Swaay Conference 2025 Recap: Where Healthcare Marketing Met Sunshine, Style, and Serious Impact
Let’s start with the obvious: Coronado Island is cheating. How dare a conference venue have palm trees swaying like backup dancers, ocean breezes that smell like serotonin, and the iconic Loews Coronado Bay Resort glowing like a VIP pass to paradise? Swaay 2025 didn’t just host a conference; it threw a beachside brainstorm session where innovation met flip-flops.
Picture this: Networking by the fire, breakout sessions with waterfront views, and sunset happy hours where even the most hardcore SaaS marketers forgot their KPIs for a hot second. Coronado set the scene and reminded us that creativity thrives where stress dissolves. Shout-out to the Swaay team for proving that healthcare marketing can be a vibe.
The Keynote: Minding the Gap (and My Sanity)
Full transparency: I walked into my keynote equal parts excited and terrified. Talking about closing the gap between patients, physicians, and healthcare innovation? Heavy stuff. But this crowd? They got it.
To the Swaay organizers and attendees: Thank you. Thank you for laughing when I roasted Dr. Disney. Thank you for the nods when I talked about pandemic loneliness. And thank you for not judging my parking-lot selfie slide.
This wasn’t just a speech; it was a love letter to your work. The tools you market, the stories you tell, the campaigns you build? They’re not just pixels or press releases. They’re lifelines for people like me who once sat in a silent hospital wing, clinging to a screen for hope. Keep bridging that gap. Patients and my sanity are counting on you.
The Vibe: Casual Dress Code, Uncasually Cool Crowd
Repeat after me: Healthcare marketers and PR pros are the cool kids. Fight me.
The dress code said “casual,” but the energy said “Coachella for nerds who know CTRs.” No stuffy suits. No awkward small talk. Just 300+ people in linen shirts, sundresses, and sneakers so fresh they could’ve been FDA-approved.
Want proof? I watched a CMO trade SEO tips over tacos. A PR director taught a TikTok trend to a SaaS founder. And don’t get me started on the impromptu karaoke conversation where someone belted Livin’ on a Prayer with lyrics about HIPAA compliance (That someone was me). These aren’t just professionals; they’re vibe architects.
Best Dressed: Coronado’s Fashion Hall of Fame
Let’s talk looks. Because if healthcare marketing is about storytelling, these folks wrote novels with their outfits.
Number 3: Dani Patterson (OptimumHealthcare IT)
Dani’s green dress + strawberry hair = casual perfected. She gave us “I’m here to optimize your CTRs and your Instagram feed” energy. The dress? Flowy, fun, and just corporate enough to remind you she’s a Senior Marketing Manager. The hair? A bold pop of color that screamed, “Yes, I can rebrand your EHR in 48 hours.”
Number 2: Abdul Rastagar (Life Science SaaS)
Abdul didn’t just dress for Coronado, he became Coronado. Crisp white shirt + navy blazer + Dockers so sharp they could’ve doubled as SWOT analysis templates. Lakeside-ready? Check. Boardroom-ready? Double-check. Pro tip: Someone promote this man to “Chief Vibes Officer.”
Number 1: Ashley Dauwer (Kyruus Health)
Ashley walked in wearing a seafoam green Chanel blazer and white pants, and the entire island paused. Business? Casual? Nah, this was aspirational. The cropped blazer said, “I run corporate campaigns.” The pants said, “But I’ll explain them to you poolside.” A masterclass in mixing luxury with laidback.
Best Sesh: Aha Health’s Modern Search Masterclass
Lacey Reichwald (AhaMediaGroup) didn’t come to play with folks; she said, “You’re going to kiss this ring!”. Her session, “Modern Search for Healthcare Marketers,” was like watching Taylor Swift drop a surprise album… if Taylor Swift sang about SEO and high-value buyers.
Key takeaways?
- “Stop chasing keywords. Chase intent.”
- “Your content isn’t competing with rivals. It’s competing with TikTok.”
- “If your meta description doesn’t spark joy, Marie Kondo it.”
Lacey left us with one mic drop: “Healthcare buyers aren’t searching for products. They’re searching for trust.” Write that down.
Hardest Working Team: AdButler
Let’s pour one out for the @AdButler crew. While we sipped margaritas, they were:
- Creating campaigns on location. They rarely left their table and yet attracted the curiosity of more than a few
- Finding the elusive WiFi (bless).
- Smiling through 47 “So, what do you guys do?” requests.
If healthcare marketing runs on caffeine and chaos, these folks are the espresso shot. Follow them. Hire them. Worship them.
My HIT List: Marketing Royalty You Need to Know
Missed these icons? Start drafting your apology DM.
5: Beth Friedman (@FINN Partners)
Beth’s the Yoda of healthcare marketing. 20+ years in the game, and she still drops wisdom like, “Data without story is noise.” Also, rumor has it she once convinced a CEO to swap a 50-slide deck for a haiku. Legend.
4: Alan Shoebridge (@Providence)
Alan’s the guy who makes “national communications” sound sexy. His session on crisis PR had us taking notes like, “Step 1: Don’t panic. Step 2: Call Alan.”
3: Jedi Jen Fontanella (@Vyne Medical)
Jedi Jen earned her nickname by force-pulling ROI from impossible campaigns and making influencers nervous. Her take on patient-centric marketing? “If it doesn’t give you goosebumps, scrap it.”
2: Steve Turney (@TURN.Productions)
Steve’s the creative mad scientist behind 90% of the ads you wish you’d made. Sidebar: His LinkedIn can at times be a thirst trap; just saying.
1: Ali Zaman (@Innovaccer)
Ali didn’t just attend, he had that unassuming swagger. As President of Marketing for a $1B+ healthtech unicorn, he’s proof that innovation and integrity can coexist. Follow him for hot takes on AI, empathy, and why your next campaign needs a soul.
Boston 2026 or Bust
If you skipped Swaay 2025, let me diagnose you with FOMO. But good news: 2026 is heading back to Boston. Think less beach, more brains with the same killer mix of strategy, style, and spontaneous karaoke.
Mark your calendars. Book your flights. And start planning your outfits now (Ashley’s Chanel blazer has already set the bar).
Because in healthcare marketing, the work never stops. But neither does the fun.
Stay connected:
- Follow me on LinkedIn for more hot takes.
- Relive the magic: Swaay2025.
- See you in Boston. No excuses.
