 Shawna Seldon McGregor |
Grasslands, which represents clients in the cannabis, tech, entertainment and hospitality industries, has brought on Shawna Seldon McGregor as managing partner. McGregor will lead the firm’s PR department, in its new Denver office. McGregor comes to Grasslands from The Rosen Group, where she served as senior VP. She established TRG’s Denver office in 2012 and became one of the first PR pros working in the legal cannabis industry. She began her career at Porter Novelli’s pharmaceutical practice, working on accounts including SmithKline Beecham and Pfizer. Grasslands was established in 2017 by Ricardo Baca, former marijuana editor of the Denver Post and the original editor-in-chief of news site The Cannabist. “With Shawna’s arrival at Grasslands, we’ve finally completed the transition into a legitimate full-service agency,” Baca said.
 Lisa Halliday |
ID has hired Lisa Halliday as chief communications officer. For over a decade, Halliday was head of communications and brand strategy for Oprah Winfrey and Harpo Inc., serving on Winfrey’s executive leadership team and spearheading the launch of such brands as OWN, O Magazine, Harpo Films and Harpo Productions. Prior to Harpo, she held senior positions in PR at Walt Disney Studios, Twentieth Century Fox and Columbia Pictures. In this new position, Halliday will complement ID’s team in Los Angeles and New York across all facets of the agency’s business. ID has also recently promoted several longtime executives to senior VP including Allison Elbl, head of ID Music, and Sara Serlen and Harlan Gulko, co-heads of ID Film, TV and Content.
 Itay Filiba |
Blink has added Itay Filiba to its executive team as VP of product and development. Filiba comes to Blink from London-based Channel 2 News, where he was head of digital products, managing the channel’s technology integrations. He also oversaw the production of major news events, including the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2011 Royal Wedding. Before joining Channel 2 News, he was a TV director for the Parliament Channel and Entertainment Channel, both in Israel.
 Amy Sedeño |
Carolyn Izzo Integrated Communications has promoted Amy Sedeño to Director. Sedeño currently oversees several travel and tourism accounts at the agency, including Barbados Tourism, Cancun/Riviera Maya Tourism Board and Cala Luna Hotel in Costa Rica. Before coming to CIIC, she was an account executive at Newlink Group. In her new position, Sedeño will spearhead the agency’s operations out of Miami, helping to develop communication strategies focused on the travel, real estate, food & beverage and lifestyle industries. She will also drive new business opportunities and prioritize the growth of the agency’s services in the U.S., Mexico and Latin America.
FGS Global brings on HSBC's Jean-Manuel Richier as senior advisor to bolster its equity advisory, investor relations and transaction & financial communications capabilities across Europe... TEAM LEWIS names Danielle Malvesti SVP, strategy. Malvesti joins the agency from Cramer.... Durée & Company ups Abbie Lipton to vice president... LDWW promotes Michelle Poland, Channing Sizemore and Emma Stoneham to managing director.
Narrative Strategies hires Chris Bissex as a managing director. Bissex was most recently deputy director of public affairs for the Federal Trade Commission... Marino promotes Elizabeth Latino to COO and managing director.... The Charlotte Hornets hire Big 12 Conference chief brand & business officer Tyrel Kirkham as CMO.
Breakwater Strategy, a strategic insights and communications consultancy, brings on former CNN justice correspondent Jessica Schneider as a VP... Stratacomm, a DC-based firm, names Darren Scher chief operating and integration officer. Scher comes to the agency from Adfero, where he was most recently managing director... Dreamday hires Veronica Gauthier as SVP of growth... TextNow appoints Bonnie Herche as VP of marketing. Herche joins the company from Crain Communications.
DCI Group has hired Will Stevens, who has more than 20 years of
Imre names Fred Hickman EVP, group account lead. Hickman joins Imre from Klick, an agency that works with life sciences companies... Residence, a global network of creative companies, brings on Julian McBride as head of communications, a newly created role... Sherlock Communications, which has offices in Bogotå, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Santiago, appoints Bianca Boucault, Maria Amelia Costa and Patricia Zylberman as managing directors.
