Carolyn Harpster
Director, Media Services
Claire Pike
Software Engineer
Sourav Nayak
Director Finance
Zach Kruchoski
Senior Software Engineer
Ava Pavao
Senior Analyst
Merit Wilkinson
Senior Director, Technology
Jeremy Frick
Chief Technology Officer
Terrence Ward
Divisional Community Manager
Vinayak Krishnan
Media Services Manager
Dan Gribbin
Lead Software Engineer
Jamie Tedford
Founder & Executive Chairman of the Board
Rohit Bejawar
Business Analyst
Kattirisetty Ankita
Sr. Associate, Media Services
Christine McCullough
Associate Software Engineer
Aman Kumar
Media Analyst
Steve McFarland
Lead, Media Services
Alex Pasieka
Associate Software Engineer
Amy Slife
Vice President, Media Services
Elliot Forman
Director, Client Delivery
Joseph Diment
Software Engineer
Manager Media Operations
Dave Thomas
Chief Architect
Zarah Fath
Vice President, Media Solutions, APAC
Emily Piccione
Product Manager
Brian Penly
Senior Software Engineer
Ryan Fabricius
Associate Data Analyst
Frank Maldarelli
Vice President, Finance
Praveen Merugoju
Sr. Digital Marketing Associate
Dan Deiure
Lead Systems Architect
Tara Davey
Senior Analyst
Sara Mason
Senior Analyst
Lindsay Chapman
Campaign & Story Planning Manager
Ryan Lo Curto
Director, Client Delivery
Alexandra Atzl
Senior Software Engineer
Paul Falzone
Strategic Advisor & Member of the Board of Directors
Dinesh Reddy Epuru
Senior Associate Media Services
Wyatt Olney
Software Engineer
Gledimar Ramirez
Divisional Community Manager
Jessi Patrick
Director, Media Services
Mike Garsin
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Brad Rhow
Vice President, People & Culture
Anna Cohen
Media Solutions Manager
Elaina Donofrio Roche
Senior Client Delivery Manager
Michael Delaney
Principal Engineer
Meghan Connelly
Senior Engagement Manager
Karen Cannan
Principal Software Test Engineer, PSM I
Sheena Golani
Junior Media Analyst
Desirée Gaston
Senior Engagement Manager
Karen Paulk
Creative Director
Jacquelyn Williams
Lead Software Test Engineer
Brittany Haines
Divisional Community Manager
Mark Heiler
Senior Data Scientist
Justin Hugg
Lead Software Engineer
Anthony Mitchell
Senior Software Engineer
Ken Hertzog
Principal Software Engineer
Amy Jeroy
Senior Software Test Engineer
Surge Berg
Team Lead, Divisional Community Manager
Garla Shaker
Senior Associate
Jeff Zilberman
Vice President, Client Services
Naveen Katuri
Director, Media Services
Brian Witt
Lead Software Engineer
Carolyn Harpster
Director, Media Services
Carolyn has worked in paid social for almost 7 years, and has been with Brand Networks since the summer of 2016. Prior to working at BN, she ran paid social for several clients at PHD Media in New York. She has worked across all major social platforms for a variety of verticals (CPG, Travel, Beauty, Entertainment, Food, Media, to name a few) and has loved seeing the industry evolve over time. Her true passion is managing people, which she gets to do each day at BN - her colleagues are what make work so great, and she loves the camaraderie and team spirit that comes with working at BN. She resides in Brooklyn, New York with her 7-year old cat Butter Pecan (Butter for short), loves rewatching old 30 Rock episodes, and spends way too much time on Twitter.
Claire Pike
Software Engineer
Claire Pike is a Software Engineer, working on full stack development for Walmart's My Local Social project. She is originally from Pittsburgh, PA and earned her degree in Web & Computing from Rochester Institute of Technology. She lives in Rochester, NY and enjoys plants, yoga, and cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Sourav Nayak
Director Finance
Zach Kruchoski
Senior Software Engineer
Ava Pavao
Senior Analyst
Ava Pavao is a Senior Media Analyst at Brand Networks located in Boston, MA. In her role, Ava works directly with clients to assist and consult on the full lifecycle of social media campaigns including strategy, execution and optimization. Prior to joining Brand Networks in 2019, Ava worked at video marketing technology start-up Vivoom where she worked with brands including Microsoft, Johnson & Johnson and Maroon 5. When she's not working, Ava enjoys teaching indoor cycling classes, cooking new recipes and binge-watching whatever is new on Netflix. Ava currently lives on Cape Cod with her family.
