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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
Mara Motherway, who was
Avoq has recruited advertising pro Jillian Goger as senior VP/group creative director in its New York office.
SBM Partners, a Tallahassee-based government affairs firm, brings on Kevin Cleary as a partner. Cleary most recently served as VP of government relations at Allegiant Strategies Group.... WHOOP, which offers a wearable device providing health guidance across sleep, recovery, strain, fitness and longevity, names Dirk-Jan "DJ" van Hameren as CMO.... Dunn Pellier Media, a PR agency working with clients in the health and wellness sector, promotes Erica Gutierrez from account executive to senior account executive.
Rayhan Daudani, who led the earned media specialty for Edelman’s global energy practice, is coming on board at public affairs firm McGuireWoods Consulting, serving as an SVP on its advocacy team.
Ovid Therapeutics names Victoria Fort, a veteran of GCI Health, Ruder Finn and Chandler Chicco, as chief strategy officer and chief of staff to the CEO... The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives names RJ Karney VP, head of government affairs... NINICO promotes Sarah Farrant to president. She succeeds agency founder and president Nicholas Adams, who will transition to the role of executive chairman.
