RALEIGH, NC — Earl Whipple has joined French/West/Vaughan to oversee the agency’s corporate communications and public affairs practices. In the senior VP role, Whipple will manage a portfolio of accounts in the technology, electrification, diagnostic, biosciences and regulated industries. Most recently, Whipple was VP for communications at the University of North Carolina (UNC) System with communications oversight responsibility for all 16 UNC System universities, UNC Health and PBS North Carolina.

NEW YORK — Maggie Garrison has joined DDB Worldwide as associate director of communications. Garrison will be responsible for managing North America internal and DEI corporate communications. She joins the team from Interpublic Group where she was marketing and communications manager.

WASHINGTON — Invariant has tapped Bill McQuillen to join its communications and public affairs practice, counseling clients on media strategy, public affairs, executive visibility, and reputation issues. McQuillen joins Invariant from Burson Cohn & Wolfe where he was an executive VP and Washington earned media lead.

WASHINGTON — Adfero has hired Tara Zachariah to lead the firm’s energy practice. Zachariah brings to the senior VP role more than 10 years working with clients in the energy industry. She most recently served as a VP at Boundary Stone Partners.

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Grant McLaughlin has joined HudsonLake as executive VP of client services. McLaughlin joins after more than 20 years at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he built the firm’s strategic communications and change management capability, serving public sector, private sector and not-for-profit clients. Later, he served as Booz Allen’s chief marketing + communications officer.

NASHVILLE, TN — MP&F Strategic Communications has named Brittany Irby its first director of community engagement. Irby, who joined MP&F in June 2019 as an account supervisor, will continue to lead existing client teams while also engaging with new clients who wish to establish or build a presence in Nashville.