WASHINGTON, March 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ketchum, one of the world leaders in communications and public relations, today named Dr. Christopher Handler senior vice president and director of its Social Marketing Practice, with responsibility for leading multimillion-dollar communications programs for federal government agencies and nonprofit associations.

Handler joined Ketchum in 2006 and over the past eight years has been a leader within the Social Marketing Practice, serving most recently as senior vice president. He will report to Bill McIntyre, director of Ketchum's Washington, D.C., office. He replaces Christine Shreeve, who left Ketchum in February to join the Food and Drug Administration as director of the Office of Communications for the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

"Chris is widely recognized for his deep expertise in driving social marketing campaigns that are critical to the well-being of Americans," said McIntyre. "He's relentless in his commitment to excellence and innovation, especially as it relates to advances in integrated digital communications, which is going to be a game-changer in this sector."

Handler added, "I'm excited to build on the great platform we've already established in Ketchum's government social marketing programs. We have a strong, passionate team focused on initiatives like electronic health records, the transition to ICD-10 medical coding, heart health and healthcare quality. In every client project, we push for break through work that drives behavioral change while meeting or exceeding the most demanding metrics for success."

Handler earned his Ph.D. in molecular biology from the University of Pennsylvania and his B.S. in biology from Georgetown University.

About Ketchum
Ketchum is a leading global communications firm with operations in more than 70 countries across six continents. The winner of 14 Cannes Lions and an unprecedented four PRWeek Campaign of the Year Awards, Ketchum partners with clients to deliver strategic programming, game-changing creative and measurable results that build brands and reputations. For more information on Ketchum, a part of the DAS Group of Companies, visit www.ketchum.com.

About the DAS Group of Companies
The DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), is a global group of marketing services companies. DAS includes over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: specialty, PR, healthcare, CRM, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. Operating through a combination of networks and regional organizations, DAS serves international, regional, national and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

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SOURCE Ketchum