Ross Gillfillan

Senior Partner

Ross Gillfillan is a marketing and communications career professional with more than 12 years experience as in-house counsel and at the agency level. Most recently he was a Vice President at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, specializing in life science and clean energy projects. Ross currently leads Torch Communication’s patient advocacy relations and event planning groups and is also the agency’s lead writer, helping clients tell their stories in a way that is succinct and vibrant.

Ross began his career planning events for a diverse client base that spanned nonprofit organizations, health centers, arts organizations, technology startups and international corporations. In this role he developed a strong set of logistics management skills while exercising his creative chops, developing catchy themes and specialized branding to appeal to his clients’ financiers and constituents.

Upon moving to San Francisco, he became the Director of Marketing and Communications for one of the country’s foremost engineering firms specializing in secure and sustainable design. Ross later worked as a private communications consult to the design/build community, developing unique brand identities and media outreach campaigns.

Most recently with Ogilvy, Ross managed a wide variety of client accounts, including startups at the frontiers of medicine, large federal agencies, nonprofit and industry organizations, global pharmaceutical and medical device companies, and academic research institutions. His clients’ industries have included personalized and regenerative medicine, medical diagnostics and devices, health IT, and advanced energy solutions; specific medical sectors include neurology, oncology, diabetes, cardiology, infectious disease and respiratory medicine.

A sampling of his diverse client list from throughout his career includes: Intel, Sun Microsystems, Chiron, Covidien, Pfizer, ViiV Healthcare, Staples, Inc., the American Heart Association, the National Cancer Institute, the American Cancer Society, the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Neurotechnology Industry Organization, the Personalized Medicine Coalition, Harvard Partners, Lawrence Berkeley National Labs, the University of California San Francisco Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, Exelixis, Corventis, Navigenics, Theraclone Sciences, Wellstat Therapeutics, Monogram Biosciences, Cardium Therapeutics and Advanced BioHealing.