Sena Fitzmaurice, executive director of communication for Comcast, the nation's largest cable operator, has been named VP, government communications, in charge of government affairs communications in Washington.

Comcast will be doing a lot of communicating in the nation's capital over the next year, with its proposed joint venture with NBCU being vetted at both the FCC and Justice Department.

Fitzmaurice re-joined Comcast in 2006 from lobbying firm Wexler and Walker. Before that, she was with Comcast's communications department in Philadelphia, where the company is headquartered.

In a release announcing the promotions, Comcast Executive VP David Cohen calls Fitzmaurice a "talented professional with a unique ability to navigate complex issues and communicate them to critical stakeholders."

Also getting a VP stripe was Colleen Rooney, senior director of internal communications, who is now VP, internal communications, which includes running Comcast's internal blog, intranet and corporate production facilities.

If that NBCU deal goes through, Rooney will be reunited with an old boss. Rooney joined Comcast in 2001 from GE Capital. NBCU parent GE will own 49% of the Comcast/NBCU joint venture, at least at the outset.

"Colleen is a strategic partner and terrific leader who drives open, honest communications throughout our organization and is a champion for our employees," says Cohen.