Merit Wilkinson
Senior Director, Technology
Merit (Bob) Wilkinson got his first programming job in high school developing logistics software on Unix and has been hooked ever since. He has a degree in Computer Science from RIT and has been leading developers for over ten years now. Bob has two fantastic children who have been doing all they can to "help" out while he works from home.
Jeremy Frick
Chief Technology Officer
Jeremy has been a part of the Brand Networks tech team since 2014 and considers it his mission to empower the team to thrive on solving challenging problems and driving innovation for our customers. Jeremy started his career as a software engineer and received a Bachelor's of Science in Computer Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology, where he remains active on their Industrial Advisory Board. In 2020 Jeremy was recognized by the university and inducted into the Kate Gleason College of Engineering Academy. Jeremy lives with his wife and three daughters in Ontario, New York. In his free time he is an avid reader, loves woodworking, and is a fan of the Buffalo Bills and New York Yankees.
Terrence Ward
Divisional Community Manager
Terrence is a Divisional Community Manager at Brand Networks, helping associates of a Fortune 100 company leverage local social media to increase sales and customer engagement. Prior to BN, Terrence spent 8 years with Walmart with overseeing >$60 Million facilities and 250+ employees, as well as managing Local Social on a store level. Outside of BN, Terrence is an award winning announcer and filmmaker, scoring six announcing awards and two film awards with eight nominations. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Wings of Honor Museum, a non-profit organization in his hometown. Terrence currently resides in Arkansas with his wife Mikayla.
Vinayak Krishnan
Media Services Manager
Dan Gribbin
Lead Software Engineer
Dan has been with BN for the better part of a decade, and wears many hats on a day to day basis– software developer, people manager, account manager, and even sometimes event coordinator. Outside of work he enjoys golf (still trying to break 80), hiking with his wife, woodworking, and the rollercoaster of being a new homeowner.
Jamie Tedford
Founder & Executive Chairman of the Board
Jamie Tedford is the Founder of Brand Networks. Prior to founding Brand Networks in 2006, Jamie was SVP, Marketing and Media Innovation at Arnold Worldwide, a top-10 US brand advertising agency. Recognized as an innovative entrepreneur and a pioneer in the growing “Word of Mouth” industry, Jamie launched the WOM division at Arnold and is a founding board member of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association. Jamie is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, and he lives in Marblehead, Mass.
Rohit Bejawar
Business Analyst
Kattirisetty Ankita
Sr. Associate, Media Services
Christine McCullough
Associate Software Engineer
Christine is an Associate Software Engineer who has been with Brand Networks since 2020. She graduated from RIT in 2019 with a BS in Digital Humanities and Social Sciences and still enjoys a good piece of digital literature. Many of her hobbies overlap with those of your average grandmother, including embroidery, cooking, and looking out the window hoping a dog will pass by. You might say she has considerably more technical skills than your average granny, though.
Aman Kumar
Media Analyst
Steve McFarland
Lead, Media Services
Steve McFarland is our Media Services Lead. He brings 10+ years of experience and a passion for digital media, technology, and process improvements to the role. Prior to joining Brand Networks, Steve worked at a media agency where he managed complex hyper-local social and programmatic campaigns and previously led all digital marketing initiatives for a large grocery retail chain.Steve graduated from Cornell University with a business degree in Applied Economics & Management and earned his M.S. in Information Management from Syracuse University. Steve married his high school sweetheart and they now live in Rochester, NY with their two sons, an English bulldog, and two cats. Outside of work you can find Steve cooking up new recipes, cycling, or watching movies with his family.
Alex Pasieka
Associate Software Engineer
Originally from Westchester NY, Alex graduated from RIT with a degree in New Media Interactive Development. Working at BN is his first career job out of college and is happy to be staying in Rochester. In his free time, he is enthusiastic about games, whether they be video games, card games, or board games.
