Orangefiery Announces C-Suite Expansion

NEW YORK – May 1, 2024 – Orangefiery, the firm that combines the rigor of strategy consulting with the real-world perspective of communications to help clients drive change, today announced the expansion of its C-suite with the appointments of Diana Dopfel as Chief Operating Officer and Laura Smith as Chief People Officer.

The appointments coincide with Orangefiery’s celebration of 10 years in business helping clients solve problems, craft narratives, engage audiences and drive change. According to PRWeek’s 2024 Agency Business Report, Orangefiery was the 12th fastest-growing agency last year among those with more than $1 million in revenue, with a 43% growth rate.

“We have a very distinctive firm, offering clients equal parts strategy consulting and strategic communications,” said Mike Kuczkowski, Orangefiery CEO. “Diana and Laura understand our unique approach deeply and can support our team on the path forward. I’m excited to partner with them to expand the impact we bring to clients.”

Diana brings nearly 20 years of experience to the role, including eight years of leadership at Orangefiery. Diana works closely with Orangefiery clients and partners to ensure the delivery of high-quality and trusted counsel across all projects. As a client-focused healthcare communications leader, Diana has supported numerous pre-commercial companies in biotech to develop their corporate communications operations and pivot to commercial-stage multi-stakeholder communications, as well as serving as communications leadership for organizations that did not have in-house support.

Since 2016, Diana has played a critical role in managing the operations of Orangefiery, working side-by-side with Orangefiery CEO Mike Kuczkowski to serve clients and elevate the Orangefiery team and brand.

In addition, Laura Smith joins Orangefiery as Chief People Officer, bringing more than 30 years of human resources experience to the growing team, including as Chief Human Resources Officer at Dexian and Executive Director of Human Resources at Edelman. Laura’s experience includes leading all aspects of talent management including employee attraction, recruiting, coaching, performance management, employee engagement, compliance, succession planning and M&A. She is known for implementing a hands-on, energetic and collaborative approach in helping companies achieve a superior employee experience.

Together, their leadership brings a promising future as Orangefiery celebrates a decade of impactful client work and partnerships.