O’Donnell named Citizens public affairs head

PROVIDENCE – Kathy O’Donnell, Citizens Bank public affairs director for Rhode Island, has been appointed the public affairs director for parent Citizens Financial Group Inc.
O’Donnell, a senior vice president, will now work with public affairs teams across the company’s 12-state footprint, managing Citizens Bank and CFG subsidiary Charter One’s community outreach, marketing sponsorships and philanthropic activities.
Citizens said Amie Kershaw will succeed O’Donnell as director of public affairs in Rhode Island. Kershaw was previously the bank’s senior public affairs manager.
Kershaw, a vice president, will oversee public affairs, community outreach and media relations in Rhode Island, reporting to O’Donnell. In addition, Kershaw is a member of Citizens Bank President Ned Handy’s state leadership team.
O’Donnell joined Citizens Bank in 1995 as a public relations manager. Before coming to Citizens, O’Donnell was director of development at the American Diabetes Association’s Rhode Island Chapter and a reporter for local radio stations.
Since joining Citizens six years ago, Kershaw has led programs such as Champions in Action, Striking Out Hunger and Gear For Grades. Prior to joining Citizens, Kershaw was promotions director at WPRO-FM.
Citizens Financial Group Inc. – a division of the Edinburgh-based Royal Bank of Scotland Group plc. (London Stock Exchange: RBS.L; NYSE: RBS) – is a commercial bank holding company founded in Providence in 1828. It has $151 billion in assets and about 22,600 employees at 1,500 Citizens Bank and Charter One branches in 12 states plus non-branch offices in about 40 states, most of which Citizens Financial operates through its RBS Citizens NA subsidiary. Additional information is available at CitizensBank.com or www.rbs.com.