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| Sandy Young |
J. Walcher Communications, a San Diego-based firm, names Sandy Young CEO and owner. Young has been with J. Walcher since 2009, most recently serving as VP. She has spent more than two decades working for boutique PR and marketing agencies in San Diego. In addition, she has served as a freelance writer and regular speaker on PR, marketing, social media, networking and diversity. Founder Jean Walcher will remain an integral part of the agency, supporting the leadership transition, serving clients and focusing on business development initiatives. Young has been “an effective right-hand and has played a pivotal role in mentoring staff, cultivating long-standing client relationships, and developing strategic communications and crisis management programs that have earned client and media respect and trust,” said Walcher.
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| Jeremy Allen |
Sun Pharmaceutical appoints Jeremy Allen as VP, corporate affairs for North America, a newly created position. Allen joins the company from Spark Therapeutics, where he was VP, head of government affairs. He has also served in senior government affairs and public policy posts at AHIP (formerly known as America's Health Insurance Plans), Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson. At Sun Pharma, Allen will lead external engagement, policy initiatives, patient advocacy, government relations, and corporate communications across the United States and Canada. “Jeremy and his team will strengthen our engagement with stakeholders, shape policy environments, and ensure our voice reflects the values and priorities of the people who rely on our innovative medicines, generics and consumer healthcare products," said Sun Pharma CEO Richard Ascroft.
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| Sarah Dunlap |
Baker Public Relations, a Pittsburgh-headquartered, woman-owned agency with offices in Albany, NY and St. Petersburg, FL, brings on Sarah Dunlap as a senior account executive in its Pittsburgh office. Dunlap most recently served as communications manager for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, a nonprofit that works with public & private sector leaders to boost the Pittsburgh region’s economy. She was previously communications coordinator for the Senator John Heinz History Center. “Sarah joins our agency with a robust background in public relations and public affairs, complemented by an intimate understanding of the Pittsburgh area, an essential combination for our strategic growth,” said Baker Public Relations founder and CEO Megan Baker.
August brings on Andrew Jarrell as a managing director in its New York office. Jarrell comes to the agency from Group Gordon, where he most recently served as chief strategy officer... PSD, which produces activewear and underwear worn by and made for professional athletes, hires Dan Harbison as SVP of marketing and Monica Lin as VP of brand marketing... UKG, an AI platform that combines HR, pay and workforce management, names Vitor De Souza chief communications officer. 
Dezenhall Resources brings on Jessica DeLoach as VP. DeLoach was previously deputy director of public and media relations at the Southern Poverty Law Center... Crowe Media hires Alissa Kasawdish as senior integrated PR manager. Kasawdish was previously an account supervisor at J/PR... Benefitbay, a SaaS platform that lets users make their own benefit decisions, names Lindsey Unterberger as VP of marketing.
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.
