-stage genetic medicines company. Before that, she held one of the U.S. government’s most senior communications positions as Associate Commissioner, Office of External Affairs at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), leading an organization of more than 80 professionals responsible for agency-wide communications, stakeholder engagement, media relations, digital communications, speechwriting, brand management, and public affairs. She also advised FDA leadership on high-profile public health and regulatory communications while serving on the agency’s Executive Committee.
Erica’s distinguished career also includes senior communications leadership roles with Alector, Dermira, Pharmacyclics (an AbbVie company), and an earlier tenure at the FDA as Assistant Commissioner (Acting), Office of Media Affairs. She began her communications career with leadership roles at Genentech, the American Pharmacists Association, and The McGinn Group, building deep expertise across corporate reputation, executive communications, media strategy, investor communications, regulatory affairs, patient advocacy, product communications, and crisis management. Her broad experience across industry and government has established her as one of the biotechnology sector’s most respected communications leaders.
With extensive expertise in corporate communications, public affairs, patient advocacy, executive communications, regulatory communications, corporate reputation, media relations, investor communications, and organizational leadership, Erica’s appointment reinforces Jazz Pharmaceuticals’ commitment to strengthening stakeholder engagement and supporting its mission of transforming the lives of patients living with serious diseases.
About Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc is a global biopharmaceutical company dedicated to innovating life-changing medicines that transform the lives of patients and their families. The company focuses on developing therapies for rare diseases and other areas of significant unmet medical need, helping patients gain access to treatments that improve health outcomes and quality of life.
Founded in 2003, Jazz Pharmaceuticals has built a collaborative, innovation-driven culture centered on its core values of integrity, collaboration, passion, innovation, and the pursuit of excellence. Through its diverse global workforce of scientists, clinicians, researchers, and business professionals, the company continues advancing novel therapies that redefine what is possible for patients around the world.
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