V2 Communications Starts 2025 Strong with New Clients, Team Members, and Networking Event Series
BOSTON, Feb. 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Integrated communications firm V2 Communications (V2) today announced it has expanded its client portfolio, team and offerings to kick off the new year. The firm has welcomed new clients across its B2B, climate, and healthcare practices, maintaining momentum after noteworthy 2024 wins and the unveiling of its Vantage Methodology™, which leverages deep industry expertise, accelerated impact through established processes, and an integrated communications approach to deliver results for clients.
'A hallmark of V2 is our ability to deliver results while simultaneously assessing market movements and trends to design strategic and compelling campaigns for clients,' stated Jean Serra, founder and CEO of V2 Communications. 'Our team's expertise, not only in client industries, but in the evolving world of integrated communications, enables us to be exceptional consultants and thought leadership conveners. Bringing together cohorts among our client and partner communities to share best practices and exchange ideas is the latest example of V2 bringing value to our clients, and we look forward to doing much more of this in 2025.'
Continued Client Portfolio Growth
The new clients joining V2's roster are brands that recognize the power of communications to increase visibility, build trust, and advance their business goals. These organizations will tap into V2's deep expertise in their respective markets and leverage communications strategies that span earned, paid and owned channels. They include:
emma: emma is a platform for cloud management, combining a cloud-agnostic approach with AI-powered capabilities that empower organizations to access cloud resources by any provider without constraints. Headquartered in Luxembourg, emma has engaged V2 to build brand visibility in the U.S. and provide air cover for sales.
InStride Health: InStride Health is an outpatient provider of specialty pediatric Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) care, specifically Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with an emphasis on Exposure therapy. InStride Health has partnered with V2 to establish the company as the trusted choice in a crowded market.
Aionics: Inspired by the success of AI-driven drug discovery, Aionics created the world's first AI-powered battery design platform capable of screening all known materials and formulations for any performance target. With the mission of accelerating the development of materials for a zero-carbon world, Aionics has engaged V2 to increase brand awareness and create market momentum.
Electric Hydrogen: Electric Hydrogen is a world-class manufacturer of high-power electrolyzer systems that produce the lowest cost electrolytic hydrogen. V2's work with Electric Hydrogen is centered around building visibility for the company's brand and creating confidence in their technology, as well as the broader hydrogen market, by underscoring the company's commercial and technical progress.
'Despite increased societal awareness of the pediatric mental health crisis across the United States, the lack of immediate and affordable access to mental health care that leads to lasting change remains,' said John Voith, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, InStride Health. 'We are thrilled to be partnering with V2 Communications to further advance InStride Health's mission to deliver high-quality, evidence-based specialty anxiety and OCD care that is scalable and accessible for every kid, teen, young adult, and family that needs it.'
Expanded Expertise
V2's entire client portfolio benefits from the team's deep expertise not only in their respective industries, but also in the best practices driving the communications and media landscape today. As part of the firm's commitment to helping brands stay ahead of the latest trends, it launched V2 Live! – a new series of exclusive events designed to gather current clients, industry experts and influencers, and other friends of the firm to share perspectives on the evolving communications landscape, keep a pulse on industry trends and foster meaningful relationships.
V2 Live! kicked off with the Corporate Communicators Summit in November 2024, bringing clients from across the nation to V2 headquarters for two days of programming led by V2 subject matter experts, client leaders and outside speakers on integrated communications, executive social media strategies, influencer relations, and more.
Future V2 Live! events will expand to include a Summit for chief communications officers and senior comms leaders, industry-specific roundtables, and virtual events. V2 Live! events will also bring together the firm's expansive network of clients, investors, media and influencers for networking and connection.
The firm expanded its bench of senior consultants with the addition of Kaitlynn Cooney (KC) to the team. Cooney joins V2 as an Account Director focused on the B2B practice. She has more than 12 years of industry experience and currently serves as president of The PR Club, the New England-based society of communications professionals providing networking and unique education opportunities to advance careers and build brands. Cooney is amongst several new communications professionals to join the team as the firm further enhances its strategic communications offerings and client services capabilities.
If you're interested in partnering with V2 or in joining our growing team, contact the firm here.
