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| Bryan Lesswing |
Bryan Lesswing, senior advisor to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, has joined Stagwell’s SKDK unit’s public affairs practice unit as SVP to work on corporate, crisis and advocacy clients.
Lesswing has provided strategic communications counsel to Hochul since 2019.
He handled her transition from lieutenant governor to succeed Andrew Cuomo in the top job, response to the COVID-19 pandemic and supported her run to become the first elected woman to lead the Empire State.
Marissa Shorenstein, principal at SKDK and director of Hochul’s transition team, said she “witnessed firsthand the exceptional leadership and dedication Bryan brings to any challenge.”
CEO Doug Thornell said Lesswing’s “experience at the highest levels of state government and expertise in communications, politics and advocacy makes him a perfect fit for SKDK and our clients.”
Prior to joining Team Hochul, Lesswing served as communications director for Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s (D-WI) re-election campaign, worked as director of campaign communications at EMILY’s List, and was communications director for Maryland’s Democratic Party.
Brittney Basden, who led public affairs and advocacy partnerships at the Washington Post has joined Bully Pulpit International as a managing director.
The DUX Group, a Washington, D.C.-based strategic communications firm that works with leaders in highly regulated industries, names Lauren Boland as VP... Workday, an enterprise AI platform for HR, finance and IT, names Sarah Kennedy Ellis CMO, effective Oct. 5. Kennedy Ellis joins the company from Google... Octave Specialty Group, a global specialty insurance firm, brings on Philip Stefano as managing director, head of investor relations. 
Michele Ziosi will rejoin Stellantis on Oct. 1 as chief PA officer responsible for Enlarged Europe and for the global coordination of the carmaker’s PA activities.
Inizio, which works with clients in the health and life sciences sectors, appoints Oisín Ó Gógáin as chief people officer... The Boston Beer Company names Allison Stransky CMO, effective Oct. 12. Stransky was previuosly VP and CMO at Samsung Electronics America... Newark Regional Business Partnership and its 501(c)(3) affiliate, the Renaissance Newark Foundation, bring on Kim Lewis-Collins as VP, marketing and business development, a newly created role. 
Carmichael Lynch president and manager Julie Batliner is joining Padilla as president, succeeding Matt Kuchariski. Kucharski will transition to a fractional role with the agency as an executive counselor through the end of the year.
