Versant Hires Paramount’s Erin Calhoun, MLB’s Steve Arocho for Comms
Versant, the newly formed company that Comcast has spun off from NBCUniversal’s cable assets, has recently finalized its team of communications executives. Erin Calhoun has been appointed as the senior vice president of entertainment and sports communications, while Steve Arocho has joined as the vice president of corporate communications.
Calhoun will be based in Los Angeles and will be responsible for overseeing the communication strategy and press activities for various cable networks under Versant’s umbrella, including USA Network, Oxygen, E!, Syfy, Golf Channel, GolfNow, Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, and Sports Engine. She brings a wealth of experience to Versant, having previously served as the executive vice president of communications at Paramount. During her tenure at Paramount, she was in charge of communications for Paramount streaming, Showtime, and cross-company publicity. Prior to that, she held the role of executive vice president of communications for Showtime and Paramount Television Studios. Calhoun also has prior experience working with NBCUniversal properties, having served as the vice president of corporate communications for USA and Syfy from 2016 to 2017.
On the other hand, Arocho will be leading corporate social responsibility and digital communications at Versant. Before joining Versant, he held the position of vice president of corporate communications at Major League Baseball, where he spearheaded efforts in social responsibility, community affairs, baseball and softball development, youth engagement, and multicultural outreach. Arocho also played a key role in launching several charitable partnerships for the league.
The announcement of Calhoun and Arocho’s appointments was made in a memo to Versant staff by Keith Cocozza, the chief communications officer. Other members of Versant’s communications team include Lauren Skowronski, senior vice president of global communications for CNBC, Richard Hudock, senior vice president of communications for MSNBC, Diana Rocco, vice president of internal communications for Versant, and Hollie Tracz, vice president of media relations for Versant.
The addition of Calhoun and Arocho to Versant’s communications team further solidifies the company’s commitment to effective and strategic communication across its various networks and platforms. Their wealth of experience and expertise are sure to contribute to Versant’s continued success in the competitive media landscape.
