SEATTLE—Weber Shandwick’s Seattle office has hired Rose Berg as senior vice president of its new local healthcare practice. Berg has worked with many Northwest institutions, including Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Pacific Health Summit, Puget Sound Chapter of the Komen for the Cure and the University of Washington School of Social Work. She most recently managed her own boutique strategic communications firm which led the launch of Partners for Our Children, a public/private partnership with the University of Washington, Department of Social & Health Services and the community to improve child welfare.

LOS ANGELES—Pam Edwards (pictured) has joined the automotive practice in the Los Angeles office of GolinHarris as director. She will work on clients including Toyota Motor Sales, Yamaha Motor Corporation, and NADAguides. She will report to Dan Zukowski, executive director of the automotive practice in Los Angeles. She comes to GolinHarris from Volvo Cars North America, where she served most recently as online business development manager and previously as corporate communications manager. Prior to Volvo, Pam managed the Volvo account, and earlier, the Kia account, for PCGCampbell.

WASHINGTON, DC—Ketchum has appointed Jill Bratina Kermes as senior vice president of corporate affairs in its Washington office. Most recently, Kermes served as vice president of brand and corporate communications for Volkswagen of America, where she managed the company's US corporate communications function and its corporate social responsibility platform. She joined Volkswagen from Public Strategies, where she was managing director, and previously served as communications director for Florida governor Jeb Bush during his second administration.

LOS ANGELES—Scott Samson has joined MWW Group as a vice president in its energy, sustainable solutions and clean-tech practice, based in Los Angeles. In this role, Samson will help grow the practice and lead sustainability and energy programs for a variety of clients including major brands, energy and tech companies, utilities, and municipalities. Most recently, as a senior consultant for Geltz Communications, Samson oversaw many of the agency’s largest accounts, including Con Edison’s small business energy-efficiency program in New York City. Earlier in his career, Samson led a three-year energy efficiency awareness program with the Department of Navy.

PORTLAND, OR—Lane PR has appointed Amy Paterson as vice president of social media. In this newly created role, Paterson will oversee social media strategy for client projects as well as lead the agency's digital and social media initiatives in New York and Portland. Paterson has been with LANE PR for more than 15 years and is a member of the agency's management team. For the past five years she has led employee training and development.

MINNEAPOLIS—KC Associates, a technology marketing and public relations firm, has added Eva Keiser as PR director and Ali Finer as a PR manager. Prior to KCA, Keiser spent five years as a senior vice president at Risdall McKinney Public Relations, and earlier spent 11 years as an account supervisor at Padilla Speer Beardsley. An independent PR consultant since 2007, Finer also gained her media relations expertise working at Padilla Speer Beardsley, serving as a senior account executive.

NEW YORK—Goodman Media International has added Jessica Hanks, most recently a publicist for the CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley as senior account executive, and Marissa Lyman, formerly a news editor at FoxNews.com, as account executive. Hanks and Lyman will work on the firm’s many media accounts.

WASHINGTON, DC—Jones Public Affairs has hired Mollie Turner and Lauren Smith as account directors in its Washington, DC, office. Prior to joining Jones Public Affairs, Turner worked at Washington-based public relations agencies and the American Medical Association. Smith previously provided strategic counsel to a Fortune 50 biopharmaceutical company.