PARSIPPANY, NJ--(Marketwired - Feb 11, 2016) - Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide (www.ogilvychww.com), the health behavior change specialists of Ogilvy & Mather (www.ogilvy.com), and a WPP company (NASDAQ: WPPGY) (www.wpp.com), today announced Ritesh Patel, EVP, chief digital officer, US, has been named to the board of directors of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA).

The AAFA, a not-for-profit group, is the leading patient organization for people with asthma, allergies and related conditions. The AAFA is dedicated to helping improve the quality of life for people with asthma and allergic diseases through education, advocacy and research.

Mr. Patel's involvement with the AAFA began at the behest of Ms. Heidi Bayer, Chair of the AAFA who met Mr. Patel during his work with the Food Allergy Bloggers Conference and nominated Mr. Patel to become a board member.

"I am delighted and honored to have been appointed to the board of this amazing foundation. This subject is of immense personal and professional interest to me and I look forward to contributing to the AAFA's mission to help those who suffer daily from asthma and allergies," shared Mr. Patel. 

About Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide
Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide is committed to creativity and effectiveness in healthcare communications, everywhere. Our global headquarters are in Parsippany, NJ, with additional hubs in New York, London, Paris and Singapore. We maintain multiple additional offices in markets critical to our clients' global aspirations. Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide provides marketing services including behavioral insights, content strategy and management, digital, interactive and new media services, marketing analytics and research, media planning and buying, medical education, payer marketing and market access, professional advertising and promotion, public affairs and relations, relationship marketing, sales training development, social media and social listening, and wellness and consumer advertising and promotion. The network also offers scientific communications and publications planning services through a wholly owned separate legal entity. The organization houses and maintains individual Ogilvy CommonHealth and Ogilvy Healthworld brand identities within the marketplace.

About AAFA

Founded in 1953 and celebrating over 60 years of service, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) is the oldest and largest nonprofit patient organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with asthma, allergies and related conditions through education, advocacy and research. AAFA provides practical information, community-based services, support and referrals through a national network of chapters and educational support groups. Through its Kids With Food Allergies division, AAFA offers the oldest, most exclusive online support community for families raising children with food allergies at community.kidswithfoodallergies.org. In addition, AAFA sponsors and advocates for research to advance the basic science relevant to treatment and cure. It also champions translational research so that the science that we have is applied more consistently and reliably. For more information, visit http://www.aafa.org.