AP names new director of media relations

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Lauren Easton, who joined The Associated Press last year as media relations manager, has been promoted to director of media relations.

The move was announced by Jessica Bruce, senior vice president for human resources and corporate communications, to whom Easton reports.

Easton joined AP in 2015 after spending seven years as a broadcast journalist at NBC affiliate WILX-TV in Lansing, Mich. From 2012 until her move to New York, she anchored the station's 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscasts under her maiden name, Evans. She spent nearly three years prior anchoring the morning newscast after joining the station as a weekend anchor and reporter in 2008.

"Lauren has been an extraordinary asset to the AP since joining us last year," Bruce said. "She has the perfect combination of a news background, excellent social media skills, and an eye and an ear for media relations."

As director of media relations at AP, Easton is responsible for developing and implementing AP's external communications policies and plans, as well as providing strategic leadership in directing the news agency's relations with the media and public.

Easton graduated from the University of Southern California with degrees in broadcast journalism and political science.

She succeeds AP Vice President Paul Colford in the director position, which he held for nearly 10 years. Colford has been on leave from the news organization.

Easton, The Associated Press, AP
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