Amy Slife
Vice President, Media Services
Amy Slife Mullins is the VP of Media Services at Brand Networks. In her role, Amy is charged with leading the Services side of the company with an emphasis on client satisfaction and growth, strategy and education. Prior to joining Brand Networks in 2014, Amy spent time at Nanigans, where she drove paid social media efforts for a variety of brands. Amy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Virginia Tech (Go Hokies!) and a Master’s in Integrated Marketing Communication from Emerson College. She lives in Cambridge, MA with her husband, Sam.
Elliot Forman
Director, Client Delivery
Elliot’s experiences have taken him around the world learning things at each stage. At Brand Networks he manages programs and products, connecting the services, engineering, and paid media teams to drive results for our biggest clients. Prior to Brand Networks, Elliot worked at PayPal in the Marketing Technology and Marketing Operations departments. During his free time, Elliot enjoys soccer, snowboarding, music, fostering dogs, and traveling!
Joseph Diment
Software Engineer
I'm a Software Engineering graduate from Rochester Institute of Technology. At home, I spend most of my time with my cat and girlfriend playing video games, reading- mostly fantasy and outdoors-related books, or obsessively following ice hockey. Outside of the house, I spend almost all of my free time outdoors- hiking, camping, and skiing primarily. I started the Adirondack 46er challenge in 2020, and am already a third of the way done!
Manager Media Operations
Aravind has been in Digital Marketing Industry for more than 8 years and has sound knowledge in Paid Media and analytics. Aravindh joined Brand networks 2019 May and he previously associated with Infosys. He loves watching crime thrillers and spends his free time roaming in Wikipedia world.
Dave Thomas
Chief Architect
Dave Thomas is the Chief Architect within the Technology organization. He works closely with many parts of the company to ensure the technology solutions meet client and business objectives. As a restless and fidgety person, Dave is always on the move, and loves to run and visit various hiking trails with his family. Dave is a graduate of Roberts Wesleyan College. He resides in Rochester, NY with his wife and son.
Zarah Fath
Vice President, Media Solutions, APAC
Zarah Fath is the Vice President of Media Solutions, APAC at Brand Networks. In her role, Zarah is charged with leading the solutions side of Brand Networks with an emphasis on consulting, strategy and developing client-specific solutions to ensure customer retention and growth. Prior to joining Brand Networks in 2016, she spent time at News Corp Australia, where she helped build up and expand the internal digital agency start-up “News Xtend” as part of their social media team. Originally from Germany, Zarah earned her Masters (Hons.) of Media Studies and Journalism from the Friedrich-Wilhelms University of Bonn, Germany and Louisiana State University, USA. She resides with her partner in Sydney, Australia.
Emily Piccione
Product Manager
Emily has been with Brand Networks since 2014 and is currently a Product Manager. Because of her background in industrial engineering, she loves problem-solving and all things process and people-related. In her spare time, she enjoys working on house projects, being outside with her dog, and cooking recipes passed down by her grandmas. Go Bills!
Brian Penly
Senior Software Engineer
Brian Penly is a software engineer that has been with Brand Networks since 2016. He is currently working on the Spotlight team. Brian lives in Rochester, NY with his wife and two dogs. In his free time he enjoys playing guitar and watching sports like MMA and soccer.
Ryan Fabricius
Associate Data Analyst
Ryan joined the Brand Network's data science team in August 2020, marking the start of his career after graduating from the University at Buffalo with a Bachelor's of Science in Mathematics. Ryan covers client usage of BN's products and services, providing quantitative and qualitative analysis to key stakeholders. In his free time, his analytical mindset can be seen through his passion for the game of golf, and his tireless effort to optimize his golf swing.
Frank Maldarelli
Vice President, Finance
Frank Maldarelli is the Vice President of Finance at Brand Networks, working in tandem with Tania DiSciullo to oversee and manage the Finance team. With over 20 years of experience in Finance roles, Frank has consistently brought strong financial acumen and has worked tirelessly to provide strategic insights that lead to sound business decisions. Because of his modeling prowess and his presentation of the data, he has been called the “Michelangelo of spreadsheets” by his colleagues! Prior to BN, he worked at several tech startups, including ClickSquared and AppNeta, where he helped grow the Finance team into a value-add organization. Frank graduated from Boston University, with a double major in Political Science and International Relations. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters at his home in Belmont, MA.
