Koahana

koa: \kōə \ brave, bold, courage hana: \hə-nə \ work

A venture that reimagines the way we work together

an agency specializing in biopharma consulting and medical communications

About Koahana

We offer guidance, direction and strategic insight, acknowledging the absence of a one-size-fits-all approach. We meet our clients where they are with personalized advice and tailored solutions. Working with you as an extension of your team, we bridge gaps and fulfill diverse needs.

 

Grasping the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of medicine and industry demands, our commitment lies in skillfully navigating these shifts and rising above them through collaborative partnerships.

Our Services

Consulting

We partner with you to support strategic objectives, ensuring readiness for the evolving dynamics through the product lifecycle. Strategies focus on creating plans to inform decisions and guide communications, establishing a memorable scientific story that resonates with stakeholders. 

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Medical Communications

Our writing services, from early clinical development through product launch, focus on communication tailored to audience knowledge and need. Investigators, healthcare professionals, patients, internal teams, and investors are all critical audiences to reach in the right way.

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Our Approach

Explore selections illustrating our approach and current perspectives on our services.

What's your story?

So much goes into bringing a drug to market, it can be all too easy to get lost in the minutiae...

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After Phase 2...

A successful launch depends on more than a positive phase 3 trial – awareness, understanding and...

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Graphical abstracts

A graphical, or visual, abstract provides a valuable opportunity to distill your key messages...

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Alignment resources

As your team grows, keeping everyone informed and aligned can become a significant challenge...

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Audience reach

Speaking to the background, knowledge, and interests of your audience is critical for reception…

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Scientific exchange

Whether you are just getting started in Medical Affairs or already have a field team in place…

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Our team

We are a collective of experienced biopharma professionals. Our pride in the work we do is rooted in our diverse array of expertise with each team member making a distinct contribution to our collaborations.

Melanie Thompson

Founder

Kathryn Condon

Scientific Director

Dionne Turnbull

Scientific Writer

Karlina Kauffman

Scientific Writer

Marti Gasparick

Operations Manager

Our philosophy

Koahana is an independent agency, free from investor ties. Our growth strategy prioritizes a measured approach and our commitment to our independent and distinctive identity. Operating under the premise that we are all here by choice, we adhere to fundamental principles of adult behavior. We value thoughtfulness, responsibility, and accountability. We prioritize mutual respect in our relationships and maintain honesty, even in the face of challenging situations. Acknowledging that we all have a valuable role to play, we approach our partnerships with these fundamental philosophies.

Collaborate with us

Let’s reimagine how we work together

collaborate@koahana.com

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© 2024, Koahana, Inc. all rights reserved

Consulting

Strategic planning: focusing on actions and deliverables – practical, informative, effective ​

  • Data communication & publication plans​
  • Medical / launch / brand planning​
  • Gap analyses ​
  • Audits of existing assets​

 

Internal & new role support: navigating new spaces – filling gaps and building emerging roles and departments ​

  • New role / management coaching​
  • Resource planning​
  • Filling a gap before you hire the next team member; e.g., scientific director, publications director​
  • RFP development, evaluation, and selection​
  • Transition planning​

 

Processes & SOPs: providing efficiencies and peace of mind – compliant, simple, usable ​

  • Publications SOPs​
  • Department processes & best practices​
  • Team training​

 

Advisor engagements: facilitating collaborations – cultivating critical insight and direction​

  • KOL / TAE mapping​
  • Steering committees / advisory boards: long-range planning & execution​

 

Other: addressing undefined or unexpected situations​

  • Finding answers and solutions for the “how do I…” questions​
  • Pivoting and adapting plans in response to unexpected situations​
  • Building bridges and making connections; e.g., identifying contractors to address specific needs

 

Medical Communications

Publications: delivering clear, memorable, and effective communications​

  • Congress abstracts, presentations, posters; live / virtual congress support​
  • Journal research & evaluation​
  • Manuscripts: early–late stage clinical, preclinical, patient outcomes​
  • Narrative reviews​
  • Plain language publications​
  • Graphical abstracts​

 

