PORTLAND — Molly Steele of Freeport recently joined McCabe Duval Associates as the Portland advertising agency’s social media director.

According to a news release, Steele previously worked as White Rock Distilleries’ digital marketing manager from an office in Portland.

In her new post, Steele will “work within account service, furthering the integration of traditional and digital media strategies,” said agency president Chris Duval. He said Steele’s position is new, created “in response to the growing importance of digital in today’s strategic mix, and the ‘star quality’ new media adds to direct marketing,” a discipline Duval calls one of the agency’s biggest strengths.

During six years at White Rock Distilleries, Steele developed and managed full-blown social media campaigns for the multi-brand Lewiston company. For example, she helped expand the distillery’s Pinnacle Vodka Facebook page from 5,000 fans to more than 500,000 in just one year.

Duval said, “We feel fortunate to have her on our team, and look forward to creating exciting new efforts for current clients and welcoming new clients on board in 2013.”