The 40-year exec will take charge of reputation, media relations, brand PR, government relations, sustainability, crisis/issues management, and philanthropy.
She replaces Lynn Marmer, who is retiring after 18 years in early 2016.
Before Syngenta, Adelman directed communications for Cargill Government Solutions.
Rodney McMullen, Kroger CEO, hired Adelman due to her "wealth of public affairs leadership experience and deep knowledge of the food supply chain."
Cincinnati-based Kroger counts 400K employees working in more than 2,600 stores carrying the Kroger, Ralphs, Harris Teeter, Fred Meyer, Food 4 Less, Dillons and Smith's logos.
Business leaders will face challenges in the upcoming year, some of which will come as a complete surprise, or beyond anyone's imagination.
Teneo has hired Philipp Grontzki, who is a 20-year veteran of corporate communications and financial journalism, as a managing director in its strategy and communications group.
Rowan Benecke, who co-founded Zeno Group and helmed Burson-Marsteller's tech practice, has joined McKinsey & Co as director of communications for North America.
BCW has named Golin's Matt Coldagelli EVP and leader of its corporate affairs practice in Chicago.
Abby Bailey, who headed corporate communications for Fedex in its Middle East, India and Africa region, has joined Teneo as managing director in Dubai.
Have a comment? Send it to 
No comments have been submitted for this story yet.