Potomac Flacks

Mullin, Exelon VP of Public Affairs, to Depart This Summer

Jen Mullin, VP of Public Affairs at Exelon, is leaving the energy giant this summer. Jen -- an Uber alum who also previously led the energy & climate practice at the Glover Park Group and served as communications director for Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin -- ran policy advocacy campaigns at Exelon, connecting the value of emissions-free, nuclear power to climate action at the state and federal levels. Jen was recruited to Exelon in 2017 to modernize their public advocacy function and elevate the role of nuclear in the climate debate. In departing Exelon, Jen plans to pursue climate-focused projects and get involved in the 2020 election cycle.
 
Additionally, here's a note that was sent by Exelon Senior VP Judy Rader on Jen's departure: "During her three years with the company, Jen redefined our advocacy function and contributed to policy outcomes that made a significant impact on the business. Applying her experience in politics and consulting, Jen instituted an integrated approach to our advocacy campaigns to more closely align our grassroots coalitions, and digital, external and internal communications activities with the GRAPP team’s work. That collaborative approach led to results, including the nuclear ZEC program in New Jersey, new urgency for legislative action in states impacted by the FERC MOPR and progress toward a carbon adder in NYISO and RGGI implementation in Pennsylvania. Her work to strengthen relationships with influencers and journalists in the climate space contributed to an increased recognition of the value of emissions-free, nuclear power and Exelon’s reputation as a leader on clean energy policies. Jen built a high-performing team of campaign and digital strategists that have consistently delivered results while lowering costs." (PF tipster)

Emergent BioSolutions Appoints Nina DeLorenzo as Senior Vice President of Global Public Affairs

Emergent BioSolutions Inc. today announced the appointment of Nina DeLorenzo to the position of senior vice president for global public affairs. DeLorenzo will oversee external relations, corporate communications, advocacy, and corporate social responsibility. She will be responsible for developing and leading the company’s global public affairs strategy and providing strategic communications counsel to the executive management team.

DeLorenzo has 25 years of experience in public affairs, government affairs, and communications in the public and private sectors. She most recently served as chief of staff, external affairs at Sanofi in Paris, France. Her prior experience includes government affairs, communications, and public policy roles at AbbVie, Pfizer Inc, Schering-Plough Corp. (now Merck), and at the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). DeLorenzo served in the administration of President George W. Bush at the White House Coalition Information Center and at the U.S. Department of State. Prior to this, she held roles in government and on political campaigns. (PF exclusive)

Corporate Comms Vet Boggs Joins Charter as Group VP, Policy Communications

Charter Communications, Inc. announced Avery Boggs has joined the company’s Government Affairs team as Group Vice President, Policy Communications. Based in Washington, D.C., Boggs is responsible for developing and implementing communications strategies to achieve the company’s policy objectives at the federal, state and local levels. She replaces Tamara Smith who has taken on a newly created role of Group Vice President, Partnerships and Strategy at the Charter-owned Spectrum Networks.

Boggs joins Charter from PLUS Communications where she served as Executive Vice President for Marketing and Strategy Development. At PLUS, she worked cross-functionally to develop strategic plans to achieve clients’ public policy goals and objectives. Prior to her work at PLUS, Avery was Senior Vice President at the Revolution Agency leading multi-media campaigns for clients including Hewlett Packard, Facebook, H&R Block and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce among others. She began her career in public affairs as a Communications Strategist at Strategic Partners in Media, formerly The Stevens and Schriefer Group, where she guided production, message development and research for a variety of elected officials and trade associations.

A lawyer by training, earlier in her career Boggs served as Associate Counsel at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She holds a B.A in Business Administration from Texas A&M University and a J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law. (PF tipster)

Veteran Dem Communicator Brennan Joins Firehouse Strategies

Whitney Mitchell Brennan has joined Firehouse Strategies as senior vice president.

She is a veteran Democratic communicator with experience on campaigns and on Capitol Hill.

She most recently served as communications director and senior advisor for U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.).

Whitney is a graduate of Indiana University.

Top Senate Flack Joins Rokk Solutions as SVP

Senate Republican Conference deputy staff director Jeff Grappone is joining bipartisan public affairs Rokk Solutions as senior vice president.

Grappone has nearly 20 years of experience, including serving as Assistant Secretary of Labor for Public Affairs, as a senior communicator for Siemens, and for U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and former Sen. John E. Sununu (R-N.H.).

Grappone is a graduate of Georgetown University. (PF tipster)

Former Biden Aide Mulhauser Launches Aperture Strategies

Scott Mulhauser launched Aperture Strategies, a new strategic advisory and communications firm.

 

In his career, Mulhauser helped run the Senate Finance Committee, served as deputy chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden during the 2012 campaign and was chief of staff at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

 

Aperture helps coalitions, corporations, nonprofits, trade associations and others navigate public affairs, communications and management challenges and advises them on developments both domestically and globally. (PF tipster)

Former Obama White House Press Secretary Earnest Joins United Airlines as Chief Communications Officer

United Airlines today announced Josh Earnest has been named Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer. Earnest brings to the company more than two decades of strategic communications expertise from the highest levels of politics and government, including as White House Press Secretary. At United, he will be responsible for developing the company's global communications strategy, leading a world-class team to execute it, working closely with the company's leadership to shape the airline's public image and serving as the company's chief spokesman.

Most recently, Earnest has been a political analyst for NBC News and MSNBC, making appearances on the network's leading news programs including the Today Show, Meet the Press and NBC Nightly News. Prior to that, Earnest served for eight years in the Obama White House, first as deputy press secretary before being promoted to White House Press Secretary in 2014. In 2015, Earnest was voted the "best White House press secretary I've worked with" by White House correspondents surveyed by Politico.

