Steve Lubetkin is named VP of corporate communications for Summit Bank, where he will oversee media relations, PR and employee communications. He was
previously director, internal communications for Standard & Poor's New York.
Sega of America appoints Gwendolyn Marker as communications manager of consumer public relations. In this role, she will enhance marketing communications
efforts for Sega Dreamcast via media relations for consumer press, internal communication and special events.
Drew Simmons joins Resort Sports Network, a Web site offering mountain sports lifestyle information, as director of communications and marketing manager. He
was previously with Stanwood & Partners PR in Jackson Hole, Wy.
Pacific Health Systems welcomes Marie Connell to its Santa Ana-based public affairs department as senior manager of PR. She will direct corporate PR, media
relations and the PacifiCare Foundation's "Partners in Health" program with the American Diabetes Foundation. Connell previously handled media relations at Pacific Life
Insurance Co. in Newport Beach, Calif.
Basketball footwear brand AND 1 hires Kristen Young Weil as PR manager. She previously worked on the AND 1 account at The Brownstein Group.
Agency Moves
Gail Harrison, a DC public affairs veteran and founder of The Wexler Group, joins Shandwick Public Affairs as principal, responsible for coalition
management and the firm's ally development practice.
Jason Teitler is promoted to senior VP of Porter Novelli's interactive practice, responsible for growing the practice globally. He was previously senior VP,
interactive practice, for the agency's New York office.
KCSA PR Worldwide appoints Samuella Becker and Andrea Finamore as managing directors. Becker previously worked for The Chase Manhattan Bank
and Simon & Schuster. Finamore's last position was with Al Paul Lefton Co., an agency in Philadelphia.
Rochelle Rubin joins Carmichael Lynch Spong as a senior counselor and chair of the firm's public affairs practice. She was recently a lobbyist and
government affairs counselor for the Insurance Federation of Minnesota.
Ray Cucciniello leaves a recruiting position at Paine Webber to join Ketchum as senior VP/global human resources. He plans to parlay best practices
from the financial services sector to help Ketchum compete for top talent, and to develop new recruiting channels outside of PR circles.
Nancy Brennan moves from senior VP to deputy managing director of Manning, Selvage & Lee/Chicago, taking on additional agency management
responsibilities.
Michele Amberson is named associate partner of the DC-based firm The Aker Partners after serving as a press officer for EPA Administrator Carol
Browner and HHS Secretary Donna Shalala.
Golin/Harris Los Angeles promotes Judy Johnson from executive VP to deputy general manager. David Stamper and Tina Vennegaard each move from
VP to senior VP. Cynthia Kalk jumps from VP to senior VP, finance and administration.
Scott Hildula joins Cohn & Wolfe San Francisco as VP, media relations. He was previously a media consultant for Hewlett-Packard's E-Speak
operations. Robert Copeland leaves his eponymous firm, Copeland Communications, to become senior VP and head of Cohn & Wolfe's New York corporate practice.
Seth Lynn, co-founder of the Web development firm OutWeb, becomes managing director of the new Atlanta office of Genex Interactive. He was previously
a senior VP with GE Capital.
James Cunningham leaves his post as president of the Pennsylvania Electric Association to join Burson-Marsteller's public affairs practice.
Cushman/Amberg Communications appoints Barbara Wilcox as VP to manage national programs for DeVry and other technology accounts. She was previously
with Grant/Jacoby Inc., Chicago.
Shandwick International promotes Jill Murphy from executive VP, account services, to executive VP, WorldGroup business development, a newly created position.
Murphy is now responsible for cross-promoting McCann Erickson WorldGroup capabilities, such as advertising, customer relationship management, corporate brand positioning
and interactive services, to Shandwick clients.
Nancy Ruscheinski is named president of Edelman Interactive Solutions (EIS), a global operating unit of Edelman PR Worldwide. Ruscheinski established the
EIS division in 1995, and was most recently executive VP and general manager of the firm's creative solutions division.
Greg Hayes is named managing director of Hill & Knowlton's Sacramento office after five years with Runyon Saltzman & Einhorn.
Howard Opinsky becomes managing director of the Washington DC public affairs practice of BSMG Worldwide following a stint as national press secretary for
Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign.
The DC office of Fleishman-Hillard welcomes Ben Finzel as VP in its healthcare group. He previously worked for Edelman PR Worldwide. Ann Hardison
is named VP and head of the interactive team for the Office of National Drug Control Policy's (ONDCP) National Youth Anti-Drug media campaign. She was recently
communications director for a White House educational program. Elizabeth Kramer leaves Ketchum San Francisco to join Fleishman as VP on the White House ONDCP
account, managing the public information team. Sandra Wills Hannon joins as VP managing the multicultural team on the ONDCP account. Alan Goodman leaves the
international trade consultancy Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld, LLP to join the agency's international group as VP.
