��������Ƶ

��������Ƶ alumna Marisa Corona has been named a 30 Under 30 by the Pittsburgh Business Times and Leadership Pittsburgh.��

Corona, a Communication alumna and a volunteer with ��������Ƶ's Career Connections program, serves as a Digital Content Specialist at UPMC Health Plan in Pittsburgh.��

She is an active community volunteer and serves on the boards of the Pittsburgh New Works Festival and the Pittsburgh Young Professionals.��

The Pittsburgh Business Times article about Marisa can be found below or here.

30 Under 30 award winner: Meet Marisa Corona, UPMC Health Plan

By Richard Cerilli, Associate Editor Pittsburgh Business Times

Marisa Corona had volunteered as an advisor to the Pittsburgh New Works Festival for three years by providing marketing and strategic planning support, but she took on a new role when the pandemic shut down theaters.

The nonprofit had been presenting 18 never-before-seen, one-act plays each fall at community theaters in Pittsburgh. But since the plays couldn’t be presented live, Corona and her team decided to present them on Zoom.

“We figured out how best to use Zoom, presented one play online, and now we’ve been doing it once a month,” she said. “It has been really exciting.”

Her tech skills also translate over into her current role as digital content specialist for UPMC Health Plan, where she helps plan members find the information they need about their health care needs. “The importance of social media in health care is huge right now because we’ve all been forced into a digital world,” she said.

Corona also works to support the plan’s partners. Last year, she was looking for ways to market Pittsburgh Pride, which UPMC Health Plan sponsors. After doing a search through GIF stickers, which people add to social media messages to show support, she realized there were none for Pittsburgh Pride, which presents events over several days each year in support of the LGBTQ community. She and her team designed and posted the GIF, which has now been used millions of times, she said.

Tell us about your work with UPMC Health’s Plan’s Covid-19 pandemic communication plan for members. Throughout this past year, every element of communicating pandemic and Covid-19 resources to our members I was able to contribute to has been both challenging and humbly rewarding. I am extremely proud of what our digital marketing team was able to accomplish and create while also navigating an entirely new work environment while working from home.

How are digital efforts helping UPMC work with providers and members? One of the many reasons I love working for UPMC is its commitment to excellence and innovation, including going above and beyond to elevate access to care for members and providers. The whole system, our digital team included, is constantly reevaluating and adapting to digital and health care trends and technologies to ensure we are providing top-of-the-line service to our members.

What do you tell students in ��������Ƶ University’s Career Connections program? It’s important for students to know not to get hung up or hold back from making a move in their career over fear of failure. Mistakes are a critical part of your career journey, and you will make many of them, and they will all provide an opportunity and challenge for personal and professional growth. Also, let yourself have fun in navigating college and internships and your first jobs. This is the time to be open and take on different jobs in different work environments and figure out what you do and don’t like. Step outside your comfort zone, and it may surprise you.

What suggestions do you have for people who want to access the health care system digitally? I encourage everyone to look into and take advantage of every service their health insurance plan or local health care systems have to offer. Telemedicine and digital care has grown extensively over the past couple years, especially through this pandemic. At UPMC and UPMC Health Plan, we offer a variety of virtual services ranging from virtual doctor and provider care visits to health coaching, wellness management apps, etc. It is easier and more convenient than ever to get care wherever and whenever you need it.

What would you tell your future self 40 years from now? Remind her to only put her energy into things, people, opportunities that bring and/or give joy and not settle for anything less.

What are you most looking forward to doing post-pandemic? So many things, but I am most excited about stages opening back up and experiencing theatre and concerts again.

BIOBOX

Marisa Corona, digital content specialist, UPMC Health Plan

Age: 26

Birthplace: Kennedy Township

Education: B.A., communication, advocacy media and corporate, ��������Ƶ University

Family: Parents, Giovanni and Denise; siblings, Antonio and Dominic

Hobbies: Crafting, traveling, brunching

Donates time to: Board of directors, social media advisor, Pittsburgh Young Professionals; board of directors, marketing and PR advisor, Pittsburgh New Works Festival

Recommendations:

Book: Currently reading “The Moment of Lift” by Melinda Gates

Song: “Lover of the Light” by Mumford & Sons

Take-out dining choice: Bae Bae’s Kitchen, Nicky’s Thai Kitchen, Gaucho Parrilla Argentina or The Coop Chicken and Waffles

Exercise: When it’s nice out, I love riding my bike on the Montour Trail.

Stay-sane tip: Embrace a new hobby, craft or DIY project to put your creative energy into after-work hours!

��