Claudia Kozma Kaplan, senior vice president, marketing and corporate communications for The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd., has announced the appointment of Jennifer Oberstein to the position of director of communications for the organization.

Based in the company’s New York headquarters, Ms. Oberstein will oversee the development and execution of the corporate public relations strategy. In addition to directly handling US media relations, she will manage the company’s relationship with its global press agencies.

Ms. Oberstein joins The Leading Hotels of the World from The Ritz-Carlton, where she was most recently area director of public relations. During her nine-year tenure with Ritz-Carlton, she solidified her reputation as a highly respected, dynamic and effective public relations professional. She has been credited with many of the company’s most successful and creative publicity campaigns, which generated considerable global coverage and revenue production. Earlier in her career, Ms. Oberstein spent several years in television as a producer for NBC News.

Commenting on the appointment, Ms. Kozma Kaplan noted, “Jennifer brings a breadth of skills and expertise across a spectrum of media – including broadcast, print, electronic and social networking outlets.  Her on-property experience places her in the unique position of being familiar with both sides of the hotel/media equation, with an understanding of the needs and expectations of all interested parties.”

An active member of a number of organizations including City Harvest Food Council, Public Relations Society of America, NYC & Company Hotel Committee, and Les Dames d’Escoffier, Ms. Oberstein graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a dual degree in communications and history.