NEW YORK—Ruder Finn has hired Christine Dusek as executive vice president and Jon Vidar as senior vice president in its corporate practice. Dusek is returning to Ruder Finn, and brings more than 15 years of corporate reputation, financial, crisis and issues management experience, most recently managing the global communications function at IMS Health, a $5 billion healthcare information and consulting company. Vidar’s role spans both the corporate practice and full-service digital agency RFI Studios. Earlier, he started The Tiziano Project, a non-profit that teaches social storytelling in underrepresented communities around the world.

FORT LEE, NJ—Steinreich Communications Group has hired 16-year Conde Nast communications executive Lauren Theodore as vice president of its consumer practice. While at Conde Nast, Theodore created communications strategies and handled media relations for titles including Self, Glamour, Brides and Modern Bride. Since 2004, she was senior director of public relations at Self Magazine.

WASHINGTON, DC—Derek Yach, executive director of the Vitality Institute and former senior vice president of global health and agriculture at PepsiCo, has joined APCO Worldwide’s health advisory board, a specialty group of the firm’s international advisory council. Yach has more than 30 years of international health policy experience. Prior to his work with PepsiCo, Yach served as a director of global health at the Rockefeller Foundation, a professor of global health at Yale University and an executive director for noncommunicable diseases and mental health at the World Health Organization.

BOSTON—Brodeur Partners has named 30-year communications veteran Sarah Marshall as senior vice president of the firm's Southwest region, based in the firm's Phoenix office. Brodeur will also open an office in Marshall's hometown of Austin. Marshall was most recently a consultant in the areas of crisis communications, public relations and executive coaching and has worked with clients such as AMD, Aspen Heights, C3 Presents, Real Estate Council of Austin, Texas Instruments DLP, and Infor. She has held positions with firms such as Waggener Edstrom and Citigate Cunningham.

WASHINGTON DC—FoodMinds, a food and nutrition consulting and communications agency, has hired Sarah Levy as vice president Sarah Levy. She joins from the DC office of FleishmanHillard and was previously with Grocery Manufacturers Association. Levy specializes in nutrition affairs and nutrition policy and will be advising clients including Nestlé, American Frozen Food Institute, and the Corn Refiners Association.

NEW YORK—Rubenstein Public Relations has named Donna Fontana as managing director to oversee client communication and services, while expanding RPR’s practice areas and capabilities. Fontana has worked on public relations campaigns for brands including PepsiCo, Unilever, and Johnson & Johnson, among others. Most recently, she was managing director of K2 Kommunications in New York, and earlier was vice president of public relations for Weight Watchers International.

LAS VEGAS—Marketing communications firm SK+G has appointed Ralph Pici as director of digital, where he will lead digital innovation, digital strategy, user engagement experience and technology development. Pici most recently operated his own Austin-based digital consultancy. His past experience includes work for Pizza Hut, PepsiCo, Bluegreen Corporation, Schlotzsky’s, Capital One, the US Air Force Recruiting Command and The Walt Disney Company.

CANTON, OH—Innis Maggiore has hired Alison Oyler as social media and public relations strategist. Most recently Oyler served as digital content specialist for Advanstar Communications, where she developed, wrote and deployed content for a national medical publication and worked on email marketing strategies.

VIENNA—Buffalo Brand Invigoration Group (formerly Buffalo Communications) has promoted Glenn Gray to director. He will work across Buffalo’s sport practice while maintaining lead on select golf clients and will also assume an increased role in corporate strategy and business development.