Christie Communications has named JENNIFER BURNETT (left) and CHRISTINA POTTER (right) as Account Assistants. Burnett assists clients in the natural products and beverages industry, and provides marketing support to clients such as Wisdom Herbs and Shady Maple Farms. Potter is responsible for launching foreign products in the US market, and her accounts include Ame-Britvic from the UK and Blue Galleon from Portugal.

AOL has hired JESSICA HOWARD as an associate account manager. Howard will oversee and maintain client accounts as well as work directly with their sales force. Most recently, Howard served as media supervisor for NetPlus Marketing, Inc. Also at AOL, RICHARD TAYLOR has been named senior vice president of brand promotion. In the newly created post, Taylor will develop brand promotions and will lead teams responsible for executing those promotions. Taylor previously spent nine years at Burger King, where he was responsible for branding, positioning, strategic development, advertising, promotion, media and merchandising.

SUSAN BRATTON, former Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Excite@Home’s media business, has taken the helm of marketing and sales for Mailblocks, a new spam-free, Web-based email service.

Lifetime Entertainment Services has promoted LISA BLACK to Vice President, Business & Marketing Development, Lifetime Online, and KRIS SOUMAS to Vice President, Content Development, New Media. In her new role, Black will develop online business and marketing initiatives that will include partnership development, brand extensions for Lifetimetv.com and program and marketing integration. Previously she was Director, Business Marketing & Development, Lifetime Online. Soumas will now be responsible for content development, including advocacy and programming, along with developing New Media elements in the areas of VOD, enhanced TV and wireless. Previously she was Director, Content Development, New Media. Before joining Lifetime …

The VIA Group has named DAVID ABEND Creative Director of both its Boston and Portland offices. Prior to joining the agency, Abend, was Creative Director with Harpell and also was an Associate Creative Director with Arnold Worldwide.

KURT RITTER, a veteran of General Motors Corp., will join Saatchi & Saatchi. Ritter will take the new post of CEO for the Toyota brand's North American account, overseeing Saatchi's key management team at its Torrance, Calif., office.

JOSEPH MASUCCI has been named Director, OHAL, Mediaedge:cia's media modeling team. Masucci will be responsible for measuring marketing effectiveness and optimizing marketing allocations in the most cost effective channels for clients. He will also help Mediaedge:cia in leveraging Y&R's Brand Asset Valuator, a proprietary tool for building and managing brand equity. Masucci joins Mediaedge:cia from Grey Insight Partners where he was partner at the company. Also at Mediaedge:cia, CATHY GOODIN has been appointed Managing Partner, Account Director. Goodin will be responsible for managing all media planning and buying for AT&T Consumer and AT&T Business as well as all national media …

Entrepreneur Media Inc. has named DAVID MA southwest advertising director. Ma replaces BRIAN KENNEDY who has transferred to Entrepreneur's New York office to become eastern advertising director. Before joining Entrepreneur Media, Ma worked at Hearst Magazines as the Los Angeles advertising manager for Popular Mechanics. At Entrepreneur, Ma will be responsible for selling advertising programs in Southern California, Arizona and Hawaii, for both Entrepreneur magazine and Entrepreneur.com.

Investor’s Business Daily has appointed TERRI CHIODO to the position of VP/national advertising director for the daily newspaper. She previously held the position of VP/Western Region Ad Director. Chiodo will now oversee IBD’s national and international advertising staffs, and direct the development of internal corporate campaigns, training and special sales programs.

LEE ODDEN was recently named vice president and partner at Misukanis & Odden. Lee was formerly with HomeTown Marketing as VP design/development for six years where he developed an Internet marketing and web design practice. Lee also spent 7 years working with Fingerhut and NordicTrack.