New division pairs public affairs strategy with campaign execution across state capitals and Washington; veteran strategist Byron Johnson joins as Vice President
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — March 17, 2026 — Sachs Media today launched SachsHEALTH, a specialized division built to help health care and life sciences organizations win policy fights, protect market access, and strengthen their position in an increasingly fractured regulatory environment.
The launch formalizes the firm’s fastest-growing practice area as Sachs Media enters its 30th year. The firm has run health care public affairs and advocacy campaigns in Washington and across more than 35 states, including federal and multi-state efforts to extend enhanced ACA subsidies, advance PBM transparency legislation, and defend Medicaid funding.
SachsHEALTH’s core capabilities include
- Multi-state public affairs and issues management
- Research and message development
- Digital advocacy and stakeholder activation
- Reputation and public engagement
- Crisis preparedness and rapid response
“Health care policy and regulation today are shaped in 50 states concurrently. Governors, state legislatures, CMS, and Congress are all moving on the same issues at the same time, and often in opposite directions,” said Ryan Cohn, Partner and Chief Strategy Officer. “SachsHEALTH gives our clients a team that can run real campaigns on each of those fronts at the same time.”
SachsHEALTH is the first major growth initiative under Cohn, who was recently named Chief Strategy Officer and will oversee the firm’s long-term strategy, growth, and innovation.
Leading the division’s health care practice alongside Cohn is Byron Johnson, who joins Sachs Media as Vice President of Health. Johnson has spent 20+ years in health care communications and public affairs, most recently at FleishmanHillard, and previously leading communications programs for Pfizer, Philips, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, and Humana. Johnson will oversee public affairs strategy, executive positioning, and crisis response across the division’s health client portfolio.
“After two decades inside health care companies and the agencies that serve them, I know the difference between a firm that hands you a strategy deck and one that picks up the phone when a bill drops in a statehouse at 10 p.m.,” Johnson said. “Sachs already operates that way. SachsHEALTH sharpens the focus and gives health care clients a dedicated team built around how this sector actually works.”
Health care and life sciences work has grown to represent a significant share of the firm’s client roster, with recent and current engagements including HCA Healthcare, Pfizer, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Florida Healthy Kids, Empath Health, and Walgreens.
SachsHEALTH will draw on the firm’s in-house public affairs, research, digital advocacy, creative, and media teams. Senior leaders will remain directly involved in client work, with campaigns designed to move quickly across multiple states and in Washington.
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