Global children’s publishing company Scholastic has appointed Stephanie Smirnov as EVP and head of global corporate communications, where she will oversee internal and external communications strategies as well as increase exposure for iconic Scholastic publishing brands like Clifford the Big Red Dog, Guided Reading and Junior Scholastic.

Smirnov will also manage media relations, financial communications and social media messaging. Longstanding initiatives—such as the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge and the Kids & Family Reading Report—will also now be under her purview.

Based in New York and dually reporting to Scholastic chairman and president Richard Robinson and chief strategy officer Iole Lucchese, Smirnov will be instrumental in shaping the media company’s 100th anniversary plans in 2020.

Smirnov previously spent 20 years in strategic communications and brand reputation development, most recently serving as MD of brand practice at global marketing firm Edelman. Prior to that, she held senior roles at PR firm DeVries Global, L’Oreal US and Donna Karan International.

Scholastic, for its part, recently added new executives to its education division, including Victoria Burwell as SVP of strategic marketing and Carol Chanter in the role of SVP of professional learning services.