Glenn Osaki
Glenn Osaki

The University of Southern California has named Glenn Osaki senior vice president and chief communications officer. Osaki has been with MSL since 1987, serving as managing director of the firm’s Los Angeles office before relocating to Shanghai in 2005 where he served as MSL president, Asia. Under his direction, MSL provided PR services to USC in the Asia-Pacific region, and he has advised university leaders on outreach and crisis response. In his new post, Osaki’s responsibilities will include shaping the university’s overall communications strategy, serving as its principal spokesperson and collaborating with communications officers across the University Park and Health Sciences campuses to highlight achievements in research, teaching, scholarship and other facets of university life. He will also oversee USC’s Cultural Relations and University Events office and all internal communications activities.

Amanda Fountain
Amanda Fountain

March Communications has tabbed Amanda Fountain as director of social media strategy. Fountain comes to March from 451 Agency, where she was social media director. Previously, she was social & digital strategy manager at Lois Paul and Partners. She has also served as VP, social media at PR Club of New England since March 2017. “Amanda has spent her career specifically working within communications agencies to drive integrated social programs that produce measurable, meaningful results” said March founder and president Cheryl Gale. “She’s already digging in and moving the needle for us.”

Betsy Hoag
Betsy Hoag

Greentarget is bringing on Betsy Hoag as director of research and planning. She will lead and work to expand the agency’s research and market intelligence practice. Hoag comes to Greentarget from Kairos Consumers, an international consumer and B2B research firm that she co-founded in 2010. Before that, she was a strategic planner at J. Walter Thompson. The agency says that the addition of Hoag is intended to help it better serve clients who are in need of research-based thought leadership programs and brand insights.

Violet
Dan Gunderman, Sarah Smith

Montclair, NJ-based Violet PR has hired Dan Gunderman as account executive and Sarah Smith as account coordinator. Gunderman was previously a reporter and film/TV critic for the New York Daily News. He also served as editor of Cyber Security Hub, an industry news site. Smith’s previous experience includes service as a project coordinator at p-value communications and a communications specialist for the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce, where she helped plan and execute such events as the organization’s 81st annual Walk to Washington, which allows participants to network with each other and discuss New Jersey's economic situation with its congressional delegation.