NEW YORK—Porter Novelli has appointed three new partners: Bill Kolberg, executive vice president, managing director of the agency’s Los Angeles office and agency lead on the McDonald’s business; Linda Martin, executive vice president, managing director of the agency’s Irvine and San Diego offices, and agency lead on the Almond Board of California business; and Stephen McCauley, executive vice president, director of the agency’s Washington based food, beverage and nutrition team and agency lead on the Bel Brands USA, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, United States Department of Agriculture and Welch’s businesses.

ST. LOUIS—Tom Hudder (pictured) has joined Fleishman-Hillard as senior vice president and executive creative director of the St. Louis office, a newly created position. Previously, Hudder was executive vice president and executive creative director for Rodgers Townsend/DDB in St. Louis for more than 13 years. Before that, he served in creative leadership positions for GSD&M in Austin, Tracy-Locke in Dallas and Denver, and DMB&B and Glennon in St. Louis. His account experience covers brands including AT&T, Anheuser-Busch, Enterprise, Monsanto, Sara Lee, Wal-Mart, the St. Louis Rams and others.

NEW YORK—MWW Group has named René Spellman as vice president for youth marketing and entertainment. Prior to joining MWW, Spellman served in President Barack Obama’s administration, most recently as an advisor on youth and federal engagement and strategic communications to the White House Council for Community Solutions. She also served as a liaison to the White House at the Corporation for National and Community Service and the US Department of Education.

CLEVELAND—Alexa Marinos has joined Dix & Eaton as a vice president. Specializing in brand messaging campaigns, digital communications and social media strategic planning, Marinos develops and implements programs that bridge both online and offline communications tactics. Marinos most recently was an account executive at thunder::tech, a marketing firm in Cleveland. Previously, she worked in sales and marketing for an alternative weekly newspaper and in marketing communications and direct marketing for two firms in Canton, Ohio.

NEW YORK—Nancy J. Friedman Public Relations has added Joe O’Donnell as media director. O’Donnell joins NJFPR from The Marino Organization where he spent six years as an account director in the lifestyle division, spearheading press outreach and strategy for food, lifestyle, and travel accounts. Previously, he was a vice president at Todd Shapiro Associates.

SAN ANTONIO—Hispanic marketing specialist Bromley has appointed Mary Padilla as its public relations director. Padilla has held leadership positions at Univision Television Network in New York and Miami, and was director of marketing for Movida Communications, a wireless telecommunications company. Most recently, she was a consultant in Overland Park, Kan., providing services in brand management, social media strategy, nonprofit communications and Hispanic marketing.

NEW YORK—Mark Traverson has joined STC Associates, a global brand engagement firm, as public relations new media senior manager. Traverson was most recently senior account executive at DBA Public Relations.