WASHINGTON: GMMB hired Chris Hughes, one of the founders of Facebook, as a strategic adviser, effective March 11. Hughes, who worked on President Barack Obama’s presidential campaign, will provide GMMB clients with counsel about digital strategy as needed. GMMB was a lead agency for the Obama’s campaign.
DOE adds public affairs staff
WASHINGTON: The US Department of Energy added four staff members to its public affairs division, including Dan Leistikow as director of public affairs and Tom Reynolds as deputy director of public affairs. Leistikow was President Barack Obama’s regional communications director in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Michigan during the campaign and Reynolds was the deputy communications director in Ohio.
Brunswick continues to add to DC office
WASHINGTON: Michele Davis, former assistant secretary for public affairs of the Treasury Department, has joined the Washington, DC, office of Brunswick Group as partner. Davis was originally appointed to assistant secretary of the treasury for public affairs in 2001. Then in 2005 she was appointed deputy assistant to President George W. Bush and deputy national security adviser for communications. She later returned to her post at the Treasury with the added responsibility of director of policy planning. She was a top adviser to former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. In January, Brunswick hired another former Treasury comms pro, and also added to its Washington office.
Obama announces more comms appointments
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama announced 16 communications appointments, including Macon Phillips as director of new media; Christina Reynolds as director of media affairs; Dag Vegas as director of broadcast media; Amy Brundage, Moira Mack Muntz, and Gannet Tseggai as regional communications directors; Cammie Croft as deputy new media director; Corey Ealons as director of African American Media and coordinator of special projects; Shin Inouye as director of specialty media; and Luis Miranda as director of Hispanic media.