Two veteran FOX publicity execs have been promoted to vp as Shannon Ryan has been named vp, entertainment publicity, and Elissa Johansmeier has been promoted to vp, publicity and corporate communications. Both report to Joe Earley, evp, publicity, corporate communications and creative services for FOX, who also announced several additional promotions within the networks publicity department.
In her new position, Ryan is responsible for supervising the networks publicity staff, as well as managing all aspects of entertainment publicity, including the development and implementation of national publicity campaigns for FOX series and specials.
Johansmeier continues to be responsible for supervising the east coast publicity staff and spearheading the New York-based entertainment publicity efforts for the network, as well as coordinating all communications efforts on behalf of the companys national sales team.
Earley promoted director of publicity Jason Clark to exec director; publicity managers Todd Adair, Jill Hudson Bell and Kim Fitzgerald Kurland to the position of director of publicity; as well as awarding senior publicists Alexandra Gillespie, Joshua Governale and Michael Roach the title of manager.
Shannon and Elissa have been invaluable to the network, said Earley. In addition to their impressive talents as publicity execs, theyve provided leadership and creativity which have raised our efforts to new heights. Their promotions, along with the others in the department, are long overdue.
Ryan joined FOX in 1994 as a coordinator in the networks corporate publicity department, where she has risen through the ranks, serving as a publicist, senior publicist, manager, director and exec director of publicity. She launched and executed the original publicity plans for such seminal series as THAT 70s SHOW (remaining as that shows publicist throughout its eight-year run), FAMILY GUY, AMERICAN DAD, KING OF THE HILL, THE SIMPLE LIFE (all three FOX installments), UNDECLARED and the Emmy Award-winning comedy, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT.
Ryan has developed creative awards campaign strategies for numerous FOX series, including 24, HOUSE and AMERICAN IDOL. She also has overseen many marketing initiatives for the network, including college screening programs, market-to-market mobile tours and street team efforts.
Prior to joining FOX as exec director of publicity and corporate communications in 2003, Johansmeier headed her own firm, Elissa Johansmeier Public Relations, for over four years, representing actors, television series, independent feature films, documentaries and such clients as National Geographic Television, PBS, The WB and Paramount Domestic Television. She also served in various management positions at Pryor & Assoc. Public Relations in Los Angeles, ultimately moving east to head up its New York office from 1998 to 1999. She began her career in publicity at FOX in 1995, first serving as a coordinator in corporate public relations and later in movie and miniseries publicity.
