Epic Names New VPs Of Publicity
• Epic Records has named two new VPs of Publicity — one via internal promotion and the other a new hire — the action begins with Ayanna Wilks (left), who has served as Sr. Director of Public Relations for Epic Records since 2019; and Natalie Geday (right), who launched her career as an assistant in the Epic Records’ media department back in 2006 and has been running her own firm, NMG Relations since 2012.
These VP announcements were made by Melissa Victor, Epic SVP, Head of Publicity, who said, “Ayanna is immensely respected and trusted by her colleagues, artists, managers, and press partners with good reason — she’s one of the most diligent and dynamic media executives in the business. Moreover, she has galvanized the success of a new generation of marquee artists. It’s an honor to share the news of her much-deserved promotion. Natalie and I have worked together for too many years to count! She’s one of the most savvy and hard-working publicists in the business, and she’s going to be key to our continued evolution and growth as a team. I’m so honored to work alongside both of these fantastic executives.”
Wilks commented, “I’m really excited to kick off this next chapter with my friends in the media department. The past three years have been nothing short of unforgettable. I want to thank Melissa for her continued support and incredible leadership and Sylvia Rhone for being an inspiration. We have an opportunity to make a difference for our artists and the culture, and I know we’re going to make the most of it.” Geday said, “I started my career at Epic Records, so this is a real full-circle moment for me. I’m so excited to not only work alongside the legendary Melissa Victor and her entire team, but to also have the opportunity to work with an industry icon I have long admired, Ms. Sylvia Rhone.”
Prior to joining Epic Records, The Los Angeles-based Wilks spent two years as PR Director for the Celebrity Division of Wilhelmina Models. She previously worked for Roc Nation and launched her career in public relations at Diane von Furstenberg after attending Spelman College. For the last decade, the L.A.-based Geday has led NMG Relations, representing top-tier talent in addition to projects for Empire, Rhino Records, Republic Records, NBCUniversal, FOX Entertainment, and many more. She also worked as a publicist at RCA, Capitol Records, and 19 Entertainment. [Wilks photo credit: Natasha Campos]
