– Former FDA Associate Commissioner of External Affairs brings nearly 20 years of communications, patient advocacy and public affairs experience across government, public and private sectors –
ReCode Therapeutics, a clinical-stage genetic medicines company using superior delivery to power the next wave of mRNA and gene correction therapeutics, announced today the appointment of Erica Jefferson as senior vice president of corporate affairs. In this newly created role, Ms. Jefferson will be responsible for the strategic leadership, development, and management of ReCode’s external and employee communications initiatives, including media, investor, and stakeholder engagement. She will report directly to Shehnaaz Suliman, M.D., MBA, M.Phil., chief executive officer, ReCode Therapeutics.
“We are delighted to welcome Erica to the ReCode team. Among her many accomplishments, Erica most recently helped the FDA navigate a wide-range of complex issues affecting the agency, including its response to COVID-19 and MPox public health emergencies and its broader work to address vaccine hesitancy and misinformation. She also played a key role in the agency’s handling of communications around key regulatory decisions for drugs, medical devices, and ongoing changes to the human foods program,” said Dr. Suliman. “Erica’s patient-focused approach to following the science, as well as her ability to communicate with diverse audiences with transparency and authenticity, make her ideally suited to help us share the ReCode story with investors, media and our scientific, medical and patient community partners.”
Ms. Jefferson brings nearly 20 years of communications, patient advocacy and public affairs experience across the federal government, and the public and private sectors. Most recently, as associate commissioner of external affairs for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), she served as a communications advisor to top agency officials and led primary communications functions for the agency, including media affairs, editorial and creative services, digital and social media, and stakeholder engagement.
“ReCode’s ‘patients first’ ethos, unique approach to developing genetic medicines and the caliber of the management team, partners and advisors supporting the company attracted me to this newly created role,” said Ms. Jefferson. “My career has been defined by my commitment to public service and working with organizations focused on developing novel therapies for serious and life-threatening diseases. I am beyond thrilled to begin working alongside this visionary leadership team, which shares my commitment to patients and science.”
Prior to her most recent role at the FDA, Ms. Jefferson served as vice president of corporate communications and public affairs at Alector, Inc., where she led post-IPO communication efforts, oversaw its corporate rebrand, and built clinical trial recruitment initiatives and a comprehensive employee and external communications strategy. Previously, she served as vice president of corporate communications at Dermira, Inc., where she led communications at the corporate, executive, product and employee levels and helped to expand the company’s investor relations activities. Prior to Dermira, Ms. Jefferson led external communications in support of two label expansions as senior director of corporate communications at Pharmacyclics, Inc. Prior to her most recent return to the FDA, she led the media affairs office, serving as the top agency spokesperson for high-profile regulatory matters, including regulatory policy and public health initiatives. Earlier in her career, she held communications roles with Genentech and the American Pharmacists Association.
Ms. Jefferson earned her master’s degree in health communications from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Maryland, College Park.
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