NEWSMAKERS
ADVERTISING/MARKETING
Palisades Mediagroup, a Santa Monica-based marketing services firm, has named Laura Jean Bracken executive vice president-chief operating officer and Shelley Watson senior vice president. Previously, Bracken was general manager at OMD, a Jefferson City, Mo.-based marketing and advertising firm. Watson was senior vice president at RPA, a Santa Monica-based marketing and advertising firm.
Evolve Media, a marketing services firm, has named Paul Santello senior vice president of brand sales and marketing. Previously, Santello was senior vice president at Moxie Interactive, an Atlanta-based marketing services firm.
Round2 Communications, a Westwood advertising services firm, has named Cher Cusumano digital media supervisor. Previously, Cusumano was a vice president at Bank of America.
Octagon, a Norwalk, Conn.-based marketing and talent agency, has named David M. Taghioff chief operating officer of its Octagon Entertainment division in Los Angeles. Previously, Taghioff was co-head of talent agency William Morris Endeavor’s London office.
Trailer Park, a Hollywood entertainment marketing agency, has named Clarissa Donlevy creative director, motion graphics, and Darren Jaffe director, motion graphics. Previously, Donlevy was art director at Prologue Films, a Venice marketing firm. Jaffe was head of production at Brand New School, a motion graphics and design studio with branches in New York and Santa Monica.
ARCHITECTURE
NBBJ, a Seattle-based architecture and design firm, has named Robert Mankin a partner in its downtown L.A. office. Previously, Mankin was a principal at the firm.
AUTOMOTIVE
Coda Automotive, a Santa Monica electric carmaker, has named K. Forrest Beanum vice president of public affairs and communications. Previously, Beanum was vice president of communications at CityView, a Westwood real estate investment firm.
BANKING & FINANCE
RW Smith, a Bellevue, Wash.-based investment services firm, has named Danny Schatz broker and vice president of business development at its Hermosa Beach office. Previously, Schatz was a financial adviser for Wedbush Securities, an investment services business.
Dallas-based Comerica Bank has named William G. Ergas financial services division vice president in its El Segundo office. Previously, Ergas was a vice president at Countrywide Bank in Newport Beach.
CONSULTING
Judge Group, a Philadelphia-based business advisory firm, has named Jeffrey Livonius vice president at its L.A. office. Previously, Livonius was vice president at Placement Strategies Inc., a hiring services firm.
ENTERTAINMENT
Fox Networks Affiliate Sales and Marketing has named Julie Simon senior vice president at its Century City office. Previously, Simon was vice president of strategy and business development for cable channel operator AETN/Lifetime Television.
Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles, a Miracle Mile-based non-profit, has named Shreedhar Kothari to its board. Kothari is a partner at Gumbiner Savett Inc., a Santa Monica accounting firm.
Jeff Skoll Group, a Beverly Hills operating company overseeing a portfolio of philanthropic and commercial enterprises including movie producer Participant Media, has named Noah Manduke chief strategy officer. Previously, Manduke was president of Durable Good, an Agoura Hills management consulting firm.
NON-PROFIT
Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, a Marina del Rey non-profit, has named Madeline Di Nonno executive director. Previously, Di Nonno was chief executive of On the Scene Productions, a video production and postproduction company.
Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, a New York-based law firm, has named Matthew E. Sloan a partner in the firm’s downtown L.A. office. Previously, Sloan was a counsel at the firm.
The Los Angeles County Bar Association has named Trudi Lesser to its real property section executive committee. Lesser is founder of the Law Offices of Trudi J. Lesser, a Redondo Beach law firm.
REAL ESTATE
Equator, a maker of technology products for the distressed property management industry, has named John Vella chief operating officer. Previously, Vella was executive vice president at GMAC/Rescap, a Fort Washington, Penn.-based mortgage securities investment services firm.
Jones Lang LaSalle, a Chicago-based real estate services firm, has named Jen Frisk an associate in its Century City office. Previously, Frisk was a leasing associate at Bixby Land Co., an Irvine real estate investment trust.
TECHNOLOGY
CyberDefender Corp., a downtown L.A. maker of PC security software, has named Neil Evans senior vice president of operations. Previously, Evans was senior vice president of operations at Product Partners LLC/Beachbody, a Beverly Hills maker of health supplements and videos.
