DSN Women Leaders 2014: Susan Henderson, Rite Aid

Susan Henderson, Rite Aid SVP and chief communications officer, is in charge of managing the message for the third-largest retail pharmacy chain in the nation. Henderson manages corporate communications — including media relations, financial communications, issues management, associate and supplier communications — as well as the company’s charitable giving initiatives, including the Rite Aid Foundation. 

 It’s a really exciting time at Rite Aid for a communications professional.. The company has a lot to say, standing at the forefront of an industry that’s assuming a greater role in the delivery and administration of health care in the United States. “The evolving role of healthcare delivery in the United States is a game-changer for all of us in the drug store industry,” Henderson said. “And while this evolution is challenging and placing increasing demands on our business models, it is also presenting us with enormous opportunities to grow, to expand the role of our pharmacists and to further support the health and wellbeing of the customers and communities that we serve. In short, it’s a tremendous time to be a part of this industry and to help rethink and re-engineer how we do business.”

Henderson has most recently been working on The Rite Aid Foundation’s KidCents program, an in-store charitable giving program that enables Rite Aid’s wellness+ customers to round up their change to the nearest dollar to benefit a KidCents charity of their choice. “The program was introduced last year, and in September, we just distributed the first $2 million to more than 200 KidCents charities across the country,” she said. To learn more, visit kidcents.com.

To view the full DSN Women Leaders 2014 report, click here.