Congratulations to Julie Scott, who has been named communications director at Junior Achievement. Scott formerly was communications manager at Bonfils Blood Center.

Smashburger has named former Qdoba manager of non-traditional marketing public relations Doug Thielen as vice president of communications. The Denver Business Journal has the details.

Suncor Energy has hired Brandy Radey as Senior Advisor for Communications & Stakeholder Relations. Radey previously was with Cohn Marketing.

Denver Health and Hospital Authority appointed Julie Lonborg chief marketing and public-relations officer. Lonborg previously was director of Planning, Business Development and Marketing at Swedish Medical Center.

Denver’s Barefoot PR has hired Sarah Hogan as vice president. In her role as vice president, Hogan will work closely with firm president and founder, Cori Plotkin, and other virtual team members on client relations, account management, and business development.

Communications Strategy Group (CSG|PR) promoted Shannon Fern to director of its Health & Wellness practice. Fern is CSG|PR’s lead health PR specialist, and she has more than 10 years of diverse communications experience with expertise in the areas of public and community relations, communications plan development, writing, event planning and sponsorship marketing.

Guttau Public Relations has hired Jesse Spencer as Account Manager. Spencer’s experience includes positions in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles wwith E! Network, Warner Brothers and the Gersh Agency. He also has helped with various public relations, marketing, and social media campaigns for organizations such as Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Qwest, Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Downtown Denver Partnership, Namco Networks, and Wilson Electronics.

Colorado Public Radio promoted Jennifer Flatt to director of marketing and hired Tara Friedman as director of philanthropy. Flatt is now responsible for execution and supervision of day-to-day marketing and public relations initiatives, and Friedman will develop and execute strategies to build financial support for the news, information and classical music that CPR provides.

Randy Blauvelt has been named director of marketing and communications at Rose Community Foundation, where he will oversee the Foundation’s publications, news media relations, marketing efforts, and strategic communications related to grant-making, philanthropic services and program initiatives. Blauvelt previously was vice president of marketing and communications for the American Humane Association.

Colorado Public Radio has hired Lana Jefferson Taussig as public relations manager to direct social and traditional media outreach, organize various community and listener engagement programs, and contribute to other strategic marketing initiatives. Jefferson Taussig previously was director of communications at Project C.U.R.E. Before that, she led and supported PR efforts for several local and national accounts at Schenkein.

Dana Lauren Berry has been named Director of Public Relations for the new Four Seasons Hotel Denver. Berry formerly was Director of Public Relations at Magnolia Hotels before launching Dana Lauren PR.

Vince Hancock and Ginger Pelz have joined DaVita’s communications department at the company’s new Denver headquarters. Hancock most recently worked in Level 3’s corporate communications group, and prior to that was Qwest’s field media relations manager in Salt Lake City where he was responsible for all media relations in Montana, New Mexico and Utah. Pelz joins DaVita after spending three years at MGA Communications, where she focused on developing and implementing social media strategies for the agency and its clients in addition to spearheading community outreach programs.

Liz Pope has been named media and research manager at Sarah Evans’ Chicago-based Sevans Strategy. Pope will remain in Denver and consult with businesses on how to integrate social media into their public relations strategies. Pope formerly was PR and marketing manager at Scott Systems.

The Colorado Hospital Association has named Ron Zwerin vice president of communications. Zwerin formerly was with CSG|PR and SE2, and was an anchor and reporter at FOX31 and 9News.

• Dovetail Solutions named Scott Gossett and Ryan Peacock as managers of client services. Gossett formerly was with Stryker Weiner and Yokota in Hawaii and Peacock formerly was with Metro Mountain Media (a division of MediaNews Group).
• The Loveland Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Center named Nicole Hegg as communications and events manager. Hegg formerly was with VisiTech PR.
• GroundFloor Media has introduced its new Web site that includes live Twitter and blog post feeds.
• Dovetail Solutions has unveiled a agency new blog.

Denver Nuggets public relations director Eric Sebastian is leaving to accept a job as director of basketball operations for the University of Memphis.

Brand strategy and marketing communications firm Sterling-Rice Group has hired Jill Holmstrom as account director. Holmstrom previously was with Karsh/Hagan.

CLS client Noodles & Company has hired Dan Fogarty as vice president of marketing. Fogarty’s responsibilities will include overseeing all marketing, advertising, public relations and brand development.

Christina Brickley is leaving her position as marketing and communications director for the Cherry Creek North Business Improvement District to form her own PR and marketing agency, C5. The agency, which has already inked three clients, will be located downtown. Brickley’s experience includes positions with Barnhart, JohnstonWells, University of Colorado and the Denver Art Museum.

Sterling-Rice Group hired Riley Gibson as a market analyst for its brand innovation group. Gibson formerly was a business analyst at Intel.

Sage Public Relations Group, a Denver-based virtual team of senior level strategic communications specialists, has added four new members, including Denver multi-cultural communications and research specialist Elizabeth Suarez.