Sci-Fi Storm

Industry veteran Katherine Nelson has been named Senior Vice President, Communications for Syfy and Chiller, it was announced today by Dave Howe, President, Syfy and Chiller, to whom Nelson will report.

In her new role, Nelson is responsible for overall communications strategy for Syfy and Chiller, including corporate communications, program publicity and talent relations. New originals on Syfy for 2015 which she will oversee include the scripted drama The Expanse starring Thomas Jane, and event miniseries Childhood’s End, starring Charles Dance. Based in New York, Nelson will oversee the networks’ communications teams in both New York and Los Angeles.

Nelson joins Syfy and Chiller from Esquire Network, a sister network within NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, where she had served as Senior Vice President, Communications since January 2013.

In making the announcement, Howe said: “Katherine is an accomplished communications veteran with a truly unique background and deep experience in promoting high quality, smart, provocative entertainment. She has proven herself to be strategic, creative and collaborative during her tenure at NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, and I know she will take Syfy and Chiller’s pioneering press efforts to new heights.”

At Esquire Network, Nelson developed and executed the communications strategy for the network’s debut in September 2013. A member of the core executive team, she contributed to the overall strategic direction of the network and oversaw all publicity and talent relations for its ambitious slate of original series and specials.

Nelson joined Esquire Network and NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment in January 2013 from SpaceX, the pioneering space transport company founded by Elon Musk. As Vice President, Marketing and Communications, she served as chief spokesperson for the company, and oversaw all areas of strategic communications and marketing, including corporate and internal communications, digital and social media, advertising, creative, events and commerce.

Prior to SpaceX, Nelson spent more than 20 years in the television industry. As Vice President of Communications for Discovery Communications’ flagship U.S. network, Discovery Channel, she was the leading strategist in communications planning, media outreach and award campaigns for many of the network’s highest-profile series and specials, including “MythBusters,” “Dirty Jobs” and the groundbreaking “Planet Earth.” Additionally, for more than 15 years, she led the network’s publicity campaign for the iconic “Shark Week” franchise. An acclaimed and award-winning digital strategist, Nelson launched award-winning Twitter brands @Discovery and @MythBusters. Also during her tenure at Discovery Communications, she launched multiple brands including TLC, Animal Planet and Science Channel, and managed communications for several additional networks and initiatives within the Discovery portfolio.