Internal resources: ensuring team members are informed and aligned​

  • Scientific platform: narrative, statements, lexicon​
  • Training materials​
  • Topical synopses; executive summaries​
  • Literature newsletters / summaries​
  • Pre-congress newsletters & planning ​

 

External engagement materials: enhancing knowledge and encouraging dialog with the community​

  • Core story decks (MSL engagement, trial recruitment, product launch)​
  • Disease state / topical education (e.g., pathogenesis, diagnosis, management, progression, outcomes evaluation)​
  • Infographic & 1-pager summaries​
  • Patient educational materials​
  • FAQ compendium​
  • Comprehensive slide repository​
  • White papers​

 

Visual / graphical support: designing for clarity, impact, and aesthetics​

  • Powerpoint presentation / poster templates​
  • Scientific illustration and design​
  • Data visualization / figures

 

Melanie Thompson

Founder

I founded Koahana to be the company where I want to work.

My entire career has been in medical communications, an industry I’ve long believed ripe for the next transformation. My most significant accomplishments center on catalyzing change, ranging from being part of establishing one of the earliest medical affairs publications departments to pioneering a globally remote work environment years before it became widely embraced.

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When I left my agency leadership position to explore a new career path, I recognized that to work differently I needed to create that change.

This journey has been transformative. I’ve been equally encouraged and challenged, both welcomed perspectives to evolve ideas and strengthen my vision.

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Koahana is the result of a desire to take my biopharma and medical communications experience and start something new. Koahana is a venture built on a vision reimagining how we work together.

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Kathryn Condon, PhD

Scientific Director

I joined Koahana because the how and why should get as much attention as the what and when.

In my years of medical affairs partnerships and collaborations with physician experts, I have seen what resonates with the health care community and what approaches worked best to achieve that connection. In addition to developing materials that are scientifically-robust and strategically-aligned, I work to ensure they are memorable, approachable, and useful for whom they were designed. I apply my experience with what worked well and why to develop and manage methods and processes designed for efficiency, collaboration, and compliance.

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Prior to medical writing, I received a PhD in Neurobiology from Duke University for my research on the pathophysiology of a rare neurodevelopmental disorder, following a BSc (Hons) from University of Wisconsin at Madison.

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Dionne Turnbull, PhD

Scientific Writer

I joined Koahana for the opportunity to do things differently.

I’m a skilled scientific communicator, drawing from experience both in the medical communications industry and my time in academic research. I bring a creative eye to my work, with a passion for elevating materials beyond traditional approaches to develop content that is engaging, accessible, and tailored to each unique audience.​

 

My experience includes publications and communication enhancements, congress assets, training resources, field materials, advisory boards, symposia, patient-focused materials and more – all developed with the utmost attention to detail, designed to tell a story with impact. ​

 

I received my PhD from the University of Dundee for research in immune signaling and pathogen recognition, following a BSc (Hons) in Biological Sciences from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

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Karlina Kauffman, PhD

Scientific Writer

I joined Koahana to work in an environment that empowers me to grow and evolve as a writer.

With a solid foundation in medical communications and academic research, I bring expertise in translating complex science into clear, engaging content. My expertise spans a range of content types, including congress presentations, abstracts, manuscripts, patient-focused materials, and internal training documents such as FAQs, lexicons, and core decks.

 

Through my research experience, I discovered a passion for crafting scientific narratives that resonate with diverse audiences. Now, I leverage this expertise to support pharmaceutical communications across all phases of drug development, from early trials to commercial launch.

 

I received my PhD from Yale University for research on autophagy, a process linked to neurodegeneration and cancer, following a BSc in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Gettysburg College.

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Marti Gasparick

Operations Manager

I joined Koahana to be part of a company driving the industry towards a collaborative, adaptable, and balanced future.

At the core of my role as Operations Manager is a deep passion for healthcare, along with a flair for clear communication, organization, and thoughtful planning. I blend creative thinking with practical problem-solving to foster innovation and enhance workflows, benefiting both our medical writing team and our clients.

 

As we shape the Koahana framework, I am dedicated to nurturing a collaborative environment that drives impressive accomplishments. I’m genuinely excited for the opportunity to contribute to this journey, one that’s set to redefine our agency model.

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