Julia Dellitt, Vice President, Marketing Communications, UnityPoint Health

Summary

Podcast Summary: Becker’s Healthcare Podcast

Guest: Julia Dellitt, Vice President, Marketing Communications, UnityPoint Health
Host: Gracelyn Keller
Date: January 10, 2026
Event: 13th Annual CEO and CFO Roundtable (Live Recording)

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Episode Overview

In this episode, Gracelyn Keller interviews Julia Dellitt, VP of Marketing Communications at UnityPoint Health. The conversation centers on growth strategies, the evolving nature of marketing and communications in healthcare, impactful internal projects, and essential leadership qualities for healthcare executives as organizations face rapid change and technological advancement.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Julia Dellitt’s Background & Role

• Julia’s Experience:
  • Over a decade with UnityPoint Health, moving from communications and PR into broader marketing leadership
  • Extensive nonprofit experience, both in large and small communities, with a mission-oriented focus
  • Recently assumed responsibilities for all marketing functions ([00:52])

Growth Strategy for 2026–2027

• Community-based Focus:
  • UnityPoint Health operates across three states with ~30,000 employees
• Marketing & Brand Differentiation:
  • Strong brand presence and impactful campaigns to highlight quality and the unique care UnityPoint offers
• Internal Communications as Priority:
  • "From a workforce standpoint, how do we translate what we're doing from a strategy standpoint to our employees and team members so that they understand what's in it for them in a more concise way?" – Julia ([01:44])
  • The challenge: Relentless pace of change and communications volume in healthcare
• Strategic Translation:
  • Marketing and communication's role is to bridge business initiatives and employee understanding
  • Staying prepared for unexpected developments and conveying information effectively ([01:26]–[02:30])

Notable Initiatives & Projects

• Digital Modernization/Internal ‘Clean Up’:
  • Current focus: Making processes and tools more tech-forward and efficient across marketing communications
  • Involves tech upgrades, process redesign, and significant change management
• AI Adoption – Carefully Curated:
  • "There are a ton of AI tools that are available, so it's really figuring out what makes sense for an organization of our size... without getting sucked into like the newest trend." – Julia ([02:50])
• Purpose:
  • Increase efficiency to better serve both the organization and its members
  • Avoid haphazard adoption of technology in favor of sustainability and true need ([02:42]–[03:29])

Leadership Advice for Healthcare Executives

• Strategic Partnership with Marketing/Communications:
  • Effective leaders view marketing communications as a strategic partner at the executive table
• Executive Presence – Internal & External:
  • Necessity for executives to have authentic presence to appear "confident and humble" ([03:53])
  • Willingness to adapt and experiment with communication styles, tailored to individual executives
  • Some are naturally more forward; others may be hesitant, but presence is vital
• Julia’s Take:
  • "The most successful ones not only view marketing communications as a strategic partner... but also have to be open and nimble in terms of what their executive communication program looks like." – Julia ([03:38])

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Internal Communication Challenges

  • "The volume of communications and the pace of change is pretty relentless. I think that's true for all healthcare systems right now."
    – Julia Dellitt ([01:59])

• On Evaluating Tech Trends

  • "There are a ton of AI tools that are available, so it's really figuring out what makes sense for an organization of our size... without getting sucked into like the newest trend."
    – Julia Dellitt ([02:50])

• On Leadership & Communication

  • "Healthcare executives have to have that presence internally and externally to show up as a confident and humble leader for their organization."
    – Julia Dellitt ([03:53])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:52: Julia introduces her background and role
• 01:26: Growth strategy and brand differentiation discussed
• 02:42: Most impactful current initiative: internal digital modernization and AI evaluation
• 03:37: Julia’s advice to healthcare executives about leadership and communication programs
• 03:53: Necessity of executive presence inside and outside the organization

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Tone & Style

Julia’s insights are pragmatic, direct, and reflect her deep experience in mission-driven healthcare communication. She emphasizes the importance of thoughtful technology adoption, transparent and concise internal communication, and true partnership between executives and their marketing/communications leaders.

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This episode provides actionable strategies and candid leadership advice for healthcare leaders navigating change, technology, and communication challenges in a fast-paced environment.

Transcript

[A]

This is where healthcare leadership comes together. Becker's 16th annual meeting brings more than 3,500 hospital and health system executives and nearly 800 speakers to Chicago, April 13th through the 16th. This year's event includes keynote conversations with Dallas Cowboys legend Troy Aikman and former President George W. Bush. For the agenda and event details, visit Beckershospitalreview.com and click on the Events tab in the upper right. Looking forward to hosting you in Chicago.

[B]

This is Gracelyn Keller with the Becker's Healthcare Podcast and we are recording live at the 13th annual CEO and CFO Roundtable. I'm currently joined by Julia Delett, who is the Vice President of marketing communications at UnityPoint Health. So, Julia, thanks for being here. I'm going to have you start off by introducing yourself and telling us a little bit more about your background.

[C]

Yes, I'm happy to be here. I have been with UnityPoint Health for well over a decade, a little more on the communications, PR thought leadership side, but recently took on, you know, all functions of marketing as well. And my background is in nonprofit work, so have a lot of experience in large and small communities just focused on driving forward mission oriented organizations.

[B]

Wonderful. So let's start off with growth strategy. Can you expand upon your growth strategy for the next year or Two?

[C]

Yes. So UnityPoint Health is a community based health system across three states with about 30,000 employees. And so one of the things that we're focused on from a marketing communication standpoint is really just understanding how the company strategy is evolving and what those areas of prioritization are. On the marketing side, it's, you know, how do we have a strong brand presence in the marketing campaigns that we do that help differentiate, you know, the quality of care and the type of care that UnityPoint can offer. And then on the communications and PR side, it's really just, you know, from a workforce standpoint, how do we translate what we're doing from a strategy standpoint to our employees and team members so that they understand what's in it for them in a more concise way? Because the volume of communications and the pace of change is pretty relentless. I think that's true for all healthcare systems right now. So across those two functions, really just aiming to help our team members understand what's happening, you know, translate those business initiatives in a way that's impactful and then stay ahead of the things that are also unexpected and tell us about.

[B]

The most exciting or impactful initiative or project you're currently working on.

[C]

So from a marketing communications standpoint, I don't know if this is exciting, but it's definitely necessary. We're doing a lot of in house cleanup to be as tech forward with our processes and our trafficking tools so that we can be more efficient. So that's coming with a level of change management and redesign. You know, certainly will will take us some time, but it's also that we can better serve the organization like everybody else. There are a ton of AI tools that are available, so it's really figuring out what makes sense for an organization of our size as it relates to marketing communications. What tools make sense for us to be able to again deliver on translating that strategy to our team members on behalf of our PAT as well without getting sucked into like the newest trend.

[B]

Absolutely. What is the most important thing healthcare executives should do right now to make sure that their organizations are successful in the future?

[C]

I've worked with a lot of executives in my career, and the most successful ones not only view marketing communications as a strategic partner at the table to help provide counsel to them, but also have to be open and nimble in terms of what their executive communication program looks like for them. Some executives are more hesitant, some are more forward in terms of maintaining that strong internal and external presence. But the reality is healthcare executives have to have that presence internally and externally to show up as a confident and humble leader for their organization.

[B]

Absolutely. Well, Julia, thanks so much for joining me today on the Beckers Healthcare Podcast. Again, we are recording live at the 13th annual CEO and CFO roundtable.

[C]

Thank you.