SAN FRANCISCO: Twitter has hired State Department veteran Emily Horne to head up global policy communications.
Twitter corporate communications leader Kristin Binns announced the hire in a tweet on Wednesday afternoon.
Excited to announce that @emilyjhorne is joining our team to lead global policy communications for @Twitter! Welcome, Emily! ????????
— Kristin Binns (@kristinbinns) June 7, 2017
Am thrilled to be joining @TwitterComms team, working with incredible policy & comms pros around the world #jointheflock #LoveWhereYouWork
— Emily Horne (@emilyjhorne) June 7, 2017
Horne most recently served as assistant press secretary and director of strategic communications for the National Security Council, a position in which she was a spokesperson for the White House under President Barack Obama and NSC on foreign policy issues. She was responsible for messaging, media relations, and crisis and strategic comms in the role, according to Twitter. Horne was also the chief spokesperson on issues involving counterterrorism and hostages, human rights, and the Middle East and North Africa, the company said in a statement.
Previously, she held several other communications roles in the Obama administration, including communications director for U.S. Marine Corps General John Allen and press officer for the State Department. She joined the State Department in 2009 as a historian, according to her LinkedIn profile.
Several communications executives departed Twitter last year, including Jim Prosser, former head of corporate, revenue, and policy communications, and VP of global comms Natalie Kerris.
Twitter posted better-than-expected earnings in the first quarter of this year, despite reporting its first year-over-year revenue decline. It also handily beat user-growth numbers in the period.