Katherine McLane, who was VP-communications & external affairs, at Livestrong Foundation, founded by disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, has opened Mach 1 Group strategic PR shop in Austin.

katherine mclaneShe handled crisis duties for the cancer support group during the former seven-time Tour de France champ’s doping travails. Armstrong has severed ties with the charity.

Prior to joining Livestrong in 2007, McLane was press secretary for U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings, promoting George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind" initiative, and deputy communications director for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

She got her start in PR at Public Strategies Inc.

Rae Bazzaree, who was communications director at Livestrong, joins McLane at Mach 1 Group.

Livestrong is a charter client of McLane's firm.