 Vanita Gowda |
Vanita Gowda has joined Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health as chief communications officer. For the last few years, Gowda has provided strategic counsel and tactical execution services to public and private sector clients including the World Health Organization, Pathfinder and EngenderHealth. Previously, she served as director, advocacy and communications at Global Health Strategies; manager, corporate responsibility and strategic philanthropy at APCO Worldwide; and policy advocacy specialist at the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. “Vanita has the background and expertise to amplify global recognition of the School, broaden our impact, help ensure recruitment of a strong student body and other school-wide needs,” said Dean Linda P. Fried, MD.
 Dominic Leung |
London-based Cognito has appointed four new directors to deepen its brand, content strategy and digital marketing capabilities. Dominic Leung joins the firm’s New York office as group strategy officer and will focus on developing positioning strategies for Cognito’s global client base. He joins Cognito from Interbrand where he was senior director, strategy. Rebecca Cooper joins the New York office as director of digital strategy. She was previously a vice president of digital strategy at Ketchum and has worked with global brands including JPMorgan Chase, eBay, H&R Block and Hewlett-Packard Enterprises. James Hannaford will join the London office as director of digital, advising on all aspects of digital marketing. Prior to joining Cognito, he founded his own boutique digital and web agency. Emma Martin has been appointed director of content strategy for Cognito in EMEA. She has joined Cognito’s London office from UK content marketing agency SevenC3.
 Dawn Kimball |
TransMedia Group has appointed Dawn Kimball executive vice president to head up the firm's new Dallas office. Former chairman of the board of the American Cancer Society in Boca Raton, FL, Kimball has been working West Palm Beach-based The Romano Group since 2016. "Because Texas is such fertile ground for innovation, we decided to have a bigger presence here to serve our growing crop of clients whose products are about to disrupt many industries," said TransMedia Group founder and CEO Tom Madden. “To head up our PR operations here and throughout the Southwest, we're fortunate to have a PR pro as hard-driving and experienced as Dawn Kimball.”
The Estée Lauder Companies names Madeleine Boyd SVP, global brand communications. Most recently, she served as global SVP, beauty & wellness at Together Group... Cohen & Steers, a global investment manager specializing in real assets and alternative income, names Erik Schneberger as EVP, chief marketing officer... CooperVision, a contact lens company, brings on former Bayer VP Brenda Raphael as VO of marketing, Americas.
Edelman names United Entertainment Group CEO Jarrod Moses as vice chairman. Moses will continue in his role at UEG... Burson brings on Matthew Wagner, who was most recently global client relationship manager and energy sector lead at Edelman, as EVP and global client leader... The Key PR appoints Jodi Maroney as principal. Maroney joins the agency after a 25-year run at Access Brand Communications.
Jeffrey Rosen, senior chair of the corporate department at legal firm Debevoise & Plimpton, joins FGS Global, where he will serve as senior advisor.
HUNTER brings on Lori Ruggiero as managing director of its corporate communications practice... Covo Intelligence, an independent research and intelligence firm, names Tony Cheevers director of strategic growth... MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) hires Brian Swarth as SVP of marketing, effective July 20. 
Whit Clay, who exited the Co-CEO slot at Sloane & Co. 18 months ago to head Longacre Square Partners’ New York office, has been promoted to serve as the first CEO of the financial communication shop.
