U.S. News & World Report has appointed Robert Schlesinger to the newly-created position of deputy opinion editor.  Prior to joining the magazine, Schlesinger wrote about national security and public policy issues for the Boston Globe newspaper’s Washington bureau.

Elsevier Health, a division of Reed Elsevier and publisher of scientific, technical and medical books and journals, has named former Harcourt Assessment Inc. chief executive Michael Hansen as CEO. Hansen replaces Brian Nairm who has retired.

Former CBS News The Early Show anchor Rene Syler has joined Meredith’s Parents TV as host. Syler will host the channel’s first long-form show, “It Moms,” which is set to debut in June.

ALM has announced several staffing changes: In the real estate division, John Salustri has been promoted from national online editor of REM’s GlobeSt.com to editorial director; Ian Ritter was named Salustri’s replacement; and Connie Gore, GlobeSt.com’s Southwest bureau chief, has been promoted to national news editor. At ALM’s Legal Times magazine, editor-in-chief David L. Brown will to also take on publisher responsibilities.

The Bonnier Corp. has promoted Nancy Brooke Smith to creative director of the Parenting Group. Smith formerly was art director of Bonnier’s Babytalk magazine.

After 13 years at Fortune, editor-at-large Bethany McLean has joined Condé Nast’s Vanity Fair, reports [1] the New York Post. McLean co-authored "The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron" with Fortune investigative reporter Peter Elkind.

Brian Pagel has been named vice president of Nielsen Business Media’s kitchen and bath group. Pagel joined Nielsen in 1998 (then VNU) as an account executive for Apparel Industry magazine. Most recently he served as vice president of the company’s apparel group.

Time Inc.’s Real Simple has announced an expansion of its stable of “Simply Stated” bloggers, hiring Heath Brockwell, Kristen Appenbrink, Nykia Spradley, Corynne Corbett, Liz Krieger, Kate Parker, Kathleen Harris, Allie Clapp, Lygeia Grace, Kate Merker, Sara Quessenberry and Julee Wilson.

Lincolnshire, Illinois-based Vance Publishing has named Thomas Denison to the newly-created position of vice president of e-media.

Enthusiast publisher Interweave, a unit of Aspire Media, has named David Pyle vice president and publisher of its Bead, Gem & Jewelry division. Most recently Pyle served as group publisher at F+W Publications.

Menlo Park, California-based Sunset magazine has named Allison Arieff editor-at-large. Prior to joining Sunset, Arieff served as senior content lead for design firm IDEO. Arieff resigned as editor of Dwell in August 2006.

Regan Pickett has joined Science News as sales account executive. Previously, Pickett served as an independent sales executive.

Sunshine Media has named Mary Ann Taylor publisher of Doctor of Dentistry magazine, serving the greater Cincinnati, Dayton and Kentucky areas. Previously, Taylor spent a decade as publisher of Broker Agent magazine.