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| Taylor Gray |
Zeno Group names Taylor Gray EVP and head of Zeno Atlanta, effective Jan. 5. Prior to joining Zeno, Gray was head of global masterbrand, mainstream, premium & suites brands at IHG Hotels & Resorts, leading communications for 12 hospitality brands across the Americas. Before joining IHG, she was a VP at MSL and senior account supervisor at Edelman. Gray will lead Zeno’s Atlanta presence and guide a multidisciplinary team spanning such capabilities as brand and corporate affairs, earned media, digital, creator, and data & intelligence. “Atlanta is a strategically important growth market for Zeno,” said Zeno U.S. president Grant Deady. “As client needs continue to evolve in complexity and scale, investing in local senior leadership allows us to deepen those relationships, move faster, and expand our impact across the region.”
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| Madeleine Davidson |
The Professional Women’s Hockey League brings on Madeleine Davidson as director, communications, West Coast. Davidson joins PWHL from the Toronto Blue Jays and Rogers Centre, where she served as director, business communications. She was previously a senior account executive at Edelman. In her new role, Davidson will be a strategic business partner to the media relations leads for PWHL’s expansion teams in Seattle and Vancouver, supporting them through their inaugural season and helping establish strong communications foundations. She will also lead communications for several leaguewide business initiatives across corporate partnerships, ticketing, marketing and other areas. “She understands what it takes to support an organization that’s establishing itself, building, and scaling at the same time, and that perspective will be incredibly valuable as the league continues to expand,” said PWHL VP of communications and external affairs Mandy Gutmann.
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| Vanessa Lai |
R/GA appoints Vanessa Lai as group creative director, intelligent systems, a newly created role. Lai joins the agency from Monks, where she most recently served as group innovation director. Her work spanned AI-powered storytelling, immersive environments and hybrid experiences that blended the physical, digital, and virtual. At R/GA, Lai will act as a key connector across the company, partnering closely with Addition, a leading AI System Design and Development studio that was acquired by R/GA earlier this year. “Vanessa brings the rare blend of creativity, technical fluency, and systems thinking that’s needed today,” said R/GA global chair and chief creative officer Tiffany Rolfe.
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| Ian Stone |
LifeSci Communications promotes agency president Ian Stone to CEO, charged with guiding the agency’s growth and strengthening its partnerships with healthcare companies. He will be based in LifeSci’s new San Diego Office alongside teams from LifeSci Consulting and LifeSci Advisors. Stone previously held senior leadership roles at Canale Communications, where he led media relations and supported the organization’s growth and eventual integration into Inizio Evoke Communications. “Ian has demonstrated the leadership and vision that make him the right person to lead our next chapter,” said founding partner of LifeSci Communications and LifeSci Partners Andrew McDonald.
Andrew Sinclair, who spent nine years at ExxonMobil, has joined Dallas-based Empower lithium producer as chief public and government relations officer.
Linhart Public Relations, a Denver-based firm, names Ashley Campbell VP and partner... Akima, a provider of mission-focused solutions to the federal government, appoints Michael Teegardin as VP of marketing & communications... QuidelOrtho Corporation, a global provider of diagnostic solutions, appoints Sanjeev Sharma as VP, investor relations... McNeely Brockman Public Relations hires Lindsey West as an account executive. 
Allison DeLeo, who rose to senior VP and West Coast lead during a nearly 17-year run at Racepoint Global has joined Method Communications as senior VP.
APCO names Kelly Williamson, who has been president, North America since 2018, chief client officer and global president of capital markets, a newly created role... Avenue Z, which has offices in NYC and Miami, brings on Stephanie Goenaga as associate director, public relations... Marino names Vincent Dente EVP of creative and AI innovation, a new post.
Joele Frank managing director Tim Ragones and Jasper Street Partners' MD Peter da Silva Vint join stakeholder intelligence advisory firm Sodali & Co.
