CommPRO Editorial StaffInterpublic Group (NYSE: IPG) agency Golin hired Rachel Hooper as executive director to lead the firm’s media, digital, and public affairs healthcare pursuits across the Healthcare Practice. She officially started on April 15 and is based in Golin’s New York office, reporting to Neera Chaudhary, global president of healthcare.Hooper has more than 15 years of media and healthcare experience globally; including, top-tier media, crisis management, integrated digital media campaigns, public affairs and executive leadership.  As part of Golin’s progressive positioning – announced last November – one of her first remits will include development of a first-of-its-kind specialty media offering, fusing equal parts healthcare and media relations to bring new communications ideas to the agency’s blue chip client roster. “Healthcare is an area that can impact all of us – and I’m passionate about finding new ways to communicate and solve problems for our clients,” said Hooper. “The  industry is incredibly regulated and technical, complicated with public policy and consumer confusion. It is an exciting time from a media perspective, because we have an opportunity to add specialized expertise to the creative strategies we create for clients. I’m thrilled to join Golin at a time where we can own this new approach and build it from the ground up with creative, hungry, talented professionals who understand the importance of integrating brand stories across social media, traditional media and public affairs to resonate with audiences in new ways.”As Golin Healthcare continues to grow, new appointments like Hooper’s are a cornerstone in helping the agency reach the profoundly diverse global market that its clients appeal to every single day. Hooper will lead the charge for that change across all shared clients for Golin Healthcare and Virgo Health – the agency’s specialty global healthcare communications brand.Prior to Golin, Hooper led corporate affairs for Pfizer, acting as an international media spokesperson; she launched public affairs firm, Marketplace Communications, where she developed multimillion dollar campaigns for governmental advocacy clients; and she spearheaded account managements at Porter Novelli.