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| Isabel Guzman |
Global Situation Room tabs Isabel Guzman to serve as chair of its Global Risk Advisory Council. Guzman is chair and founder of consulting firm Avenida Advisors. She was previously administrator of the US Small Business Administration, and she also headed the California Office of the Small Business Advocate. GSR’s Global Risk Advisory Council is made up of more than 100 public affairs professionals. It will produce a quarterly Reputation Risk Index, which will help enhance executives’ ability to track and analyze emerging threats. “Isabel is a truly transformational business leader,” said GSR President Brett Bruen. “Her work helping America’s small businesses achieve exceptional growth, despite unprecedented upheaval and uncertainty, deservedly won praise from both parties.”
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| Joel Yashinsky |
Burger King recruits Applebee’s CMO Joel Yashinsky to serve as its chief marketing officer for the US and Canada. Before joining Applebee’s in 2018, Yashinsky was VP, brand content & engagement at McDonald’s. At Burger King, he will charged with advancing the chaing “Reclaim the Flame” marketing strategy, which was instituted in 2022. He replaces Pat O'Toole, who resigned in November 2024. “Joel joins us at an exciting time for the brand, and brings the ideal mix of strategic marketing experience, brand-building creativity, and leadership expertise to help fuel our next chapter,” said Burger King US and Canada president Tom Curtis.
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| Victoria Dillon |
Auburn University’s McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security brings on Victoria Dillon as deputy director and chief communications officer. Dillon was most recently assistant national cyber director for public affairs in the Biden administration’s Office of the National Cyber Director. She has also held senior communications posts at Cisco and Amazon Web Services. In her new post, Dillon oversees McCrary’s multiple media platforms and leads the institute’s communications and media strategy. “She understands the issues that matter and has a track record communicating them with clarity and passion,” said McCrary Institute director Frank Cilluffo.
Catherine Sullivan, global chief communications officer at Burson, has exited the WPP unit after a 12-year run.
Six Flags Entertainment Corporation hires Amy Martin Ziegenfuss as CMO, effective June 3. Ziegenfuss was most recently CMO at Carnival Cruise Line... Narrative Strategies brings on Hanna Beckman and Rich Casale as senior directors... Grayling has appointed Maury Postal as EVP, creative strategy and innovation services... HMH (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), an educational publisher and technology company focused on K–12 education, assessments and professional learning, names Jessica Naeve CMO.
Brunswick Group has announced that Teneo's Christian Buss and Netflix's Paul Shaw have joined the firm as partners in San Francisco.
4media group promotes chief operating officer Melissa Elsner to CEO, succeeding Ed Cyster... Seven Letter names Tanvi Purohit account director at its Seven Letter Labs unit... Moxie Strategies, which is marking its second anniversary, brings on Janice Laurente as EVP of public affairs.
Katie Hill, who served as communications director for President Obama, is joining The New York Times as SVP, global head of communications and external affairs.
