About Toyomi

Since 2006, Toyomi has provided strategic brand, marketing and communications direction and guidance for campaigns and initiatives in the areas of healthcare, government, public health, youth, and education through her firm, Igus Simon & Associates (ISA). She has more than 30 years of brand, communications, and marketing experience. She is particularly passionate about supporting socially minded, mission-driven organizations and improving the healthcare system to provide more equitable and accountable care. 

Through ISA and its various partnerships, Toyomi has:

• Directed the development of cause marketing strategies (such as a collaborative HIV/AIDS awareness effort for the City of Los Angeles; African Americans and tobacco use; STD educational program and outreach for youth).
• Developed and implemented brand strategies, brand awareness and marketing campaigns for provider groups, health plans, biotech, medical research, and IT companies. 
• Developed strategic brand and communications plans for both corporate and community-based organizations. 
• Directed market research to assess stakeholder awareness, behavior and needs around a variety of healthcare and social issues. 

Projects in recent years include the development of a new brand for the Permanente Medical Groups as an ingredient brand to Kaiser Permanente; market research and communications strategies for California’s MediCal expansion in Los Angeles County; communications plans for social services agency 211 LA; community outreach strategies for L.A. Care’s Covered California health plan product; and a national campaign and local community events on obesity and food desserts for Kaiser Permanente. 

Over the past 15 years, Toyomi has also provided ongoing brand and communications consulting for the Council of Accountable Physician Practices (CAPP), an affiliate of the American Medical Group Foundation. The focus of the work was to help shape consumer and provider opinion around national healthcare system reform. 

Prior to forming her own company, Toyomi held leadership positions in brand/marketing agencies; served as the head of marketing and communications for HealthCare Partners; and was the managing editor of UCLA’s Center for African American Studies publications (now the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies). Toyomi is a graduate of Barnard College, Columbia University, studied executive healthcare marketing at Northwestern University, and is trained in systems improvement and work process development. She also currently serves as the vice president of the board of The L.A. Trust for Children’s Health.