CHICAGO – Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP announced today that Jacquelyn Heard, who served as Mayor Richard M. Daley's press secretary for 14 years, has joined the firm as director of communications and public relations. Heard will be joined by Jodi Kawada, who was the City's deputy press secretary and served the Mayor’s Office for eight years.
“Jackie’s work as a communications advisor is well known and highly regarded,” said Vince Sergi, Katten’s National Managing Partner.
“She and Jodi are a talented team and, as a result, have had many opportunities to join large companies and traditional public relations firms,” he said.
“We wasted no time reaching out to them because bringing the kind of communications expertise they offer in-house will result in more effective and efficient services for the firm and will be an important resource for our clients.”
In addition to providing a range of public relations guidance to Katten’s 600-plus lawyers in offices in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Charlotte and London, the team will advise the firm’s clients on their specific public relations and media requirements whether on a single issue or through a more comprehensive plan.
“My work in City government was both gratifying and invaluable; it allowed me to draw on my 10 years of experience as a reporter and develop an extensive understanding of national and international media and marketing,” said Heard, who worked at the Chicago Tribune before going to work for Mayor Daley.
“What attracted me to Katten was the opportunity to not only continue to raise the visibility of this top-flight law firm that is growing nationally and internationally but also to work with their impressive roster of clients,” she said. “I believe that the gamut of experiences I’ve had will serve them well.”
Kawada, who has been named manager of communications, has wide-ranging experience across government, corporate and agency sectors. Before joining the City, she oversaw public affairs for TAP Pharmaceutical Products, a former joint venture of Abbott Laboratories and Takeda Chemical Industries, and has worked for PR agencies including Ogilvy Public Relations and Manning Selvage and Lee.
