Edelman has recruited Catherine Heath as executive VP and planning chief for its western region.
Based in Los Angeles, she will coordinate activities with the independent firm's offices in San Francisco, Silicon Valley, Sacramento, Portland and Seattle.
Heath reports to Cricket Wardein, western region president.
She joins from Brooklyn-based HUGE, where she handled western planning activities for the digital agency with offices in LA and Portland.
Earlier, Heath was planning director for the Microsoft account at McCann Worldgroup, chief strategy officer at Boston's Modernista!, group planning director for TBWACHIATDAY'S VISA Worldwide business and executive strategy director at M&C Saatchi in Australia, her home country.
Heath says she's admired Edelman as it grew beyond traditional PR functions and is eager to get to work.
She replaces Mike Casey, who was upped to US strategic planning chief.
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