About V2 Communications
V2 Communications is an integrated communications firm that works with B2B, climate, and healthcare technology companies, from startups to publicly traded companies. V2's clients strive to be iconic technology brands that have an outsized impact on business, the planet, or humanity through their innovations, and V2 designs and executes integrated communications strategies across earned, owned, and paid channels that shape their markets and make them market leaders. V2's proven process ensures clients benefit from thorough program planning, increased speed, flexibility, and efficiency of program execution, and ongoing strategic counsel to maximize market shifts and refine programs to deliver consistent high levels of business success.
Contact info: Deanna Hoffman dhoffman@v2comms.com
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Padma Lakshmi Over the past few years, Padma Lakshmi has become one of the most recognizable faces of endometriosis — so much so that she went on to co-found the Endometriosis Foundation of America. The TV host, model and author has discussed how despite being highly educated and living in a major city with access to high-quality health care, she initially had never heard of the disease. Gabrielle Union Speaking at the BlogHer18 Creators Summit in New York City, Gabrielle Union did not hold back when it came to discussing a condition she has called 'adenomyosis.' Also known as 'inside-out endometriosis,' it causes the endometrial tissue of the uterus cavity to grow into the uterus muscle, which damages the uterine wall. In addition to prolonged, heavy, painful periods, another symptom of adenomyosis is decreased fertility. 'I could have had adenomyosis in my early 20s, and instead of someone diagnosing me, they were like, 'You have periods that last nine and 10 days? 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Tiffany Haddish Tiffany Haddish's 'life gets turned upsie down' every time she has her period, she told People in an April 2024 interview. 'I'm pretty sure the devil is real,' she said, 'because the first day of my period, no matter what, the devil goes into overdrive.' Haddish explained that she'd recently gotten diagnosed with endometriosis after a previous doctor said she had a 'dent in my uterus.' 'It turns out it's not a dent they saw on the ultrasound,' Haddish said. 'It was endo that was hanging down.' She underwent surgery and the doctors 'shaved it down.' Haddish said the debilitating pain from endo felt like 'somebody is kicking me in my back,' and it would get so bad that the actress and comedian would faint. Haddish also called her endometriosis-related fertility struggles 'devastating,' and said she'd had eight miscarriages. Haddish did note that some symptoms were starting to improve thanks to a hormonal medication. 'I've gone from 11 days [on my period] to four or five, which is kind of normal, so that's nice.' Jaime King At #BlogHer Health 2019, Jaime King opened up about being diagnosed with endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome at the age of 20. 'I went undiagnosed for a really long time,' she told the audience. 'I lost my first baby at that age. And I continued to miscarry and miscarry, and it took many years for me to have my first child, and when I was going through this, I cannot explain what it felt like — that this one thing that we're told as women is that our gift is that we can carry life, and all of a sudden someone says, 'Oh, maybe that might be in question.'' Anitta 'We need to talk about endometriosis,' Anitta wrote on Twitter in 2022. That was how the 'Envolver' singer kicked off a long thread in which she opened up about the extreme pain she'd been suffering due to the condition, previously thought to be a case of 'recurrent cystitis.' It wasn't until Anitta spoke to a doctor friend about her symptoms that she was able to get in for tests to confirm that the issue was actually endometriosis. 'The pain is so bad that you want to do EVERYTHING for it to go away,' she recalled of her symptoms, adding that she was 'counting the days' until her scheduled surgery to treat the condition. 'Here is my appeal for more information for women,' Anitta wrote. 'More access, more general interest in taking care of the female body so that we can be free and be able to take care of ourselves.' Emma Roberts Emma Roberts experienced endometriosis symptoms since she was a teenager, including 'debilitating cramps and periods, so bad that I would miss school and, later, have to cancel meetings,' she told Cosmopolitan in 2020. It wasn't until her late twenties that Roberts got a diagnosis — 'But by then, it had affected my fertility,' the Space Cadet star explained. Doctors recommended she freeze her eggs 'or look into other options.' Roberts remembered being 'terrified' of going through fertility treatments and still not being able to have kids. She did eventually freeze her eggs, describing it as a 'difficult process.' Though Roberts struggled with feeling she'd 'done something wrong' to be experiencing fertility issues, her endo diagnosis soon introduced her to a new community. 