 |
| Brianna Bishop, Chris Newkirk |
Praytell hires Brianna Bishop as SVP, creative strategy and Chris Newkirk as SVP, creative. Both are based in New York City. Bishop comes to the agency from Golin, where she served as creative director. She was previously a VP, creative at Taylor. At Praytell, Bishop is primarily tasked with leading the agency’s creative strategy group spearheading creative work for Destination Canada. Newkirk was also most recently at Golin, leading earned-first concept development and content creation for brands like Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Nutella. He has also been New York head of creative at TBWAThe Integer Group and a creative director at SapientRazorfish. In his new post, he will lead Praytell’s portfolio of integrated campaign work, including all creative work for a major Electrify America campaign.
 |
| Ally Bertik |
Marketing Maven senior integrated marketing specialist Ally Bertik is named president-elect of the Public Relations Society of America Gold Coast Chapter. Bertik recently served as the co-chair of communications on the board of directors for the chapter.
 |
| Jessica Caris |
Cetera Financial Group names Jessica Caris senior vice president, head of corporate communications & public relations. Caris was most recently a partner at financial services PR firm Haven Tower, where she handled clients including Mattel, Advisor Group, Wealth Enhancement Group, Oppenheimer & Co. and LPL Financial. Reporting to Cetera chief marketing & communications officer Michael Zuna, Caris will work to deliver integrated communications programs to audiences including financial professionals, employees and media, while also supporting the executive team, business units and functional areas with communications counsel. “With her broad financial services experience in public relations, media strategy and business communications, we found the right leader at the right time" said Zuna.
 |
| Brenna O'Leary |
Diamond Public Relations promotes Brenna O’Leary to director of its Los Angeles office. O’Leary joined the agency as a senior account executive in 2018, and previously worked at Powerhouse Communications, Morgan Marketing & Public Relations and Isabelli Media Relations. In her new role, she will continue to engage and interface with client teams, in addition to such duties as supporting the hiring and training of new team members and maintaining the office culture and collaboration between the agency’s LA and Miami locations. Company president Jody Diamond called O’Leary “a driving force throughout the pandemic, adjusting and adapting to the continuously changing climate while keeping up with evolving and urgent client needs. “
Mod Op brings on John Powers and Alan Kipust as part of its Executive in Residence program, which already includes former Dun & Bradstreet chief data officer Monica Richter... Takeda Pharmaceuticals hires James-Denton Wyllie as head of R&D and external innovation communications... Veeam Software, which specializes in data resilience solutions, appoints Allison Cerra as CMO.
The Dallas Mavericks bring on Gina Miller as chief communications officer, a newly created role. She was previously with Major League Soccer team FC Dallas... Americans for the Arts, a nonprofit organization that advances arts advocacy, names Jamey Lundblad as CMO... Ambac Financial Group, an insurance holding company, names Karen Beyer managing director, head of investor relations.
Actum has hired Cecelia Prewett, who was president of DC Public Affairs at SKDK during a nearly 13-year run, as senior managing director in its Washington office.
Franz Paasche, who was most recently EVP for public affairs and communications at Columbia University, will join Verizon as EVP, corporate affairs, effective Nov. 10.
Horizon Family Brands, which includes Horizon Organic and Wallaby Organic yogurt, hires Andrew Springate as CMO... Wake Tech, a Raleigh, NC community college that serves over 70,000 adults annually, brings on Lisa Marie Ferrell, who previously led North America communications at Lenovo, as VP of communications and marketing... Golin brings on executive creative director Meg Farquhar in Chicago, and EVPs of strategy Tom Howells (Western Region) and Martin Coomber (New York).
