About Us 

The Story of this Multidisciplinary Team.

Health Literacy Works began under the leadership of Jann Keenan, Ed.S., who brings over 3 decades of experience in health literacy and health equity. A public health educator, Jann has written more than 400 print and multimedia materials (booklets, brochures, curricula, videos). She has received a dozen national awards for her plain-language writing and design. Clients include government agencies, hospitals, universities, pharmaceuticals, and insurance companies. During that time, Jann presented on health literacy, disease management, and medical adherence at national conferences. 

Over the years, Jann connected with Julia Wittner, M.A., who served as Vice-President of the Keenan Group from 2008 to 2014. Jann's mentorship provided Julia with a strong foundation in health literate approaches to writing and editing. 

Gilberto Velazquez, B.S., collaborated with Jann Keenan early in 2001 as the lead creative director for a medical communications firm in New Jersey. By combining his sensitivity and understanding of the medical communications needs of the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors, Gilberto has worked with healthcare companies such as Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, and Pfizer. Gilberto has also designed and developed campaigns for clinical trials, symposium support, and a plethora of patient education materials. Under Jann's guidance in those early years, Gilberto has brought over 30 years of creative/art direction and integrated it into a design methodology that has won awards and improved patient health outcomes for those dealing with cardiovascular, mental health, and rare disease challenges. Gilberto's synergy between the commercial and health literacy disciplines has only strengthened what Health Literacy Works offers.

Jann Keenan, Ed.S. health literacy expert

Meet Our Founder
Jann Keenan, Ed.S. (Consultant)

Jann has more than 30 years of experience writing, designing, and creating health initiatives and social marketing campaigns for government agencies, organizations, and businesses. She’s a founding member of Maryland Health Literacy for All and the Clear Language Group, as well as a strategic partner of the Institute for Healthcare Advancement. Her articles on health literacy have appeared in American Family Physician, Pharmaceutical Executive, and Correct Care magazines. Jann holds a B.S. in telecommunications and English, an M.S. in instructional design, and an Ed.S. in instructional systems technology from Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana.

Awards and Honors

  • Institute for Healthcare Advancement’s 2017 Health Literacy Hero Award
  • Indiana University School of Education’s 2014 Distinguished Alumni Award
  • Health Literacy Maryland (Horowitz Center) 2014 Health Literacy Hero Award
  • Maryland Governor’s Award, Maryland House of Delegates Citation, and Legislative Black Caucus Citation for work in health literacy/reducing health disparities
  • Maryland Pharmaceutical Society’s Humanitarian Award for work in health literacy/plain language
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Blue Pencil Award for work in cardiovascular health for Latinos
  • Nine National Institutes of Health Plain Language Awards in the “Outstanding” and “Excellent” categories for writing and designing print materials and audio materials
  • Three merit honor awards from the Center for Plain Language for health literacy writing and multimedia products
  • Health Information Resource Center, National Health Information Award for health literacy writing and multimedia design
  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration special recognition award for over-the-counter drug labeling
    National Women, Infants, and Children Program Award of Excellence for video production
Julia Wittner, M.A. health literacy writer
Contact Julia

Meet Our Writer/Editor
Julia Wittner, M.A. (journalism)

Julia is a seasoned communications professional with more than 15 years of experience. With her expertise in science topics and health literacy, Julia produces clear, accurate, and engaging content, including social media posts, website content, newsletters, white papers, articles, success stories, resource collections, blogs, presentations, curricula, reports, and booklets. In her free time, Julia enjoys hiking, paddling, and gardening.

Special Recognition and Awards

  • White papers awarded The Health Care Communicators of Southern California Finest Award (Bronze) for Publications, Collateral, and Design
  • Booklet on healthcare communication awarded The Health Care Communicators of Southern California Finest Award (Gold) for Publications, Collateral, and Design: Special Publications
Contact Gilberto
gvcerv communications logo

Meet Our Designer/Creative Director
Gilberto Velázquez, B.A. (Art Director/Visual Content Designer)

Gilberto has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare communications and health literacy design. He is a principal of GV CERV Communications, Inc., and a member of the Center for Plain Language, Marketing Communications and Education Professionals, Jersey Shore Tech Group, New Jersey WordPress Users Group, and American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. He has published articles about the principles of design and health literacy on Medium. Gilberto earned a B.A. in Graphic Design, Marketing, and Photography from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. In addition, his unique perspective can evaluate patient materials from both the pharmaceutical and health literacy perspectives to determine an approach that best supports better health outcomes.

In his free time, Gilberto enjoys mountain biking, hiking, and staying up to date on social issues and technologies that will impact society in the 21st century.

Awards and Honors

  • Health Care Communications of Southern California (HCC) awarded the booklet titled "iCan Communicate Better with Patients" the "Finest Award Winner" for excellence in healthcare communication. Its design and structure are intended to help healthcare providers and caregivers improve their patient communication skills.
  • Recipient of the 2019 ClearMark Award of Distinction in the category of “Brochure over 10 pages” with "iCan Manage Type 2 Diabetes: Up-to-date information on ways to live well with diabetes."
  • Recipient of the 2016 ClearMark Award of Distinction for "Health Insurance: Questions and Answers" in collaboration with the Institute for Healthcare Advancement
  • Recipient of various design awards from the New Jersey Advertising Club from 2005 to 2007
  • Recipient of the AD Q Award for the Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Awareness initiative
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