'I started opening up to other women, and all of a sudden, there was a new world of conversation about endometriosis, infertility, miscarriages, fear of having kids,' she said. 'I was so grateful to find out I was not alone in this. I hadn't done anything 'wrong' after all.' Roberts eventually conceived without IVF with her ex Garrett Hedlund and gave birth to a son, Rhodes, in December 2020. Jessica Williams Actor and comedian Jessica Williams was only recently diagnoed with endometriosis, though has likely lived with it for 10 years, she noted in an Instagram post. 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Culpo said her husband, NFL player Christian McCaffrey, eventually helped her find the doctor that diagnosed her. 'Christian was calling all the people he knew in the sports world, trying to get somebody to help me because I was in so much pain. It was hard for everybody to see,' she recalled. The doctor 'did one ultrasound and saw that I had an endometrioma right on my ovaries.' Daisy Ridley Star Wars: The Last Jedi's Daisy Ridley opened up about her endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome in an empowering, now-deleted Instagram post from 2016. She wrote: "[T]o any of you who are suffering with anything, go to a doctor; pay for a specialist; get your hormones tested, get allergy testing; keep on top of how your body is feeling and don't worry about sounding like a hypochondriac. From your head to the tips of your toes we only have one body, let us all make sure ours our working in tip top condition, and take help if it's needed." Lena Dunham Writer, producer and actress Lena Dunham has battled endometriosis since her first period. She has undergone five surgeries to treat the condition in the past year alone and openly discusses how the disease has impacted her life through essays on her Lenny Letter site. Julianne Hough Julianne Hough told SheKnows she started having symptoms when she was 15 but wasn't properly diagnosed with endometriosis until 2008 when the heavy bleeding and pain forced her to take time off from Dancing with the Stars for surgery and recovery. To help people learn about the condition, Hough has become the face of an awareness campaign called Get in the Know about ME in Endometriosis. The dancer and actor stressed the importance of women being able to talk about the condition openly and being supportive of each other. "So even if you're not the me in endometriosis, there might be someone around you who might be," she told SheKnows in March 2017. "It's all about starting this conversation. I want to be a voice and a person who can help women." Halsey Singer Halsey was first diagnosed with endometriosis in January 2016 and underwent multiple surgeries to treat it one year later. In a post-op Instagram post tagged #endowarrior, she wrote: "For those of you who have followed this battle of mine or who may suffer with it yourself, you know the extremes to which it can be mentally exhausting and physically painful." Susan Sarandon Susan Sarandon manages to raise awareness for endometriosis while stressing that the condition should not define those who suffer from it. After years of pain, she received what she describes as a "half-assed diagnosis," which included half-hearted treatments, but not a comprehensive explanation of what they were or how the disease worked. "When all you know is pain, you don't know that that is not normal. It is not a woman's lot to suffer, even if we've been raised that way," she said at the Endometriosis Foundation of America's 3rd Blossom in 2011. Mae Whitman For 20 years, Mae Whitman struggled to pinpoint the source of the 'violently… extremely intense pain' she experienced with every period. She was given frustrating anwers like 'period pain is normal,' the Good Girls star recalled in a 2019 Instagram post, until she found Dr. Iris Orbuch, who listened and 'not only explained every facet of what could be happening in my body, but a comprehensive lifestyle plan to diagnose, excise, and not only manage, but really BEAT this technically incurable disease,' Whitman wrote. After surgery, Whitman felt 'better than ever' and was able to hope for a future 'where I'm not weighed down by pain, fatigue, and depression' during her period. The experience inspired Whitman to start raising awareness for the condition. 'I just hate the fact that there are people out there that are struggling with this, and feel alone, and feel like there's no one else,' Whitman told People in 2021, revealing that famous friend Lena Dunham was the one to refer her to Dr. Orbuch. 'The day that I got the surgery was the best day of my life,' Whitman went on. 