 Katie Patru |
Van Scoyoc Associates has named Katie Patru VP. Patru comes to VSA from the Committee on House Administration, where she was deputy staff director, overseeing Member services, as well as outreach and communications to House Members, staff, committees, leadership and the media. She was previously director of member services for former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), and has held member services or media relations roles for the last five House Republican Conference Chairs: Deborah Pryce (OH), Adam Putnam (FL), Mike Pence (IN), Jeb Hensarling (TX) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA). At VSA, Patru will play an integral role in the firm’s government relations practice, while leading its communications and marketing efforts.
 Amy Sullivan |
FRESH Communications has brought on Amy Sullivan as chief marketing officer. Most recently, Sullivan served as director of strategic partnerships and Studio25 executive producer at WFXT-TV, Boston’s Fox affiliated station. She was previously director of client development for WCVB-TV, and has worked with such companies as Chatham Village Foods and Cape Cod Potato Chips on brand management. In her new role, Sullivan will oversee creative public relations, niche nutrition marketing and strategic communications for the firm.
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Blue Engine + JDA, the firm created by the merger of Blue Engine Message & Media and JDA Frontline, has named five new partners. Adam Abrams joined Blue Engine in 2012 from the White House, where he was a communications strategist and spokesperson for President Barack Obama. Amber McDowell, who came on at Blue Engine in 2013, was previously communications director for Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA). Steve Posner served as the Associate Director for Strategic Planning and Communications at the White House Office of Management and Budget before coming to the firm. Ralph Posner came to Blue Engine & PDA from Burson-Marsteller subsidiary Direct Impact, where he served as executive vice president. Kevin Lewis’s experience includes serving as spokesman for the Obama White House and U.S Department of Justice. Erik Smith, David Di Martino, Allison Clear Fastow and Trevor Francis serve as founding partners of Blue Engine + JDA.
Alcoa has named Emily Olson, who has more than 20 years of experience working in capital-intensive industries in the Americas, Europe and Asia, EVP & chief external affairs officer, effective April 6.
Longacre Square Partners has named Humza Vanderman partner and head of its London outpost as the financial communications firm expands into Europe.
FGS Global adds former Pfizer EVP and chief corporate affairs officer Sally Susman to its global executive board as an independent member, effective April 1... Codeword brings on Kim Baffi, who was previously Salesforce VP and creative director, as executive creative director... Amperity, an AI-powered customer data cloud, appoints Bridget Perry as CMO.
MOIA America, a Volkswagen Group of America subsidiary that develops and tests autonomous, all-electric ride-pooling vehicles, names Marcus Gamo head of U.S. communications... Continental Strategy brings on Francisco Petrirena as VP in its Miami office. Petrirena was previously chief of staff to former Miami city manager Art Noriega... MSQ Sport + Entertainment brings on Lauren Weil as EVP, Max Hirsch as VP of sponsorship, and Brooke Losee as VP.
Burson promotes EMEA COO Matt Buchanan to global chief social and Influence officer, a newly created role... Seedtag, a “global neuro-contextual advertising company,” brings on former Edelman SVP, corporate and public affairs Brendan McCarthy as chief marketing & communications officer... The Associated Press ups Lauren Easton to SVP and chief communications officer.
