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| Simona Chadha |
Persistent Systems, a digital engineering and enterprise modernization company with over 24,500 employees located in 19 countries, appoints Shimona Chadha as CMO. Chadha joins Persistent from HCLTech, where she was VP and head of North America vertical marketing. She previously held senior leadership roles and led customer-focused growth strategies at Vodafone Idea and Abbott. Based out of Persistent’s New Jersey office, Chadha will focus on strengthening the company’s market engagement, enabling its go-to-market impact, and amplifying its differentiation in the industry. "Shimona brings a results-oriented, data-informed approach to marketing, aligning brand strategy with business objectives to deliver measurable outcomes,” said Persistent CEO and executive director Sandeep Kalra.
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| Georgi DeMartino |
Kessler PR Group, a crisis and strategic communications firm, adds Georgi DeMartino to its team. DeMartino comes to the agency from Barnard College, where she most recently served as associate director of communications and media relations. She was previously a social media producer and assignment editor at Fox News Channel in New York. At Kessler, she will help drive the firm’s crisis communications, strategic planning work and reputation management support, in addition to providing media training for clients. “Her deep experience navigating the recent nationwide issues facing higher education easily translates to tackling many of the issues we address for our clients across other industries as well,” said Kessler PR Group founder and CEO Karen Kessler.
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| Laura Rodriguez |
Podhurst Orseck, a Coral Gables, FL-based legal firm that works in areas including aviation, complex commercial and class action, brings on Laura Rodriguez as director of communications and community affairs. Rodrguez was most recently a reporter at NBC6 South Florida. She was previously an anchor and reporter for Telemundo. At Podhurst Orseck, Rodriguez will lead the firm’s ongoing marketing communications strategy, including managing brand visibility, expanding the firm’s referral and business development networks, and overseeing community engagement initiatives. “Her on-the-ground reporting experience, combined with her deep roots in the Miami community and passion for advocacy, make her an ideal fit for our firm and our clients,” said Podhurst Orseck managing partner Steven Marks.
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| Lisa Van Riper |
The University of Maryland Baltimore County names Lisa Van Riper as VP for communications and marketing, effective July 21. Van Riper was most recently VP for marketing and communications at Goucher College in Baltimore, where she oversaw a broad effort to enhance and modernize the college’s digital marketing strategy and develop a cohesive, unifying brand identity. She has also served as VP for marketing, communications and information technology at Knox College in Galesburg, IL and VP for communications and public relations at Common App. “In addition to being an expert marketer and talented communications professional, Lisa is a strong manager and leader who has successfully built and developed teams and fostered effective collaborations with campus partners,” said UMBC president Valerie Sheares.
Nicole Cornish plans to step down from the helm of Avoq by the end of the year to pursue new opportunities.
MP&F brings on Tiffany Carpenter as principal to lead its new Knoxville... Meyocks, a Des Moines, IA-based agency that works with food, agriculture, heath and mentor brands, names Kelli Calkins director of social media... Press Kitchen, which has offices in Los Angeles and New York City, promotes Amanda Drum to VP... Coca-Cola Beverages Florida names Amazon's Felicia Harvey director, communications.
FanDuel Group hires former Columbia University EVP-PA Shailagh Murray as SVP-PA and the NFL's Jonathan Nabavi as VP of federal affairs... WPP tabs Michael Frohlich, who was most recently EMEA CEO at Weber Shandwick, to lead communications and public affairs effective next month, succeeding Chris Wade... 1stDibs hires Bradford Shellhammer as CMO and chief product officer. 
Gap Inc. appoints Mame Annan-Brown as EVP and chief communications officer, a newly created role... Aspen Insurance Holdings, a Bermuda-based specialty insurer and reinsurer names Mariza Costa head of investor relations... XTM International, which develops enterprise-grade translation management technology aimed at helping enterprises globalize their operations, appoints Rob Finney as CMO.
Joseph Shipley, who was most recently a partner at Kekst CNC, comes on board as a senior managing director in FTI Consulting’s strategic communications segment.
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