Praveen Merugoju
Sr. Digital Marketing Associate
Graduated in Mechanical Engineering. Passion and interest in social media drove me to Digital Marketing. I love traveling and explore new places. Cricket is my favorite sport.
Dan Deiure
Lead Systems Architect
Collaborator, thinker, builder, problem-solver. With a passion to continually learn and grow, Dan loves surrounding himself with intelligent ideas and people. He developed a love for all things technology at a young age. He especially loves cloud-first systems and currently enjoys architecting infrastructure and networking to be highly available and scalable. When his head isn’t in the clouds, he enjoys snowboarding, fishing, and exercising but most of all spending time with his wife and kids.
Tara Davey
Senior Analyst
Sara Mason
Senior Analyst
Lindsay Chapman
Campaign & Story Planning Manager
Lindsay is a content marketing professional who is passionate about social media. She offers brand social experience in the restaurant and retail industries. Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communications and Master’s Degree in Marketing. In her free time, Lindsay enjoys visiting Lake Winnipesaukee, home improvement projects, running and spoiling her dog. Fun fact: one of her college campus jobs had a space simulator on site and she use to present planetarium presentations.
Ryan Lo Curto
Director, Client Delivery
Alexandra Atzl
Senior Software Engineer
Alexandra is a Senior Software Engineer at Brand Networks. Since joining the company in 2015, Alexandra has contributed to a variety of web and mobile applications, most recently as a member of the technology team behind Walmart's My Local Social app. She also serves as BN’s resident yoga enthusiast, frequently leading lunchtime yoga sessions for her coworkers. Alexandra holds a Bachelor's of Science in Media Arts and Technology from Rochester Institute of Technology. When not working, she enjoys knitting, crossword puzzles, and corny made-for-TV romcoms. Alexandra lives in Rochester, NY with her incredibly spoiled feline companion, Luna.
Paul Falzone
Strategic Advisor & Member of the Board of Directors
Paul Falzone is a strategic advisor to the executive team at Brand Networks. He focuses on the company’s corporate development, partnerships, M&A activity, and global expansion. His experience helping Fortune 500 customers leverage digital marketing in international markets contributes to the company’s overall vision. Prior to Brand Networks, Paul was President of SDI Media Group, the market-leading language localization company with operations in 30 countries. Paul graduated with Honors from Northwestern University. He resides in Tiburon, Calif.
Dinesh Reddy Epuru
Senior Associate Media Services
Experienced PPC Marketing Expert with a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry.
Wyatt Olney
Software Engineer
Wyatt joined Brand Networks on the engineering team in 2019 as a contractor, and was excited to be able to join the team on a more permanent basis in 2020. He went to college at Drew University in New Jersey and graduated with a bachelor's in computer science, and previously had done research into computational linguistics and software development and maintenance while attending the university.
Gledimar Ramirez
Divisional Community Manager
Born in a little town in Venezuela, destiny brought me here today, Started in the retail business for the largest retailer in the world Walmart, now taking on a new challenge with an amazing company Brand Networks as a Divisional Community Manager for the West BU.Never be afraid to create real content with real people for a real audience.
Jessi Patrick
Director, Media Services
Jessi has been in the Advertising and Ad Tech industry for 10+ years, spanning Media, Strategy, and Sales. She hails from south of Atlanta, attending The University of Georgia for both her Master's and Bachelor's Degrees (Go Dawgs!). She currently resides in Brooklyn, NY with her husband, dog, and cat, and is a certified yoga instructor, an avid reader, and an at-home bartender. She loves to travel and cannot wait for her next adventure!
Mike Garsin
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
Mike Garsin is the CEO of Brand Networks and a member of the Board of Directors and is responsible for the company’s culture, corporate strategy, and growth. A passionate leader, entrepreneur, and lifelong ad tech guru, Mike has spent the last two decades founding, innovating and growing internet and technology media companies. He has been at the forefront of developing numerous industry-leading technology platforms to increase marketing effectiveness and measurement by identifying, designing, and implementing innovative products and services. This includes Brand Networks, which he co-founded in 2006. For over a decade, Mike led the charge as the CTO and spearheaded the development of award-winning advertising technology. Mike is a graduate of the University of Rochester and lives in Rochester, NY with his wife and three children.
