- Jeff Smokler Joins as Partner and Practice Lead, Public Affairs Practice Lead
- Yoni Gedan Joins as Partner and Audience Intelligence & Performance Practice Lead
Washington, D.C. — Avoq today announced two new senior hires who will lead key practice areas created as part of the firm’s strategic reorganization this year. Jeff Smokler joins as Public Affairs Practice Lead and Yoni Gedan joins as Audience Intelligence & Performance Practice Lead. These leadership roles reflect Avoq’s commitment to growth by deepening capabilities, enhancing client delivery and advancing measurable results across redefined practice areas.
“Jeff and Yoni are exceptional leaders whose depth of experience, innovative thinking combined with a commitment to excellence will advance our offerings and further empower our teams,” said Molly Scherrman, Chief Operating Officer. “Our reorganization was designed to elevate new leaders and meet clients’ growing need for coordinated, expert capabilities that move audiences and create outcomes.”
Jeff Smokler
Jeff Smokler brings decades of experience developing public affairs, corporate communications and brand reputation strategies for leading healthcare organizations and Fortune 50 companies. Most recently, he served as Chief Brand Officer at Gravie, where he strengthened brand awareness and oversaw marketing across channels and while leading customer insights and member communications. Prior to Gravie, Smokler was partner and president at imre, where he transformed the firm’s healthcare practice into a global Top 100 healthcare marketing leader, generating significant growth and earning multiple industry accolades. He has held senior executive roles at Weber Shandwick and led public affairs and external communications for Blue Cross Blue Shield.
Yoni Gedan
With more than 15 years of experience in research, measurement, and data analytics and depth in advancing AI, Yoni Gedan brings a deep background advising major media, entertainment and brands. His expertise spans polling, brand strategy development, messaging research, advertising testing and advanced statistical modeling across quantitative, and qualitative methodologies. A recognized technology innovator, Gedan has built high-impact solutions that help clients conduct better, faster and more cost-effective research. He previously served as SVP at Edelman Intelligence and co-founded a market research technology company that advanced online, digital, and mobile creative testing. Earlier in his career at Penn, Schoen & Berland Associates, he co-founded the Internet Surveys Group.
Smokler and Gedan step into newly created leadership roles aligned with Avoq’s redefined practice areas of: Audience Intelligence & Performance, Creative & Production, Media Network, Public Affairs, Reputation Management, and Government Relations.
About Avoq
Avoq is an integrated firm that combines communications and advocacy to creatively shape narratives, manage brand reputation, influence national debates, and engage the audiences you need to reach. Avoq’s 200+ employees work from offices in Washington D.C., Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Pennsylvania and Miami. Avoq is a portfolio company of Coral Tree Partners, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm focused on investments in the media, entertainment and communications sectors. Visit teamavoq.com to learn more.