PROVIDENCE – Christine Heenan, founder and president of Clarendon Group Inc., will be leaving in the fall to become vice president for government, community and public affairs at Harvard University. As a result, her Providence-based communications and government-relations agency is being restructured.
Clarendon’s current Vice President of Public Affairs Stacey Paterno will become senior partner of the firm, effective Oct. 1. At the same time, Arianne Corrente Lynch, associate director of public affairs, is to become a partner in the firm; and Garry Bliss, the current chief of policy for the City of Providence, is slated to become managing partner for Clarendon.
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Heenan’s new position will include overseeing Harvard’s relations with all levels of government, federal, state and local; coordinating activities with the school’s neighboring communities; and managing all its communications and media relations.
“Christine brings a great deal of relevant experience in government and communications, a longstanding commitment to higher education and a strong reputation for energetic leadership,” Harvard President Drew Faust said in a statement. “I look forward very much to working with her in the years ahead.”
Before founding Clarendon in 2001, Heenan had served as director of community and government relations at Brown University and as a senior policy analyst on the staff of the White House Domestic Policy Council. She currently serves as adjunct assistant professor of public policy at Brown’s A. Alfred Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions, as well as a senior adviser at Austin-based Public Strategies.
“Since its founding in 2001, Clarendon Group has occupied a unique place in the market,” Heenan said. The firm’s clients have included Amgen, Lifespan, Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse and Tiffany.
“I have tremendous confidence in the team that will lead Clarendon going forward,” she added, “and in their ability to add value to clients and advance their agendas in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.”
Bliss will come to Clarendon having worked not only for Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, but also for the state government and Providence-based multi-industry company Textron Inc.
“I very much look forward to joining Clarendon Group,” said Bliss. “Clarendon has a uniquely strong team of communications and public affairs professionals, and I am excited about the opportunity to use my skills and experience to assist clients and create new opportunities for the firm.”
“Clarendon Group is well-positioned for the future,” said Clarendon spokesperson Kim Keough, adding that a “phased-in transfer of ownership to the partners will begin in the coming months.”
To learn more about Clarendon Group Inc., visit www.clarendongroup.net.
