For the first time in its history, the Marfan Foundation has been named a Top Place to Work in Communications by Ragan Communications.
The award represents the third distinction as a top employer the Marfan Foundation has received recently. The organization was named in 2025 as a Best Place to Work for Women by Best Companies Group and one of the 50 Best Nonprofits to Work For nationally by The NonProfit Times.
Founded in 1970, Ragan is a well-known peer group for communications and marketing professionals that provides “professional development, training and intelligence to communicators, marketers, HR professionals and business leaders worldwide,” according to Ragan.com.
“Being named as a Top Place to Work in Communications for 2026 by a well-respected firm like Ragan among such outstanding companies and organizations is a true honor for the Marfan Foundation – one that reflects the tremendous commitment of our constituents and our staff team,” said Foundation Chief Communications and Marketing Officer April Dawn Shinske.
“Earning a place on Ragan’s Top Places to Work in Communications List is a meaningful achievement,” said Brendan Gannon, senior marketing manager for Ragan’s Awards programs. “These organizations have demonstrated a clear commitment to building strong workplace cultures where communications professionals can do their best work.”
According to a January 30 press release from Ragan, Top Places to Work in Communications is an “annual list [that] honors employers across industries and sectors that demonstrate a strong commitment to workplace culture, leadership, employee engagement and professional growth for communications teams.”
“This recognition reflects what communicators across the industry value most today: strong leadership, meaningful work and an environment where communications teams can thrive. Simply put, your organization stands out among the best places to build a communications career,” said Ragan.
After a competitive application process that included submitting information about the Foundation’s leadership, workplace culture, tactics, and multiple samples of communications and marketing work, the organization was selected as outstanding among for-profits and non-profits alike.
Other members of this year’s class include Fannie Mae, Jackson Spaulding, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, Purdue University, Swarthmore, and Webster Bank.
“The recognition reflects the power of storytelling driven by the generosity of our community members who raise awareness with openness, honesty, and advocacy,” said Shinske. “Our entire staff team at the Foundation works cross-functionally to support our community, our mission and our communications efforts, together. Likewise, we are lucky to enjoy the outstanding pro bono PR support that FINN Partners provides the Foundation on select projects, through the relationships of leadership volunteer Gil Bashe.”
“In talking with peer communications leaders at for-profits and non-profits alike, I’ve learned that the support we receive from volunteers and colleagues at the Foundation is extraordinary – particularly under the leadership of our Board Chair Bert Medina and CEO Michael Weamer. We are afforded the ability to be creative and bold so we can help more people to know, connect and thrive alongside Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, VEDS, Stickler, and related conditions,” added Shinske.
The Foundation’s recognized Integrated Marketing Communications staff team includes Susan Benvenuti, Chris Theriot (now serving on our Development team), our newest team member Olivia Abel, and Shinske.
Ragan Communications’ daily news sites, PRDaily.com and Ragan.com, are read by more than 600,000 internal and external communicators monthly. Ragan’s conferences, webinars and workshops are attended by more than 5,000 communicators a year.
The Marfan Foundation is a nonprofit organization that saves lives and improves the quality of life of individuals with genetic aortic and vascular conditions including Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, and Vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndromes. Our vision is a world in which everyone with genetic aortic and vascular conditions can live their best life.