Los Angeles Times Names Johanna Maska Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Austin Beutner, Publisher and CEO of the LA Times, today announced Johanna Maska, former director of White House press advance for President Barack Obama, will join the company as Vice President of Marketing and Communications. She will lead efforts to further the connection between The Times and its readers, and broaden its reach in Los Angeles and around the world.

Maska worked for President Obama for eight years, since the beginning of the Iowa caucuses, telling the President’s story. She was integral in planning and executing the most high-profile events including: President Obama’s 2008 Iowa caucus victory speech; the 2008 November election victory at Grant Park; Inauguration 2009; the President’s speech in Cairo in 2009; APEC Hawaii 2011; G8 Camp David 2012; NATO Chicago 2012; the President’s visit to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan; the President’s visit to Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania; and the US-Africa Summit in 2014. Maska was raised in Galesburg, Ill. and graduated from the University of Kansas. Before joining the Obama campaign, she worked for then Governor Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas and in state government in Iowa.

“Johanna is uniquely skilled to help us bring the stories in the LA Times and the story of the LA times to the world,” Beutner said.

Maska will report to Beutner and oversee all marketing and communications for the LA Times and its sister properties, including Hoy Los Angeles. She will work with Times’ editorial leadership and across all departments to increase levels of audience engagement, in particular online.

“I’ve long admired the LA Times as one of the great news organizations in this country,” Maska said. “I look forward to joining Austin and his team and to helping make sure the LA Times can have as much impact in Los Angeles and the world for the next 133 years as it did in its first 133 years,” Maska said.