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| Mike Reed |
Mike Reed, who has been chief of staff at the RNC since February 2022 and was termed a “calm and steady hand” by RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, is bailing out of the organization to join the public affairs practice of Cornerstone, a bipartisan government relations and public affairs firm.
Cornerstone also brought on former DNC chief of staff Hyma Moore in November 2023.
At the RNC, Reed oversaw the digital, data, fundraising, political, legal and communications departments of the organization. Before taking on the chief of staff position, he had been with the organization since 2017, serving as deputy chief of staff and in several other posts.
He previously served as communications director for former Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal and founded River Delta Strategies, a strategic communications and research firm.
Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has been pressing for McDaniel to step down from her post, but Reed says that did not affect his decision to leave his position. He wrote in a memo to staff that was obtained by the New York Times that “it is just time for a change.”
“I’ve known him for several years and feel strongly he will provide our clients a unique perspective on how to create messages for the goals of our current and future clients,” said Cornerstone president Campbell Kaufman.
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.
