NEW YORK – Edelman has made multiple strategic hires in its health practice. Global appointments include Emma Lynn, global health deputy, and Lynda Gordon, global DXI health lead. Prior to joining Edelman, Lynn was with Pfizer for 16 years, most recently leading the corporate affairs department in the UK. Gordon previously led Merkle’s health analytics capability, with a focus on understanding customers and customer journeys to support marketing performance through delivery of people-based marketing. In the US, Marie Kennedy, Fred Petito, David Zitlow and Irma Gomez-Dib have joined as senior health leads. They join from West Coast Health, GSW Advertising, The Grossman Group and FTI Consulting respectively.

SAN FRANCISCO — Current Global has promoted Lisa Dini to executive VP, global consumer lead to guide the firm’s growing consumer practice. Dini has spent 14 years with the agency, expanding her responsibilities over the years to include piloting work across multiple brands for The Clorox Company, managing the San Francisco office, and driving best practices across the agency’s client experience talent community. Dini is now responsible for facilitating consumer best practices globally while growing the firm’s talent, clients, and agency reputation in the marketplace.

DETROIT — Lambert & Co. has promoted Mike Houston from managing director to partner. Houston brings a balanced financial and marketing perspective to the firm, having joined the firm over a decade ago from a global investor relations agency. In addition to his role at Lambert, Houston is chief operating officer at Tiicker, where he was instrumental in launching the world’s first direct marketing platform.

WASHINGTON — Purple Strategies has added Nick Driver to its growing insights function as a research director. Driver joins Purple from Hill+Knowlton Strategies, where he most recently led the agency’s US research team and worked with the agency’s leadership to integrate and scale data & analytics services across the agency’s global network.

NEW YORK — Mark Semer has joined Gasthalter & Co. as a managing director. Semer joins from Kekst CNC where he spent more than 27 years and was a partner and co-head of the firm’s alternative investment practice. He has served as an advisor to leaders of public and private companies across many industries, investment firms and the real estate community, among other businesses.

HANA, HAWAII — M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment has hired Leah Ponichtera as a VP. Ponichtera will lead across the agency’s growing spirits business, as well as key global lifestyle clients. She brings nearly 15 years of experience from agency tenures in New York City, Los Angeles, and Hawaii, where Ponichtera is permanently based.