WASHINGTON, DC—Ketchum has added four senior strategists to its Washington-based North American public affairs practice, including Katie Conover as senior vice president.

Conover joins Ketchum after more than six years at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, serving most recently as a senior vice president in the agency's public affairs practice, providing crisis and issues management and media relations counsel to clients facing major reputational and regulatory challenges in health policy, nutrition, and food safety. Previously, she worked for more than 15 years as a national television producer in Washington.

In addition, the firm has added Joe Wagner, formerly vice president at GMMB for seven years, as vice president and group manager; Brian Hart, formerly deputy chief of staff to US Senator Sam Brownback and communications director to US Senator Judd Gregg, as vice president, group manager and senior media strategist; and Matthew Simmons as vice president and account supervisor.