DAVID KALSON, EXECUTIVE MANAGING DIRECTOR, RF|BINDER PARTNERS

David Kalson provides strategic counsel to clients and manages communications programs relating to corporate and product positioning, issues and crises management, capital markets and internal communications. He has extensive experience in medical-, scientific-, bio-technology- and energy-related products and industries. He has expertise in pharmaceuticals and medical devices relating to hematology, oncology, diabetes and immunology.

He has counseled companies and organizations that include Repsol YPF, BP, Entergy, KeySpan Energy, Canaport LNG, Eli Lilly, Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals, Dunkin’ Brands and Staples. He has also specialized in developing communications strategies that address highly controversial or prevalent healthcare issues such as placental blood stem-cell research and banking, mental illnesses and anti-psychotic drugs, introduction of new diabetes treatments, ionizing radiation exposure and healthcare policy issues.

A former television producer for PBS, Kalson has extensive background in writing and producing programs that translate technical subjects into formats accessible to lay audiences. Prior to joining Ruder Finn, he was Manager of Public Information for the American Institute of Physics for six years. There he produced the series "Science TV Report" -- science video news releases shown in over 100 TV news markets around the country where he often worked with renowned scientists at institutions such as IBM’s Watson Research Center, Princeton University’s Fusion Energy Program, Washington University’s Positron Emission Tomography imaging program and the Stanford Linear Accelerator. He also spent four years in Hill and Knowlton's Division of Scientific, Technical and Environmental Affairs, and five years with the E. Bruce Harrison Company specializing in science- and technology-related communication.

Kalson has authored numerous articles and annual reports including feature articles for World Book's Science Year and The Rockefeller University. He has won two consecutive first prizes for Narrative Presentation from The American Business Communicators Group’s annual report competition for his annual reports on the New York Blood Center. He has been an invited lecturer and symposium arranger for the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Iona University, the American Physical Society and the Council of Engineering and Scientific Society Executives. He serves as a judge on the Awards Committee for the American Institute of Physics’ Science Writing for Broadcasting Award.

Kalson has a B.A. in Philosophy and an M.A. in Communications from the University of Wisconsin in Madison.