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| Andrew Pagonis |
Morgan & Morgan, a personal injury law firm, names Andrew Pagonis VP of marketing. Pagonis joins the firm from Google, where he most recently served as a founding marketer for its consumer AI platform, Gemini. He previously held senior roles across Google Ads, Shopping and Commerce. Before coming to Google in 2018, he was brand manager, consumer healthcare at GSK. Based in Morgan & Morgan’s Brooklyn operations office, Pagonis will help lead the firm’s marketing efforts, leveraging data, technology and AI-driven innovation to elevate its brand across national and digital channels. “We are in a time when AI is redefining how we reach people, and his leadership will help us continue to scale our mission,” said Morgan & Morgan founder, John Morgan.
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| James DeMarco |
Red Banyan, a firm specializing in reputation management, promotes James De Marco to director of strategic communications. De Marco will lead Red Banyan’s newly launched “Powering Reputation” model, designed for organizations actively building brand equity while navigating complex environments with high reputational risk. He will be advising executives and organizations operating in politically charged, highly scrutinized or crisis-adjacent contexts, while overseeing brand building initiatives that support business growth objectives. Before joining Red Banyan in 2022, De Marco was at Strategic Heights Media. "James has consistently demonstrated the caliber of judgment and execution required when reputational stakes are high and things are moving fast," said Red Banyan founder and CEO Evan Nierman.
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| (L-R) Keely Gispan, Max Rayden |
ASC Advisors ups Keely Gispan to partner and promotes Max Rayden to managing director. Gispan was previously managing director at the firm. She has also served as a director at Red Banyan, AVP of media relations and corporate communications for the Americas at BNP Paribas, and account director at Brunswick Group. “She is a valued advisor to many of our clients, bringing extensive media relations expertise and assuming leadership roles on many of our hedge fund, private equity, venture capital, real estate, and crypto clients,” said ASC Advisors managing partner Steve Bruce. Rayden was most recently a senior director at ASC. He joined the firm in 2025 from Edelman Smithfied, where he was a VP. “ His dedication to our clients, excellent media relationships, and contributions to staff development make Max a trusted advisor both internally and externally at the firm,” Bruce said.
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| Maureen Vogel |
Drumfire Public Affairs, a boutique D.C.-based public affairs firm celebrating its 10-year anniversary, promotes Maureen Vogel to senior director of digital media. Vogel, who joined Drumfire after previously working with the firm as a contractor, has led the firm’s digital, social, and web campaigns and initiatives. Vogel has also served as frontend engineer and UNIX lead at food and beverage platform HUNGRY as well as designing and coding the Stock Comparer website. “Maureen Vogel is simply the best in the business. She embodies Drumfire’s ethos and exceeds every expectation. Her work ethic and output represent the very best of our firm, and this promotion is truly well-earned,” said Drumfire Public Affairs founder and CEO Aaron Saunders. See O'Dwyer's list of top public affairs firms.
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| Samara Cooper Hillman |
Dreamday, a PR and affiliate performance firm, brings on Samara Cooper Hillman as VP. Hillman most recently founded consultancy The Tend Method. She has also headed up the beauty division at Jennifer Brett Communications. Hillman has worked with clients in such industries as entertainment, beauty, tech, sports, business, home and fashion. In her new post, Hillman will focus on helping founders translate who they are and what they believe into a clear, credible and culturally relevant public presence. “By bringing Samara Cooper Hillman into Dreamday, we are helping founders turn who they are and what they believe into a long-term growth engine rooted in trust, clarity, and cultural relevance,” said Dreamday founder and CEO Lauren Kleinman.
FGS Global has recruited Susan Ho, a veteran of Standard Chartered Bank and Brunswick Group, for the Asia chair position, a newly created post. 
Cognito appoints Felice Tobin managing director of its New York business. She was most recently general manager for Cognito Asia and managing director of its Hong Kong office... Spectrio, a company that provides digital signage, interactive kiosks, audience measurement and in-store media, brings on Steve Gilbert as VP of marketing... Hart, a Toledo, OH-based brand transformation agency, promotes Marc Paulenich from president to CEO. 
Kelli Parsons, CEO of Hill & Knowlton, will take the helm of Avoq on February 1.
Jonathan Heppner, deputy communications director for New York State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, has joined SKDK as senior VP.
Clean Tomorrow, which promotes policies aimed at furthering the growth and innovation of clean energy, names Jordan Gallagher as chief operations officer... LaForce promotes Shauna Solum to EVP, a newly created, cross-agency role... Ubisoft, a gaming company, names Valentine Piedelievre-Eman as chief communications officer, effective Feb. 2.
