jeff ellerGeneral Motors has brought in former Hill+Knowlton Strategies EVP and crisis guru Jeff Eller as the automaker copes with fallout from a massive recall.

Eller is the former president and CEO of Public Strategies Inc., which merged with H+K in 2010. He was director of media affairs in the Clinton White House and deputy assistant to the president. He left H+K in March to set up The Jeff Eller Group based in Austin.

Bob Ferguson, senior VP at GM's Cadillac unit and former public policy VP for, is a Public Strategies alum.

GM CEO Mary Barra faced Congress on April 1, apologizing for the recall that involves nearly seven million vehicles and is linked to 13 deaths.

"As we have from the start, we are drawing upon those who have deep experience and expertise in these matters," GM said of the Eller hire, which was first reported by Bloomberg.

In addition to Eller, GM has hired attorney Anton Valukas for a third party review and victim compensation specialist Ken Feinberg.