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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.
Burson is bringing on Hanover managing director, Middle East Jonty Summers as head of corporate affairs in Dubai at the end of June... Ridgepost Capital, which had over $45 billion in assets under management as of March 31, names Brian McKenna VP, investor relations, effective June 15... The Center for AI Safety appoints Rochelle Nadhiri as head of public engagement. 
Jamie Dowd, who was most recently president of the health practice in the Americas at Weber Shandwick, comes on board at Allison Worldwide as global president, health + wellness, effective June 22.
Kieran Mahoney, who founded Mercury Public Affairs more than 27 years ago, has stepped down as CEO and assumed the executive chairman post.
FGS Global brings on Harry Florry as head of Singapore and Andrew Yeo as global policy partner Asia... ACORE CAPITAL, a commercial real estate debt investment manager, appoints Cynthia Holahan as CMO, a newly created role at the company... NVE Experience Agency, a global brand experience firm, hires Justin Biskin as SVP in its sports marketing practice. Biskin joins NVE from Nike.
Ipsos, a market research and polling company, appoints Marion Beyret as chief communications officer... TENEX.ai, an AI‑native, human‑led SOC (security operations center) appoints Richard Rogers as CMO... Arizona Athletics hires Carter Toole as chief communications officer and senior associate athletics director.
