Burson-Marsteller has named Helaine Klasky chair of the agency’s U.S. public affairs and crisis practice.

Helaine S. Klasky Helaine S. Klasky

The appointment is effective immediately. Klasky succeeds Ann Davison, a VOX Global and FleishmanHillard alum who'd held the US PA/crisis chair post since 2014.

For the last seven years, Klasky was stationed with General Electric, where she headed public affairs at the multinational conglomerate before being named chief communications officer of its GE Energy Management division, and later, a senior adviser at communications and marketing division GE Business Innovations. Prior to that, for eight years she was CCO at Yale University, where she also wore the associate vice president title.

Klasky also held communications posts at the U.S. Department of the Treasury and U.S. Department of State, previously serving as deputy assistant secretary of the Treasury Department and a director of media relations at the State Department. She also teaches a course in public speaking at American University.

As US PA/crisis chair, Klasky will be responsible for building the global PR giant’s PA and crisis practice client portfolio. She’ll be based in Washington D.C.