WE Communications announced additions to its senior account leadership team across the consumer, health and tech sectors, responding to a rapidly expanding client need in the New York market and on the East Coast.
Kona Luseni Barrasso joins as senior vice president, technology, Kristen Jordan-Poinsette as vice president, health, and Alex Kruse as account director, consumer. All will work out of the New York office, which serves as center of gravity for WE’s East Coast operations and has grown 11 percent in the past 12 months.
“New York is a hotbed for great companies that are undergoing transformation—from nascent industries to the next iteration of an already established one—it’s an exciting place to partner with clients,” said Kass Sells, president of NA. “This trio of proven leaders with deep expertise in their respective sectors joins our team at a time when we are ready to quickly capitalize on momentum and continue our success investing and growing in the East.”
Luseni Barrasso will serve as a member of WE’s technology executive team, working on clients like CA Technologies and helping continue to expand the agency’s NYC/East Coast tech portfolio. She brings more than 15 years’ experience building brands across traditional and digital platforms, most recently working as senior director at Burson-Marsteller.
“I’m driven to help brands find new ways to creatively ‘break the rules’ in today’s era of disruption,” said Luseni Barrasso. “WE’s clients are ones at the forefront of their industries, and I can’t wait to join a team that understands the power of engaging customers in new ways across the dynamic media ecosystem.”
Jordan-Poinsette brings 10 years of experience in designing and executing communications programs for high-profile healthcare clients. A recipient of PR News’ “30 Under 30” awards, she was most recently a vice president at Marina Maher Communications and has partnered with clients like Merck, GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer. Jordan-Poinsette will work on WE’s Tabula Rasa Healthcare account and also be tasked with driving new business pursuits.
“I’m thrilled to join an already thriving team and looking forward to playing an integral role in the continued growth and success of the New York office and health tech specialty,” said Jordan-Poinsette. “It’s an opportune time to deliver fresh, bold thinking to traditional and nontraditional healthcare clients.”
Kruse brings strong experience in media strategy and brand activation for major consumer brands across technology, travel and lifestyle, including Subaru, Nikon, Canon, Hyatt, Stoli Vodka and more. In his new role, he will focus on WE’s smart home discipline, spanning the agency’s consumer accounts.
Luseni Barrasso, Jordan-Poinsette and Kruse will support WE’s growing business in the northeast. Recent wins include signing in November with the Massachusetts-based consumer company iRobot as AOR for corporate, consumer product, and executive communications in North America and China (with expansion into EMEA in 2018), and adding healthcare technology company Tabula Rasa HealthCare and consumer tech brand Brother, based in New Jersey.