'I'm so much better now, I'm a different person.' Tara Lipinski Tara Lipinski has undergone three endometriosis surgeries and has been open about the toll endometriosis has taken on her body. 'For the last year I've been dealing with a painful endometrioma that formed in my ovary,' the Olympic gold medalist wrote in a July 2024 Instagram story, per People. '[My doctor] removed that and cleaned up all my remaining endo. (Which hopefully won't be coming back as I hopefully [won't] be doing any more fertility treatments.)' Lipinski also shared that her doctors removed her fallopian tubes during the hospital stay, 'as it's a huge risk reduction for ovarian cancer. So glad to have them out!' Lipinski, who welcomed her daughter Georgia Winter in 2023 via surrogate, was also an open book when it came to her difficult IVF journey — she even hosted a podcast, Unexpecting, on the topic. It's a topic close to home for many with endometriosis, as the condition impacts fertility. 'I think at the end of the day, what I learned with so many women on their journeys was that everyone approaches grief or loss or struggle differently,' Lipinski told SheKnows in a previous interview. 'To be able to follow other women that were on their journey, I felt just less alone. So… I'm hopeful that my story resonates with someone going through something similar or feeling the same way.' Francia Raisa Francia Raisa has long been open about her experience having PCOS, but revealed in a June 2024 Instagram post that she'd recently been diagnosed with endometriosis and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) as well. Raisa said that her journey to diagnosis included 'years of confusing symptoms' before her doctors found an answer. The combination of conditions 'puts me at very high risk of having complicated pregnancies in the future,' Raisa went on, explaining that she was 'in shock' at the diagnoses. 'What strikes me the most is that it's not enough that I take care of my health and body,' the How I Met Your Father actor wrote. 'With all the advances in medicine, there still isn't enough research being done into women's specific health care to really understand how women like me are able to ensure our opportunity to have a healthy life and family.' Alexa Chung Alexa Chung first revealed her endometriosis diagnosis quietly, via a 2019 Instagram post. 'I don't want to belong to any club that would accept me as a member, but here I am,' she captioned a photo taken in a hospital hallway, adding the hashtags #endometriosisclub, #lifelongmembership, and #sorryifyouhaveittooitsucks. In a 2023 essay for British Vogue, the model and fashion designer went into greater detail about her experience with the condition and frustration at the lack of effective treatments. 'It can be agony,' she wrote, going on to detail how her symptoms were dismissed by doctors. 'Do you know what a period is?' one doctor asked her in a condescending tone, after Chung almost missed a flight 'thanks to a period that was so heavy I was unable to leave a bathroom stall.' In 2019, Chung underwent surgery to remove an ovarian cyst and areas of endometriosis and hasn't experienced any flare-ups since. 'I don't say this to brag but rather to offer an example of how surgery can resolve the matter if it is discovered and treated early enough — something that every sufferer of endometriosis deserves,' she wrote. Bethenny Frankel Bethenny Frankel had laparoscopic surgery in her early 30s to help treat her endometriosis and wasn't afraid to discuss her struggles with the disease. Several years prior, she experienced bad cramping and spotting and was diagnosed with cysts and fibroids on her uterus. Ultimately, she said it was getting pregnant that helped her pain subside the most. "Don't feel shame," she wrote in an open letter on Facebook in 2016. "Other women are going through the same issue and it's okay to talk about it." Tia Mowry Tia Mowry spoke out about her endometriosis and is especially vocal about what she believes to be a connection between the condition and diet. 'The most surprising thing is how food can exacerbate inflammation or get rid of it,' Mowry told SheKnows in 2016. 'Food can be medicine, and if you eat foods that alkalize the body, it's amazing how that can slow down and fight inflammation.' Alaia Baldwin Aronow Model Alaia Baldwin Aronow was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2016, per the Endometriosis Foundation of America and has since worked to spread awareness about the condition. In 2019, Baldwin Aronow bared her surgery scars on Instagram 'to bring a small glimpse of the reality of living with this disease,' she wrote. 'Many other women have suffered through more surgeries than 1 and carry many scars… We are all connected by our scars.' Molly Qerim Molly Qerim, who hosts ESPN's First Take, was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2011 and shared her story publicly in 2018. 