NEW YORK — Codeword has added two new leaders to its team. Suzan Clarke (pictured) has been named the WE Communications agency’s VP, editorial director, and will lead a full-service editorial team that provides strategy, content and production support for global tech companies like Google and YouTube.  A former ABC News journalist, Clarke’s communications background spans two decades. Jess Santini has been named marketing director, a newly established role that entails building and executing dynamic marketing and communication strategies to champion Codeword as a leader in communications, editorial strategy, and content marketing. Santini joins Codeword from Havas Group. 

NEW YORK — Edelman has named Soni Basi global chief people officer. Basi will lead the firm’s talent development, recruitment and retention efforts, partnering with leaders across the agency network to meet the evolving and diverse needs of employees and clients. She will be based in New York and report to Matthew Harrington, global president and chief operating officer. Basi comes to Edelman from global insurance leader AIG, where she created the first global Talent Center of Excellence. Additionally, Basi created the company’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging strategy, and served as co-chair of AIG’s Executive Diversity Council.

NEW YORK — Finn Partners has named Zach Groen VP of the agency’s sports division. Groen is based in Chicago and will work alongside sports division senior partner John Acunto and VP Matt Saler, while also collaborating on projects across the firm’s consumer and lifestyle groups. Prior to joining Finn, Groen spent two years with the Big Ten Conference, where he served as director of communications, helping lead media operations for events such as the Big Ten Football Championship Game and the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament.

WASHINGTON — Finsbury Glover Hering (FGH) has hired Jill Lesser as a partner in the Washington office. Lesser comes to FGH from National Geographic Partners, where she was VP of corporate communications and brand strategy. 

CHICAGO — Baretz+Brunelle has added a new chief digital officer, Josh Anisfeld, to lead its growing digital team. Anisfeld joins Baretz+Brunelle from Heidrick & Struggles, the international executive search firm, where he was the head of digital marketing and the originator of its digital marketing function.

WASHINGTON — ROKK Solutions has added three new associates to its team. They are senior account executive Ben Khoshbin, who joins from Echelon Insights; account executive Evelyn Swan, most recently US Sen. Angus King Jr.’s deputy press secretary; and Sofia Casamassa, who joins as an associate account executive after graduating from American University, majoring in public relations and political science.

WASHINGTON — Seven Letter has promoted seven employees across their two offices. Kara O’Connell, who manages media planning and creative production at Seven Letter Labs, Holly Jackson, who helps to lead the firm’s grassroots & grasstops advocacy practice, and Liza Crawford Joenler, who oversees the firm’s new business development process, have all been promoted to senior director. Benji Englander has been promoted to director, and Madison Bentil, Madeline Reynolds and Valentina Mendez have all been promoted to manager.