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| Kathy Baird |
The Washington Post names Kathy Baird COO. Baird was most recently at Nike, where she was senior director of global communications. Her previous positions include managing director and head of Ogilvy’s Washington, DC, and SVP and partner at FleishmanHillard. Baird is Sicangu Lakota and Oneida and an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. She also serves on the advisory board of IllumiNative, a nonprofit working for accurate and authentic portrayal of Native people. In her new position, Baird will oversee corporate communications, public relations, live events, and brand marketing, reporting directly to Post publisher and CEO Fred Ryan. “Kathy brings extensive experience in corporate and consumer marketing and digital communications and will serve as a key strategic partner for all aspects of the business,” said Ryan.
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| Raffi Williams |
The Managed Funds Association, the trade association for the hedge fund and global alternative asset management industry, hires Edelman Smithfield vice president Raffi Williams as vp of communications. Before coming to Edelman Smithfield, Williams was acting communications director at the Federal Housing Finance Agency and deputy assistant secretary at the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. At MFA, Williams will work to advance the organization’s agenda on key policy issues and educate the public about the value of the hedge fund and alternative asset management industry.
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| Celena Fine |
Tier One Partners names VP Celena Fine to lead its Agile Insights and Analytics practice. Fine, who works with clients in the financial services, technology and healthcare industries, was previously a TV news journalist at Boston’s NBC and FOX affiliates. “With Celena at the helm of this practice area, one she helped to build and shape over the past year with her passion for culture and news, Tier One will continue to expand the Agile Insights and Analytics practice and develop future products,” said Tier One co-founder and managing partner Kathy Wilson. The Agile Insight practice’s first product is the What’s Next, Now trends report, which is available free of charge to Tier One clients and for a $1,200 annual subscription via Substack.
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.
