DDA Expands New York Team With Key Hires, Katie Conklin Named Film and Series Publicity Head

DDA, the corporate communications and content publicity firm, has made key hires to expand its east coast operation. 

Katie Conklin of 42West has been named the head of a new Domestic Film & Series Publicity division as senior account director. Madison Tobin, also from 42West, joins as senior account executive and will act as counterpart to West Coast leads Sara Tehrani and KatieJo Ash. 

“Katie’s breadth of knowledge and experience coupled with her passion for cinematic storytelling, equips her to build and lead a team on the East Coast with Madison.  It’s the perfect complement to our existing practices in Los Angeles and London and positions DDA as the premiere global agency choice for studios, streamers and independents,” said agency partner Dana Archer on behalf of the company’s board. 

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Over eight years in her previous gig, Conklin devised publicity campaigns for series including “The Boys,” “The Conners” and “The Summer I Turned Pretty”; as well as films including “Drive Away Dolls,” “BlacKkKlandsman” and “Wicked Little Letters.” She recently worked on festival titles “It’s What’s Inside” and “Bob Trevino Likes It.” Tobin worked with Conklin in the same lane for five years. 

DDA New York formally launched in May with the hire of Dan Salerno, senior director of strategy and operations, as well as Rachel Effendy, a consultant and founder of boutique firm StrawberryWasabi. They were recently joined by Paige Gurski of Wieden+Kennedy, who was named a creative lead for campaigns. 

Elsewhere in the company, DDA launched a live content division with veterans Richard Adamson and Louis Kemsley. Julie La’Bassiere, a veteran in the awards space and BAFTA deputy chair, joined as a global outreach executive with Carola Ash as director or internation awards outreach. DDA now employs 150 across New York, Los Angeles and London.