Following a strong start to the fiscal year, Edelman, a leading global communications marketing firm, announced today it is bolstering its Media and Public Affairs practices with two senior hires.
Caitlin Hayden, former special assistant to the President and National Security Council spokesperson, is joining Edelman’s Washington, D.C. office as Senior Vice President in the Media and Technology practices. Hayden will develop media strategies for clients and help them tell their narratives through content creation. As part of that team, she will be reuniting with former White House deputy press secretary, Jamie Smith, who joined Edelman last year as the head of Strategic Media Relations.
Matt Seaholm, a veteran campaign manager, is also joining Edelman as a Vice President on the Public Affairs team. He will be joining the integrated advocacy team to help clients navigate federal, state and local policy fights.
“We are pleased to welcome Caitlin and Matt to Edelman. They bring tremendous experience and strong relationships that will add significant value to our clients’ and help get them results,” said Rob Rehg, president of Edelman Washington, D.C.“We have ambitious growth plans for our D.C. operations and hiring the right talent is vital to achieve our goals.”
Hayden most recently served as a Special Assistant to the President, and was the senior White House spokesperson for national security matters. She led White House messaging around foreign policy, defense, intelligence, cybersecurity and counterterrorism. Prior to the White House, Hayden — a Pennsylvania native — was the spokesperson and Deputy Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. She also served in public affairs and policy roles at the U.S. Department of State since 2001.
“I am thrilled to join the team at Edelman, an agency at the top of its game. I look forward to working with an established bench of impressive talent and to helping continue the strong growth they have had in recent years,” said Hayden. Having run campaigns on legislative, congressional, statewide, and national levels, Seaholm brings an extensive background in politics, issue advocacy, and grassroots organization to Edelman. Prior to running a campaign for governor in New Hampshire last year, Seaholm advised a network of national non-profit organizations on grassroots advocacy and political issues. Before that, he served as National Field Director for Americans for Prosperity after a successful tenure as the Wisconsin State Director during the fight over Governor Walker’s budget reforms. A native of Wisconsin, Seaholm got his start at the State Capitol in Madison running targeted campaigns at the legislative level.
"Joining the team at Edelman is a humbling honor. The experience and knowledge within the Edelman companies is incredible. To be part of the integrated advocacy team is certainly exciting. We have the capabilities to tackle any challenge and I very much look forward to working with my colleagues to achieve many victories on behalf of our clients.”
About Edelman
Edelman is a leading global communications marketing firm that partners with many of the world’s largest and emerging businesses and organizations, helping them evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations. Edelman was named one of Advertising Age’s “Agency to Watch” in 2014; one of Forbes’ “14 Most Influential Agencies of 2014”; and The Holmes Report’s “2013 Global Agency of the Year.” Edelman was awarded the Grand Prix Cannes Lion for PR in 2014 and was among Glassdoor’s “Best Places to Work” for the third time in 2014. Edelman owns specialty firms Edelman Berland (research) and United Entertainment Group (entertainment, sports, experiential), a joint venture with United Talent Agency.