 |
| Stacey Zolt Hara |
Udemy, an online learning and teaching platform, names Stacey Zolt Hara senior vice president of corporate communications. Zolt Hara joins the company from Visa, where she most recently served as vice president and global head of employee and executive communications. Before coming to Visa, she held several executive posts at Edelman. Earlier in her career, Zolt Hara was an adviser to Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign and worked for Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). She will lead the team responsible for Udemy’s global corporate communications, public relations, social media, analyst relations, executive and employee communications, crisis management and community relations. “Stacey has an incredible track record of elevating corporate reputation with strong narratives that resonate among both internal and external stakeholders,” said Udemy CEO Gregg Coccari.
 |
| Shawn Smith |
Osmo from BYJU’S, which offers gamified learning experiences, names Shawn Smith as its first global head of communications. Smith was most recently executive director of publicity and communications for WarnerMedia Global Brands and Experiences. She was previously director of public relations and brand partnerships at MGA Entertainment, and before that she served as the Walt Disney Company’s first senior manager of communications for diversity & inclusion. At Osmo, Smith will lead communications strategy and narrative messaging across all aspects of the company’s business, including corporate communications and brand publicity campaigns. “We’re excited to have Shawn’s leadership and talent at the helm of our communications division,” said Osmo from BYJU’s senior vp of international business Cherian Thomas.
 |
| Curtis George Kelly, Kelly Ayen |
The Brand Guild names Curtis George Kelly and Kelly Ayen to senior director, public relations positions. Kelly was previously director, consumer & lifestyle at Jonesworks. He will lead The Brand Guild's CPG practice out of their New York Office in addition to working with the agency’s events team on media relations and strategy for its event clients. Ayen most recently served as public relations director at imre. In her new post, she will lead The Brand Guild’s consumer lifestyle practice.
Seven Letter hires Allie Raffa, who was most recently White House correspondent for NBC News, as a senior director... Points of Light, an organization founded by President George H.W. Bush that is dedicated to volunteer service, names Jeff Zanelli as CMO... Frontieras North America, an energy and environmental technology company appoints Nora Shepard as VP of communications.
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.