'The endometriosis was not just in my reproductive organs, it was everywhere,' she said in an interview on Good Morning America. In addition to being on her liver and intestines, the endometriosis tissue had also 'compiled into a cyst which burst and then the toxins were all in my body,' Qerim said. The journalist was initially put on Lupron, a hormone-suppressing drug, which was administered via injections to her backside. 'Pain is just running down your leg,' Qerim recalled of the medication, which also put her into menopause. 'I didn't feel myself, mentally, emotionally, physically.' Qerim switched to using acupuncture to treat her pain, calling it a 'saving grace,' as well as cutting sugar, alcohol, and processed foods out of her diet. 'If I can connect with some other people and help them feel like they're not alone, we can fight through this, and then, hopefully in next couple generations … they're going to have the right treatments and this will no longer be an issue,' she said. Dolly Parton In 1985 at the age of 36, Dolly Parton underwent a partial hysterectomy to treat endometriosis. Back in 2008, she spoke out about not only her surgery, but also the severe depression that followed when she realized that she would never be able to give birth. "It was an awful time for me. Every day I thought, 'I wish I had the nerve to kill myself,'" she said. Whoopi Goldberg Whoopi Goldberg was never one to shy away from discussing important matters in women's health, and endometriosis is no exception. The actress and star of The View opened up about getting diagnosed at the 2009 Endometriosis Foundation of America's Blossom Ball, saying, 'I had endometriosis 30 years ago… I was very, very lucky. I had an intelligent doctor who sort of knew what was going on and said well, here take this stuff and he cleared it up.' Most recently, Goldberg spoke again about her endometriosis experience on a 2023 episode of The View. Speaking to Shannon Cohn, the director of the endometriosis documentary 'Below the Belt,' and Hillary Clinton, who was an executive producer for the documentary, Goldberg expressed her frustration that women and people with uteruses are 'constantly having to beg for health care… I don't understand why when doctors go to school forever, they're not taught about a woman's body.' Of her own diagnosis, Goldberg reiterated how lucky she was to have an informed doctor. 'When I saw this documentary and I heard that it takes them 6-10 years to even get the diagnosis, I don't understand that!' she said. 'What are they doing in medical school?' Ayesha Shand Ayesha Shand revealed her endometriosis diagnosis in January 2023 in an emotional social media video, describing the condition as 'isolating, agonizing, and completely unbearable.' The condition caused her to 'faint, vomit, spend nights and days crouched on the floor crying,' added Shand, who is the niece of Queen Camilla. 'This is all followed by intense waves of helplessness and depression.' But Shand also shared some good news: she was planning to get surgery to remove the lesions. In an interview with SheKnows at the Endometriosis Foundation of America's Blossom Ball in May 2024, Shand said the surgery 'went really well' and she'd 'progressively start[ed] feeling better' in the weeks since. 'My first period was a bit painful. And since then, I'm taking one Tylenol per period and I used to be taking oxycodone, so it was a big change,' Shand added. 'It's changed my life,' she said of the surgery. Monica Monica publicly discussed her endometriosis in 2017 after undergoing an eight-hour surgery to remove cysts, fibroids, a hernia and endometrial tissue. The singer didn't know she had the condition until two weeks prior to her surgery. She wrote on Facebook: 'In life, we have to count it all joy and know the unplanned may be in his plan. May 30th I had an almost 8-hour surgery to remove my endometriosis (which I didn't know I had until two weeks prior), 2 cysts, fibroids and a hernia that all were making me very sick… I've known something was wrong, but I also knew victory & better health would be near again!! Thank you Dr. Ceana Nezhat & Northside Hospital Staff.' Brandi Rhodes Former WWE wrestler Brandi Rhodes had her endometriosis symptoms — including bloating, irregular menstrual bleeding, and pain — dismissed for years before a doctor diagnosed her with endometriosis during a pelvic exam. She quickly decided to undergo laparoscopic surgery to remove the lesions. During the procedure, Rhodes told doctors confirmed she had stage four endometriosis — a severe case. The athlete is now using her experience to encourage others to advocate for themselves. 'Feel empowered by your own feelings,' Rhodes said. 