Brad Rhow
Vice President, People & Culture
As VP of People & Culture, Brad is tasked with maintaining all aspects of employee relations. He is responsible for continuing to build, support, and improve workplace culture. The department additionally oversees all recruiting efforts, along with maintaining compliance. Brad started with Brand Networks in 2012 as its first recruiter. Since joining he has been instrumental in the growth and responsibility of the department as well as Brand Networks. He resides in Rochester NY with his wife and three children. When not enjoying time with the family you can find Brad on the golf course, or cheering on the Buffalo Bills!
Anna Cohen
Media Solutions Manager
Elaina Donofrio Roche
Senior Client Delivery Manager
With an ad agency background, Elaina feels right at home managing content and creative for one of our largest social clients. Although she works in social media, she is "very out of touch" (her words) with pop culture... unless it has anything to do with cats or Harry Potter (it rarely does). When she's not working, you can find her diving into a YA novel, cruising on her peloton, or exploring Boston with her husband.
Michael Delaney
Principal Engineer
After former stints as a Flash developer, he decided to take a chance and join a social media tech startup. It’s been nearly 9 years later and he’s still kicking around - we think he just likes to have people to play nerdy board games with. When he’s not working, you might find him at home tending the backyard farm, in the kitchen cooking & canning, or traveling the world with his fiancée. As a proud guncle, he enjoys every chance to play with his nephew and two nieces.
Meghan Connelly
Senior Engagement Manager
Karen Cannan
Principal Software Test Engineer, PSM I
Karen is a Principal Software Test Engineer at Brand Networks. She started with the company in 2016 and has played a significant role in ensuring the quality of our product and solutions work. She also recently completed her certification as a scrum master, the first in our company! Karen lives in Fairport, NY, with her husband, step-son, and their new puppy. She enjoys a good Netflix documentary, hot weather, a day on the lake, Sunday football (go Bears), and anything Greek!
Sheena Golani
Junior Media Analyst
She is a Junior Analyst on the Media Operations team in the NYC Office. Sheena graduated from Northeastern University in Boston with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing. She has previously worked for companies including Reebok and Mullenlowe.
Desirée Gaston
Senior Engagement Manager
Desirée Gaston has a passion for local social media with over eight years of experience in social media program management. Currently, she works on the My Local Social Team for Sam’s Club as a Senior Engagement Manager and enjoys creating training materials, communications, and supporting nearly 600 clubs and Social Champs.In her previous role with Hilton, Desirée managed local social Team Member programs, including the award-winning Hilton Suggests program. She led comprehensive training development, social tool implementations, and recognition programs.In her free time, Desirée enjoys hanging out with her three daughters and two fur kids. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Desirée loves the Portland Trailblazers and the Seattle Seahawks. However, not a fan of rain, she transplanted to the Phoenix area where she enjoys the dry desert heat. Her favorite thing to do is travel, try new restaurants, and support her girls’ many activities.
Karen Paulk
Creative Director
Karen works as Creative Director for BN and leads creative strategy and execution for all things visual and video for Walmart's Local Social program. Because of her background in documentary filmmaking her passion lies in authentic storytelling. She loves to collaborate, problem-solve, and try new things. She is also an avid crime-drama and mythology podcaster and enjoys spending time with her husband, three dogs, and two cats.
Jacquelyn Williams
Lead Software Test Engineer
Jaci leads the software quality and data science teams and has been at Brand Networks since 2016. Jaci and her teams play a key part in BN’s ability to provide high quality value added products and solutions to some of the largest brands in the world. Outside of work, you’ll normally find Jaci on the sidelines cheering at one of her two boys’ sporting events. When there is a break in the sports action, Jaci loves the adventure of camping in the ADK, traveling to a Jimmy Buffett show, checking out the local restaurant scene wherever she is, or working to perfect her latte art. Jaci lives in Webster, NY with her husband and two sons, and insists on only real NY maple syrup.
