MINNEAPOLIS—Carlson, a global hospitality and travel company, has appointed Tammy Lee Stanoch as vice president, corporate communications. She will lead media and public relations, community affairs and support Carlson’s CEO and executive team on public affairs matters. She brings more than a decade of airline, travel and hospitality experience, including senior leadership positions at DeltaR), Northwest Airlines, US Airways, Sun Country Airlines and The Mark Travel Corporation. Most recently, Stanoch was vice president of corporate and foundation relations at the University of Minnesota Foundation.

NEW YORK—Loews Corporation has appointed Mary Skafidas as vice president, investor and public relations, responsible for the investor, media, corporate marketing and communications activities. She joined Loews in January 2012 as the head of investor relations and will now also direct the company's public relations efforts. Previously, she was vice president of corporate communications and marketing for McGraw-Hill Education and held media and investor relations positions at Toyota Motor North America.

VERNON, VT—Jim Sinclair has been named manager of communications for Entergy Corporation’s nuclear power plants in Vermont and Massachusetts, reporting to Terry Young, vice president, nuclear communications. Sinclair began his career at Vermont Yankee in 1979, and served as director of public affairs there from 1988 to 1998. He left to become director of public affairs for ISO New England, and since 2011 he has served as division director of LNG Operations.

SEATTLE—Windstar Cruises has hired Amanda Graham as director of public relations, responsible for public relations, media relations, social media strategy and crisis communication, reporting to Joe Duckett, Vice President of Marketing.  Most recently, Graham served as the manager of media and public relations at Norwegian Cruise Line, the third largest cruise line. Earlier, she worked as an account manager for Starmark International, a boutique advertising agency in South Florida.

ALBANY—Dan Weiller has been named director of public affairs for the New York State Thruway Authority and the New York State Canal Corporation, which operates the state’s 570-mile Thruway and the 524-mile canal system. One of Weiller's primary objectives will be communications relating to the New Tappan Zee Bridge, one of the country's largest infrastructure projects. Weiller has been a communications consultant at Patricia Lynch Associates since 2010 and was previously press secretary to New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

NEEDHAM, MA—Olin College of Engineering has named Michelle Davis, a former vice president of public affairs and marketing at Boston Children’s Hospital, as its first chief marketing officer. She will be responsible for developing and implementing integrated marketing, communication and branding strategies and increasing visibility among key constituencies. Davis served for 12 years at Boston Children’s Hospital, advancing to VP of public affairs and marketing, and earlier was director of public affairs at Tufts Health Plan in Waltham.