Chiptole has hired former Yum! Brands executive Laurie Schalow as its first chief communications officer. Diana Bradley at PR Week reports:

Schalow will work from the company’s Denver headquarters and report to Steve Ells, founder, chairman, and CEO. Her responsibilities include overseeing all facets of the chain’s internal and external communications.

Chipotle PR director Chris Arnold will report to Schalow. He previously reported to CMO Mark Crumpacker.

Schalow has joined Chipotle from Yum! Brands, where she was VP of public affairs. In her most recent position, she was responsible for building the brand reputations of more than 44,000 KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell restaurants in 140 countries.

The hire follows a string of E.coli, norovirus, rodent outbreak and labor challenges over the past two years for the Denver-based restaurant chain. Burson-Marsteller is Chipotle’s agency of record in the U.S.