Transcontinental Media has numerous new hire announcements. First off, a few members have been added to its new media and digital solutions groups.

Former vice president, digital media Dominique Sébastien-Forest has been appointed vice president, national digital solutions. Sébastien-Forest will be responsible for national sales, advertising operations, national business development, national sites, and cross-platform products such as mobile, social media and video.

Ralph Van Collie, formerly senior manager, new initiatives and electronic commerce is now senior manager, national sites and electronic commerce at Transcontinental Media. In his new duties, Van Collie will supervise the management of consumer sites and develop new digital products aimed at women.

Michele Perras is joining the Transcontinental Media team as mobile strategist. Perras is the founder and former director of the non-profit Mobile Experience Innovation Centre.

Julie Benoît has been hired as a social media strategist at Transcontinental Media. Benoît worked most recently at Cirque du Soleil, where she was responsible for the development, strategy and positioning of the Cirque du Soleil shows and projects in various Internet platforms, social media and other online activities.

In the Local Solutions Group, Stéphane Gagné, formerly vice president, digital initiatives, is appointed vice president, local digital solutions.

There are also new promotions and faces in Transcontinental Media's marketing division. Mathieu Péloquin, formerly vice president, consumer insights and database marketing, is appointed vice president, marketing, digital solutions. Péloquin is responsible for the marketing strategy of all Transcontinental Media’s web properties and for data optimization.

Nora Wallace is joining the Transcontinental Media team as sales manager, consumer insights and database marketing solutions. Wallace most recently worked at Rogers Media where she was national account manager for the BzzAgent Division.

In non-Transcontinental Media related news, Canada’s History Society has announced Nancy Payne as the new editor for Kayak: Canada’s History Magazine for Kids. Payne worked most recently as editor of Canadian Wildlife Federation-published titles WILD and Canadian Wildlife/Biosphère.

The Canadian Society of Magazine Editors has announced two additions to its board of directors. Corinna VanGerwen joins as awards coordinator and Kat Tancock as promotions coordinator. VanGerwen is a freelance editor/writer/stylist as well as writer of the Masthead syndicated Dream Job TK blog. She has worked at magazines including Style at Home and Cottage Life.

Tancock is the senior web editor for Reader's Digest, teaches Creating Website Editorial in the Magazine Publishing program at Ryerson University and writes the Masthead syndicated Magazines Online blog.