 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.
Evan Shenkman, who has 25 years of law firm experience, is now a partner at professional services firm Baretz+Brunelle. He helped design and implement the first generative AI product for legal professionals.
Accenture brings on Emma Chalwin as CMO, effective Oct. 1. Chalwin joins Accenture from Workday, where she also served as CMO, with responsibility for building the brand and driving customer demand in markets around the world... The Vitamin Shoppe appoints Kimberley Gardiner EVP, chief marketing and growth officer. She joins from Tractor Supply Company... Fluent, a provider of commerce media solutions, names Jeanniey Walden as CMO.
maslansky + partners, a specialist consultancy within Omnicom Public Relations, names founding partner Keith Yazmir president of the firm... The National Football League Players Association names Matt Taylor chief communications officer, effective Sept. 8... Repay Holdings Corporation, a provider of bill payment solutions, appoints Charles Nabhan as head of investor relations.
Bospar hires veteran technology, cybersecurity and healthcare sector journalist and content creator Doug Olenick as tech and healthcare content director... The Huntington National Bank appoints Ameesh Vakharia as EVP and chief marketing and digital products officer, a newly created role... SDA International, a Honolulu-based strategic communications firm, promotes Cassie Kim to SVP. 
Burson Brussels chief client officer Ruud Wassen has moved to Consello to open its outpost in the headquarters city of NATO and the European Union.