'It can feel really discouraging, and you can start to second guess yourself and feel like maybe this is [your] fault. But it's not.' Lexi Young On season 28 of The Bachelor, contestant Lexi Young made the brave decision to open up about her endometriosis with not only Joey Graziadei, but the entire viewing audience. She opened up about her experience further on TikTok, explaining that she'd experienced excruciating pain that left her unable to do her job and 'attending multiple doctor appointments weekly in search of answers.' Still, doctors dismissed her pain, leading Young to feel 'invalidated' and doubting what she felt. When she was finally able to get diagnosed and undergo surgery, Young said it 'truly changed my life… It was was the most emotional, validating day I've ever had.' Young ended up leaving The Bachelor as her timeline for children didn't align with Graziadei's; endometriosis can affect fertility, so Young wants to have kids sooner rather than later. Still, Young has nothing but gratitude for the experience. 'I've had thousands of women say that [me speaking out] encouraged them to bring [edometriosis] up in a relationship. It's made them see themselves differently,' she told SheKnows at the Endometriosis Foundation of America's Blossom Ball in May 2024. And now that she's entering the dating pool again, she's committed to that level of honesty. 'I have not gotten to the point with someone yet to open up about [endometriosis],' Young said. 'But Joey was so kind and so caring. There are very large shoes to fill for the next person… But I think it's just about being honest from as soon as you start to feel a connection that could turn into something long-term.' Kayla Itsines Fitness influencer Kayla Itsines has lived with endometriosis since she was a teenager. 'Having heavy, painful periods was one of my biggest symptoms and I remember being so jealous of all of my friends who could carry on as normal during their period because that just wasn't the case for me,' she told SheKnows. 'I used to walk around school with heat pads on my stomach because I was in so much pain.' Itsines, who was named an ambassador for Endometriosis Australia in 2023, says she's passionate about raising awareness around endometriosis. 'I hope that by sharing my own story we can encourage and empower women to learn about the signs and symptoms of this disease while improving outcomes for women with endo,' she says. As a fitness professional, Itsines also hopes to show others how she stays active while dealing with the debilitating symptoms. 'The truth is, every day is different when I'm having a flare-up,' Itsines explains. 'Some days exercise is absolutely NOT going to happen, other days a light low-impact workout actually makes me feel better and helps manage the pain.' Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe's short life was full of pain, some of which reportedly came from having endometriosis, according to biographies of the actor. Though she made a secret of wanting to be a mother, all of Monroe's pregnancies ended in miscarriage or being ectopic. Monroe's desire to become a mother was especially apparent in a note she taped to her stomach before going into surgery to have her appendix removed, per Daily Express US. In it she wrote, 'Save please (I can't ask you enough) what you can — I'm in your hands. You have children and you must know what it means — please Dr. Rabwin — I know somehow you will! … For God's sakes Dear Doctor no ovaries removed.' Per The Guardian, some have even linked endometriosis to the iconic actor's use of and later addiction to painkillers — which ultimately ended her life — but there is no definitive proof of this. Amy Schumer Amy Schumer dealt with extreme pain from endometriosis for her whole life, she said in a 2022 appearance on The Checkup With Dr. David Agus. 'It was just this pain you can't see,' she explained. 'And there is this inclination to always think a woman is just being dramatic.' She described endometriosis as a 'lonely, lonely disease.' Schumer has continued to keep fans updated on her condition, including her 2021 surgery to remove her appendix and uterus as a result of the condition. The Life and Beth star has also used her platform and experience to encourage women to speak out about their pain and get help. 'We need to not confuse advocating for ourselves with being bitchy,' she said on Instagram. Eve In her 2024 memoir Who's That Girl?, Eve opened up about experiencing an ectopic pregnancy in 2006 while filming her sitcom. It was only after that traumatizing experience that the rapper was diagnosed with both endometriosis and uterine fibroids. 'Back then it was something no one really talked about,' Eve told Good Morning America about the reproductive conditions. 'Doctors barely even talked about it. I always had had painful periods, but that's also something that they tell women, so I never thought anything of it.' The Grammy winner went on to have a son, Wilde, through IVF in 2022. Solve the daily Crossword
