NEW YORK—Edelman has named Brian Ellner as executive vice president and group head of public affairs in the firm’s New York office. Ellner, who was the senior strategist for the Human Rights Campaign’s successful effort to win marriage equality in New York in 2011, will lead Edelman’s 35-person New York public affairs group. He will report to Ron Guirguis, managing director of Edelman New York’s corporate and public affairs practice.

During his time at HRC, Ellner launched New Yorkers for Marriage Equality, a communications campaign featuring iconic New Yorkers—from Julianne Moore, Anna Wintour and Mayor Michael Bloomberg to Barbara Bush, Sean Avery and Russell Simmons—expressing support for equal marriage rights.

After the New York win, Ellner created HRC’s Americans for Marriage Equality campaign and provided strategic and communications counsel on the successful legislative and ballot marriage wins in Maryland, Minnesota, Maine and Washington State. He also co-founded the national social media campaign “The Four” in support of the four 2012 winning marriage equality referenda.

Prior to joining HRC, Ellner was a senior aide in the administration of Mayor Bloomberg, working with the New York City Department of Education to transform public education and renew mayoral accountability for the school system. Ellner also worked with then Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein to build the Education Equality Project, a national non-profit effort focused on eliminating the racial and ethnic achievement gap.