SAN FRANCISCO — Porter Novelli has named Karen Ovseyevitz managing director of the agency's San Francisco office. Ovseyevitz (pictured) is responsible for talent management and strategic growth as the office councils leading brands on how to drive their reputation and make a positive impact. She will continue as Porter Novelli's president of Latin America and the interim head of technology.

BOSTON – PAN Communications has hired Elizabeth Yekhtikian as the firm’s first chief media strategist. Yekhtikian will help drive storytelling across media, while also providing media training and strategy to further modernize the agency’s approach to PR. She joins from InkHouse, where she spent eight years as VP, media strategy.

NEW YORK — Jonesworks has named Courtney Engel managing director leading the agency’s expanding consumer & lifestyle division. Engel joins from Grey where she founded the consumer PR practice in 2008.  At Grey, responsibilities included new business for the activation, talent & PR team.

SEATTLE —APCO Worldwide has hired Katherine Mackinnon as a director in the firm’s Seattle office. Prior to joining APCO, Mackinnon served as an account supervisor and director for Nyhus Communications, where she specialized in reputation management, advocacy, strategic communications and public affairs for a wide range of clients across the technology and real estate sectors. Before that, she served as a policy and advocacy specialist for the Downtown Seattle Association.

NEW YORK — Edelman recently announced the following senior hires to its growing financial communications & capital markets team:

  • Hitesh Balwada, a Chicago executive VP, who will lead investor relations, M&A and special situations work in the Midwest.
  • Lisa Leiter, a Chicago senior VP, who brings expertise in financial content creation.
  • Stacy Turnof, a New York senior VP, who will play a critical role within the team’s investor relations engagements.
  • Ira Gorsky, a New York senior VP with more than 25 years of capital market experience specifically in M&A and contested situations.
  • Shannon Susko, a New York senior VP who will lead the team’s healthcare and financial communications offering.