In addition to his work in front of the cameras, Earnest played a leading role behind the scenes to develop and implement an innovative communications strategy that was paired with a fully-integrated digital media presence to drive the Administration's agenda.

His two-decade career in politics has taken him from Capitol Hill to some of the largest states and most competitive races in the country, including four presidential campaigns, statewide races in Texas and Florida and Mike Bloomberg's first campaign for Mayor of New York.

Earnest received his degree in political science and policy studies from Rice University. He will move to Chicago this summer with his wife, Natalie and their two children. Earnest's first day at United will be Monday, May 21. (United Airlines)

DREAM JOB OF THE WEEK: NFL, Senior Communications Strategist (New York, NY)

The Senior Communications Strategist will be responsible for proactively developing plans and strategies aimed at publicly positioning the NFL to key audiences through all communication channels, both traditional and emerging media. They will work closely with communications department leadership to create messaging to reflect the league's wide variety of priorities and expedite organizational decision-making.

Additionally, the strategist will:Provide crisis communications counsel to leagues executives.

• Devise strategy and long term vision to strategically position the NFL in the sports marketplace.
• Provide guidance to senior leadership, including executive vice presidents and COO to achieve desired reputational results and develop metrics to measure success.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in related field and a minimum of 8+ years of experience in communications or journalism with expertise in storytelling, issue management and long term planning
• Successfully demonstrated ability to lead, participate in, and support cross-departmental activities.
• Strong written and verbal communications skills, excellent organizational skills and strong interpersonal skills.

• Excellent working knowledge of the PR field including documented experience working in public, fast paced, high-pressure situations.

Other Key Attributes / Characteristics:

• Strategic Leader: The successful candidate will think and act strategically as a valued member of the communications department and other NFL units.
• Trusted Advisor: He/she will serve as a credible PR resource to clubs and league executives
• An individual with intense and dedicated work habits. Someone who takes initiative, speaks his/her mind, and sets high standards in all he/she does.
• An individual comfortable working in a diverse environment
• A creative, imaginative individual who has the business acumen, curiosity and ability to define innovative strategy and deliver against it.
• A person with the highest moral and ethical standards, who can be relied upon to always act in the best long-term interests of the League.
• A person with the capacity to be a hands-on, sleeves-up team player.
• Superior judgement and communication skills, as well as political sensitivity both internally and externally
• Experience in corporate communications, sports or entertainment is preferred.

TO APPLY: Click here.

RELATED: NFL spokesman Joe Lockhart to step down at NFL after Super Bowl.

Spotify Names Former Hill Flack Tucker New Head of P.R. in Advance of Public Offering

Variety reports: In advance of long-anticipated Spotify’s public offering — which is now expected in the first quarter of 2018 — the company has brought in a new head of public relations: Dustee Jenkins, who until recently held a similar role at Target. The move, which was first reported by Recode, was confirmed to Variety by a rep for Spotify.

Jenkins’ appointment is seen as an effort to streamline the company’s PR and messaging in advance of the public offering: she will report to chief marketing officer Seth Farbman, while veteran company publicist Graham James in New York and Angela Watts in London will report to her.

Jenkins will relocate to New York from Target’s Minneapolis headquarters. She served with the company for seven years, vacating in July. Previously she held communications roles with Hill & Knowlton PR consulting agency, with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under president George W. Bush, and with Texas Republican U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.

Spotify, the world’s largest streaming service, passed 140 million worldwide users as both its revenue and operating loss grew significantly in 2016, according to the company’s annual financial statement released in June. The company announced in July that it had passed 60 million paying subscribers. Its closest competitor in the streaming market, Apple Music, announced in September that it had passed the 30-million subscriber mark.

Rather than a traditional IPO, Spotify is expected to launch a public offering, whereby it will list shares directly to buyers. The move has been anticipated for several years but has been delayed as the company shores itself up, not least by closing new licensing deals with the three major labels and the independent label collective Merlin; it completed the last of those, with Warner Music, in August. (Variety)

Margaritis Joins Hilton Worldwide as Executive VP of Corporate Affairs

Hilton Worldwide today announced that William Margaritis will become the company’s Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs starting in late August, based in the company’s global headquarters in McLean, VA. Margaritis previously served for 15 years as Senior Vice President of Global Communications and Investor Relations at FedEx Corporation.

At Hilton, Margaritis will oversee internal and external communications, government relations and corporate responsibility globally. He will report to Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton Worldwide and will serve as a member of the company’s Executive Committee.

Margaritis comes to Hilton with 33 years of experience, having managed various facets of corporate and marketing communications, government affairs, investor relations and employee communications.  At FedEx, Margaritis led the strategic repositioning and rebranding communications programs for the company through an integrated customer and employee campaign.  He was also the architect of the Purple Promise, an award-winning internal cultural employee engagement multimedia initiative to create a common rallying platform for 300,000 team members across multiple operating companies around the world.  Margaritis implemented innovative strategic reputation programs that helped FedEx consistently earn top-tier rank in Fortune’s Most Admired Companies and Great Places to Work lists. 

Prior to FedEx, he served as Vice President of Public Relations & Marketing Communications for Europe, Africa, Middle East and Southwest Asia at Bechtel Corporation, based in London, UK. Previously he was the Manager for State Government Affairs for Occidental Petroleum Corporation, and also served as a Special Assistant for Intergovernmental Affairs at the Commerce Department in the Reagan Administration.  Margaritis began his career as a legislative assistant in the Michigan Senate and also served as the deputy director for the Reagan-Bush 1984 Presidential Campaign in Michigan.

He holds a bachelor’s of arts degree in Business from Michigan State University and is a past chairman of the board of the Arthur W. Page Society, the professional association of chief communications officers.  (Release)