Brittany Haines
Divisional Community Manager
Brittany Haines is our Neighborhood Market Divisional Community Manager, representing the #GreenTeam of Walmart! Brittany has worked for the #GreenTeam for over 5 years, and has truly committed her career to engaging with Neighborhood Market associates. She is a recent graduate of the University Of West Florida, and was born in Newport Rhode Island.
Mark Heiler
Senior Data Scientist
Mark joined BN’s Data Science team in 2017 and enjoys the diverse projects that he is able to contribute toward. He graduated with his Master's in Biostatistics from University at Buffalo and became an avid Sabres and Bills fan in the process. In his free time, Mark enjoys spending time outdoors, whether it means biking, brewing beer, or scuba diving.
Justin Hugg
Lead Software Engineer
Justin is a Lead Software Engineer who has been at Brand Networks since 2016. He has worked on a wide variety of projects over the years, and is now leading development of Spotlight, the new Associate Influencer app for Walmart. When not working he like to play guitar, read, and spend time with his wife, two young boys, and dogs. He lives with his family outside of Rochester, NY.
Anthony Mitchell
Senior Software Engineer
Most people call me Chachi. I have been with Brand Networks since 2013, working with some of the greatest coworkers to provide solutions for some of the biggest brands ever.
Ken Hertzog
Principal Software Engineer
Ken Hertzog is a Principal Software Engineer at Brand Networks. As a full-stack engineer, he is involved in everything from the UI to the backend cloud infrastructure for a wide array of products and services. Ken received his B.S. in Computer Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He lives with his wife in Rochester, NY. When not working, Ken enjoys collecting music on vinyl and appreciating good craft beer and whiskey.
Amy Jeroy
Senior Software Test Engineer
Amy has been a part of the Brand Networks' technology team since 2015. She started her career in the pharmaceutical industry validating equipment and software systems, traveling from coast to coast. Amy returned to Rochester with a focus on software testing. She is a graduate of SUNY College of Technology at Alfred. Amy lives in Ontario, NY with her husband and children. In her free time she enjoys outdoor activities, attending her son’s hockey games and visiting her daughter at college in Kentucky.
Surge Berg
Team Lead, Divisional Community Manager
Handcrafted from the dust of the Earth and the blood of heroes, it was the very breath of the Almighty that rejoiced at his birth. Just like his first beard, arriving on his first birthday, his experiences continue to grow. Through the years he has been called Teacher, Pastor, Officer, Husband, Associate, Master even Laird but his most coveted title is Dad. Surge is passionate about finding ways to welcome others to the next level and always striving to “be the spark the world needs.”
Garla Shaker
Senior Associate
I am a B.Tech graduate and having 4+ years of experience in campaign management. Apart from work, I would like to play chess, reading blogs and loves to watch suspense thriller movies.
Jeff Zilberman
Vice President, Client Services
Jeff Zilberman is the Vice President of Client Services at Brand Networks, tasked with leading strategic partnerships and client success. With 10+ years of marketing and advertising experience, Jeff brings a proven track record of developing and executing against innovative strategies for fortune 100 retailers. Prior to BN, Jeff spent 6 years at PayPal leading various functions within digital media, program management, and client services. Jeff is a graduate of Roger Williams University and resides in Boston with his wife and daughter.
Naveen Katuri
Director, Media Services
Naveen Katuri is the Director of Media Services at Brand Networks,he has been in the Advertising and Ad Tech industry for 15+ years and is charged with leading the services team and operations at our India Office. Prior to joining BN, he co-founded Rype helping startups and technology firms successfully establish, manage and optimize remote operations. Naveen holds a Bachelor's degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering from JNTU Hyderabad. He lives in Hyderabad with his wife and son.
Brian Witt
Lead Software Engineer
Brian first came to Brand Networks in 2012, so we’re pretty sure he likes it here. He enjoys helping individuals work effectively together as a team to create high quality software that they can truly feel proud of. When he’s not in a meeting or writing code, he can be found cursing up a storm trying to make home improvements. If those home improvement projects ever end (they won’t), he hopes to someday continue playing volleyball, riding his bicycle, or learning Adele songs on the piano.
