LOS ANGELES—Charles Sipkins is joining Finsbury in Los Angeles as a partner as the firm formally opens an LA office, serving clients in the media, tech and automotive industries. Sipkins previously served as executive vice president and chief communications officer for Sony Pictures Entertainment, where he oversaw corporate communications as well as communications for its business units. Previously, he launched the Los Angeles office of Sard Verbinnen and held positions at The Abernathy MacGregor Group, Fleishman-Hillard and Hill & Knowlton.

NEW YORK—Porter Novelli has promoted Rich Cline, senior partner and president of Voce Communications, to global technology practice leader and Mindy Gikas, executive vice president and North American talent lead, to global talent lead. Additionally, global health and wellness practice leader Paul George and global marketing and business development leader Kate Cusick have been added to the agency's executive committee. In their new roles, all four will report to Brad MacAfee, global CEO. 

NEW YORK—Ketchum has promoted a number of senior executives to partner level, including Valeria Perito, CEO of Ketchum Brazil, based in São Paulo; Joe Becker, associate director of Ketchum Digital, based in New York; Corinne Gudovic, director of the Midwest brand marketing practice, based in Chicago; Chris Handler, director of the social marketing practice, based in Washington, DC; Kevin Oates, director of the Los Angeles corporate and public affairs practice; Paul Wood, director of the New York corporate and public affairs practice; Steve Navarra, director of finance and operations for Ketchum South, Ketchum Digital and Ketchum Canada, based in Atlanta; and Katherine Yustak, director of North America human resources, based in New York.

TORONTO—National Public Relations has added Ronald Alepian as senior vice president, corporate and financial communications in Toronto, in addition to his ongoing responsibilities as general manager, National Equicom, the firm’s investor relations practice Alepian has served as a senior executive and head of global communications for Bell, Nortel, TMX Group and New York-based software giant CA Technologies. The firm also appointed Nini Krishnappa as vice president, reporting to Alepian. Krishnappa was most recently director, corporate communications, at BMO Financial Group.

MINNEAPOLIS—Tunheim has added Brian Ortale as director of finance and administration. Ortale has led finance teams in the retail, technology and creative industries, most recently with Creatis  as director of business operations. There he handled all aspects of financial management.

BALTIMORE—Crisis management and communications firm Fallston Group has appointed Kathy Walsh as director of marketing. Walsh, who founded and operated JigSaw Marketing Solutions since 2002, has joined forces with Fallston Group to deepen its marketing expertise; Walsh will lead the firm’s strategic communications and media business vertical.

ATLANTA—Brandware Public Relations has appointed Jennifer Jones-Mitchell as president, based in the agency’s Atlanta headquarters. Jones-Mitchell, who most recently served as EVP/managing director for Hope-Beckham, will lead Brandware’s continued expansion into digital communications, social marketing, marketing communications and content development, along with the firm’s public relations services. She reports to agency CEO Elke Martin.