The NFL named NATALIE RAVITZ Senior VP/Communications, the latest move under new Exec VP/Communications JOE LOCKHART, who has thus far spearheaded a more muscular approach to league PR. Ravitz previously spent just over three years as Chief of Staff and Senior VP/Strategy under 21st Century Fox and News Corp. Exec Chair RUPERT MURDOCH. Prior to that, Ravitz was N.Y. Department of Education Communications Dir. The NFL in a statement said Ravitz will be based in the league’s Manhattan HQ and oversee communications and media strategy, reporting directly to Lockhart (Daniel Kaplan, Staff Writer).
THE SOUND OF MUSIC: Former MLB CMO JACQUELINE PARKES has been hired by MTV as its new Exec VP/Marketing & Creative. Parkes, who left MLB last week after a 21-year run with the league, will report directly to MTV President SEAN ATKINS, himself newly hired last September. Viacom-owned MTV is seeking to remake itself with a renewed focus around music, and Parkes will be part of a rebuilt senior exec leadership team. She will oversee creative and marketing initiatives across MTV’s portfolio, including MTV, MTV2, mtvU, MTV Live and MTV News. In her prior role at MLB, Parkes interfaced frequently with Viacom, in part through efforts such as a lifestyle show built around the now-closed MLB Fan Cave that aired on MTV2 and a partnership last summer with youth programmer Nickelodeon (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer).
EXECS: The 76ers named Wizards VP/Player Personnel MARC EVERSLEY to the same position, NBA Associate VP/Basketball Operations NED COHEN Associate VP & Chief of Staff and promoted NBA D-League Delaware 87ers GM BRANDON WILLIAMS to the newly created position of VP/Basketball Administration. Williams will continue in his role with the 87ers (76ers)....The USTA named NBA VP/Team Marketing & Operations KIRSTEN CORIO Managing Dir of Ticket & Digital Strategy. She will report to USTA CRO LEW SHERR (USTA)....The Nets named U.S. Court of Appeals Judicial Law Clerk for the Eighth Circuit in St. Louis NATALIE JAY Cap & Contract Specialist, Spurs Quality Assurance Assistant of Basketball Operations ANDREW BAKER Strategic Planning Coordinator and promoted Assistant to the GM RYAN GISRIEL to Dir of Basketball Administration (Nets)....Daktronics named Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment National Sales Manager for Pro Sports BRENT STEVENS to the same position (THE DAILY)....Indiana State Univ. promoted Assistant AD/Business Operations ANGIE LANSING to Senior Associate AD in addition to continuing her duties as Senior Woman Administrator (TRIBSTAR.com, 5/5)....Houston-based sports marketing firm Professional Sports Partners named BRAD TRUE Activation Manager (THE DAILY)....Winthrop Univ. promoted Dir of Academic Services JOANNA HARRIS to Assistant AD/Academics & Student Services (Winthrop).
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