Edelman today announced the appointment of Jennifer Simon as senior vice president of Business + Social Purpose (B+SP) in the agency’s New York office. Simon, who most recently served at the White House as Director of International Affairs for First Lady Michelle Obama, will be part of the leadership team of Edelman’s New York B+SP group, and work closely with the Public Affairs group. She will report jointly to Freya Williams, group head of B+SP and Brian Ellner, group head of Public Affairs in New York.
“Jennifer is a terrific addition to our New York team and demonstrates the agency’s commitment to growing our Business + Social Purpose practice,” said Williams. “Her deep experience in women and girls’ issues, in international development and in global social issue campaigns will add immediate value to client engagements across the agency.”
“As more and more clients are focused on national and global public affairs campaigns with purpose at the center, we are thrilled to welcome Jennifer to our growing practice,” said Ellner. “Her extensive global experience will position us to respond to the growing demand for robust, sophisticated and authentic multi-stakeholder campaigns that bridge public and private sectors.”
Simon is seasoned in providing strategic counsel and initiative development for executive leaders on a wide range of international issues, with a particular expertise in women and girls’ empowerment. As director of international affairs for the First Lady, she led the formation and execution of her international affairs agenda, including the signature Let Girls Learn initiative, as well as advancing partnerships with key private sector and stakeholder groups. She also co-led the development of the First Lady’s Reach Higher initiative, which encourages and supports youth in the United States to achieve higher education.
Prior to her time in the White House, Simon served as deputy chief of staff of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID); and a senior advisor to then-U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, focusing on U.S.-UN relations, global women’s empowerment, peacekeeping and humanitarian issues. She also served as senior aide to then-Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee staff, covering the UN and international organizations, global women’s issues and human rights, including violence against women and human trafficking. Simon graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and holds a masters degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA).
“I’m thrilled to be joining Edelman and its top-notch, talented and creative team. For decades, Edelman has been a leader in the industry, while putting integrity and purpose at the core of its business,” said Simon. “I’m excited to collaborate with colleagues in New York, across the U.S., and globally to add my experience to advance a range of international issues, and in particular opportunities for women and girls around the world through innovative solutions and partnerships.”
Edelman New York’s Corporate & Public Affairs practice is home to more than 160 professionals in public affairs, corporate communications, social purpose, employee engagement, technology and management consulting. The B+SP practice is a global team of over 100 purpose specialists who partner with corporations, brands and organizations to create significant societal benefit as well as shareholder value. B+SP members have diverse backgrounds in sustainability, corporate citizenship, purpose branding and nonprofit marketing and have developed purpose solutions for clients including Unilever, Southwest Airlines, HP, Microsoft, PNC and the American Lung Association, among others.
About Edelman
Edelman is a leading global communications marketing firm, with more than 5,500 employees in 65 cities worldwide. Edelman 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.