Ascendant Group Names Longtime PR Strategist Merilee Kern, MBA Vice President of Public Relations

Veteran communications executive & Luxe List founder celebrates 16 years with global CEO and executive branding firm

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, UNITED STATES, October 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Ascendant Group, an industry-leading global CEO, executive and corporate branding firm, today announced the appointment of Merilee A. Kern, MBA, to Vice President of Public Relations, recognizing her nearly 16-year tenure with the agency and her longstanding role in developing and executing strategic communications and media relations campaigns for CEOs, executives, entrepreneurs and brands.

Kern joined Ascendant Group in 2010 as chief public relations strategist and has since led communications and PR campaigns designed to elevate executive visibility, establish thought leadership and build brand authority through earned media. Her work with Ascendant has included developing executive comprehensive thought leadership publicity platforms, creating cross-channel narratives and securing national media exposure in top-tier outlets including Forbes, Fortune, Entrepreneur and a range of national and regional broadcast television.

“Merilee has been an integral part of Ascendant for more than a decade and a half, and this VP role reflects both the caliber of her work and the impact she has had on our clients and our agency,” said Raoul Davis, Founder and CEO of Ascendant Group. “She understands that effective public relations for CEOs and executives requires far more than simply securing media coverage. It requires finding the ideas, perspectives and stories that make a leader distinctive, then translating those assets into sustained visibility, credibility and influence. Merilee has consistently demonstrated that ability.”

Founded by Davis in 2004, Ascendant Group was an early entrant in what would become the modern CEO and executive branding sector. The company describes itself as one of the world’s first and most integrated CEO branding firms and has spent more than two decades helping executives become recognized industry experts. Its work spans brand strategy, public relations, social media, design, strategic relationship and visibility development, photography, videography, publishing and related disciplines.

Ascendant’s approach grew from Davis’ belief that the reputation and visibility of the person leading an organization can be a significant business asset. The firm has developed a proprietary five-phase branding model centered on brand strategy, acceleration and monetization, working with clients ranging from Fortune 50 executives to founders and entrepreneurs. Its work has extended across the United States and international markets.

“Ascendant was pursuing CEO branding before executive visibility became the business imperative it is today,” said Janie Mackenzie, Senior Vice President of Public Relations. “Our model has always been about identifying what makes a leader credible and compelling, developing a differentiated position around that, and then building the right communications ecosystem to bring that position to the marketplace. Public relations is a critical part of that process, and Merilee’s leadership will help us continue to evolve how we create meaningful visibility and thought leadership for our clients.”

Kern brings more than two decades of public relations, strategic communications, brand storytelling and content experience to the position. Her broader career has included developing integrated B2B and B2C communications strategies, shaping visibility and thought leadership campaigns for Fortune-ranked executives, entrepreneurial founders and public figures, and generating thousands of earned placements across national and regional broadcast, print and digital media.

Her experience encompasses strategic communications and PR campaigns, executive and thought leadership messaging, brand positioning and storytelling, media relations, cross-platform content development, crisis communications and reputation management. Kern is also a member of the Entrepreneur Leadership Network and a former member of the Forbes Business Council.

In her expanded role as Vice President of Public Relations, Kern will help lead Ascendant’s PR function and continue developing integrated earned and controlled-media and thought leadership strategies that translate clients’ expertise, perspectives and business objectives into compelling public narratives. She will also work across the firm’s broader executive branding disciplines to ensure public relations strategy reinforces clients’ positioning and long-term brand development.

“Having been a key part of Ascendant since 2010, I’ve had the extraordinary opportunity to watch both the agency and the CEO branding discipline evolve,” Kern said. “What has never changed is our belief that the strongest executive brands are built on substance. My focus has always been on uncovering the stories, insights and points of view that make a client genuinely newsworthy, then finding the right opportunities to put those ideas in front of the audiences that matter. I’m excited to take on this expanded leadership role and help drive the next chapter of Ascendant’s PR practice.”

Davis founded Ascendant after identifying a gap in the traditional public relations marketplace and seeking to build a more integrated approach to executive visibility and brand development. Since then, the firm has expanded its model across multiple communications disciplines and international markets while maintaining CEO and executive branding as its central focus.

“Merilee has been with us through a significant portion of Ascendant’s history,” Davis added. “There is tremendous value in having a leader who understands not only where the industry is going, but why we built this company the way we did. Her institutional knowledge, media instincts, strategic thinking and commitment to client outcomes make her exceptionally well suited to lead our public relations efforts forward.”

About Ascendant Group
Founded in 2004, Ascendant Group is a global CEO, executive and corporate branding firm specializing in helping leaders build distinctive, credible and influential brands. The firm’s integrated approach combines brand strategy, public relations, social media, design, strategic relationship and visibility development, photography, videography, publishing and other disciplines to help CEOs and executives strengthen their marketplace positioning and accelerate business growth. Ascendant has worked with executives and organizations across the United States and international markets and has been recognized by industry organizations and publications for its work in public relations and branding. Learn more at www.ascendantgroupbranding.com.

Merilee Kern
Ascendant Group & Luxe List
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Written By: EIN Presswire