25 Nov 54 Social Media Experts We’re Thankful For

In two days, Ignite Social Media will close its doors so our work family members can break bread with their own family and friends this Thanksgiving.  We know social media marketing never truly takes a break (just ask our “always-on” Community Managers) but the leadership team at Ignite Social Media wanted to take a quick break out of our week to give thanks for the amazing team of social media experts that make our company one of the best, most experienced social media agencies in the world.

In no particular order, (well, alpha-order was easiest…) here’s a “short-list” of our fabulous staff of social media marketers and the many reasons we’re thankful for each of them!

Ignite Social Media Rockstars

John Andrews: His tireless energy is accompanied by an optimistic vision of what might be.

Beth Anne Ballance: She’s got the perfect mix of creativity and sass for brands looking to connect with young moms.

Heather Barefoot: She’s willing to jump in and learn how to execute flawless influencer programs and social campaigns. Her eye for detail has helped us pull off programs that seemed impossible from the start.

Jessica Bedussi: Our resident event planner, she’s the best “Social” director Ignite has ever had, planning the perfect way to celebrate every crazy occasion we can think of.

Deidre Bounds: She quietly makes the proverbial trains run on time.

Lisa Braziel: She’s worked on more social media marketing campaigns for large brands than almost anyone on earth. But she’s still as humble and focused on results as she’s ever been.

Marcie Brogan: She helped us build the model of what a social media agency could be.
Mary Byers: She’s been instrumental in establishing solid relationships with several of our current clients.

Bruna Camargo: She’s creative, bringing visual appeal and style to every piece of content she produces.

Greg De Lima: He’s always looking at data through several lenses and always learning.

Debbie DeSantis: She has an aptitude for numbers.  She’s  no CFFaux.

Adabelle Espinosa: She brings the element of surprise. An expert blog post, a witty response to a trending topic or a new Power Editor shortcut – you never know what she’ll pull out of her blanket scarf next.

Nicole Esplin: She’s got focus. It literally can’t be broken no matter how loud and crazy the team gets around her.

Samantha Foon: She’s willing to wear many, many hats.

Amanda Fuquay: She has a breadth of experience in project management and PR that today helps us ensure influencer programs are always buttoned up and strategic.

Matt Garcia: His wealth of global business development expertise will continue to help us broaden our portfolio

Jessica Gaylord: Her dry, understated sense of humor somehow puts a positive spin on every crazy situation our community managers have to deal with.

Francheska Gjeloshaj: She knows all things pop-culture, and that helps our entire team develop “right-time” community content for our brands
La Tosca Goodwin: She plays an instrumental role in helping our agency navigate the choppy and often changing world of social to develop applications that make users and our clients happy.

Meghan Hardy: She’s the epitome of hard-work and dedication to her craft. She is one of the most buttoned-up and detail-oriented people we know.

Brooke Hefner: She can take complex social media marketing concepts and explain them in a way that’s not only understandable but guaranteed to entertain.

Taylor Hornecker: She has an always learning attitude and willingness to take the time to teach both herself and others.

Joe Karle: He never wavers from doing what’s right for clients or the agency.

Kristina Kelly: If we only had one word to describe Kristina, it would be passionate. Her dedication to the brands she represents in unrivaled.

Jessica Lam: She’s the epitome of efficiency and thoroughness in her approach to client service.

Ashlie Lanning: She’s driven, that’s for sure. No matter what, Ashlie will always over-deliver on your expectations.

Erin Ledbetter: She has a memory like a steel trap.  Her knowledge of the historical is tested daily and she never disappoints. Plus, she always guesses Mystery Trip locations…or at least she thinks she does.

Kathleen Loescher: She’s our local foodie, helping us find the best nomz in Raleigh. Go ahead, follow her on Instagram. You’ll be thankful (or maybe jealous) that you did.

Keriann Maltby: The subtle creativity she brings to the content she creates for brands ensures they still come across as human but with a clear voice that could only be a fit for that brand.

Misi McClelland: She has hidden “comedic” talents and always has something funny to say that immediately brightens the day.

Alexis Monette: She’s willing to do whatever it takes and has an ability to create content that not only aligns with that particular social channel but is beautifully executed, yet simple and clean.

Michael Patterson: He has an unwavering drive to deliver excellent client service.

Farasha Polk: She has a unique ability to connect with an audience (plus a keen eye for fashion and beauty) that serves her brands well.

Stephanie Purinton: Her love of numbers and analysis is unparalleled. It’s rare to find someone who can play the role of strategist, content creator and analyst all in one neat and tiny package.

Megan Rauf: She spends so many of her precious nights and weekends taking care of our clients’ most loyal fans.

Victoria Rogers: She pays close attention to every detail and is a true team player.

Dave Ryan: No matter the idea, he makes it look fantastic, and engaging.

Jenn Salerno: She is #AlwaysLearning about our clients and partners social media marketing to help them achieve success.

Candice Smith: She ensures that our promises, to each other and to clients, come true with her famous, “Who, does what, by when?”

Gene Smith: No matter what we’ve asked for 7 years, his answer has always been, “It’s doable.”

Brent Soboleski: He sees projects from every standpoint and thinks through the best way to solve the deliverables needed.

Laura Solano: She brings thought-leadership and a strategic approach to developing and executing Hispanic-targeted social media marketing. Her knowledge of the space has been an invaluable addition to our team.

Meredith Sparrow: She’s a student of social media marketing. She’s always current on the state of the ecosystem, and so she can effectively rally the team and formulate sound strategic recommendations

Emily Spurlock: Her expertise on how to run legal promotions is brought with a refreshing creativity and open mindedness that helps her find unique solutions others would never find.

Kyle Stuef: He’s a teacher, not a preacher and has an ability to explain community strategy in a way even a social media novice can understand.

Christian Sullivan: She’s been instrumental at forming real relationships with influencers and advocating for innovative solutions that meet both the influencer needs as well as the brand’s.

Ryan Sweeney: He is a true data junkie who stays calm and humorous when the pressure is on.

Nikki Thompkins: She is the Finance Team “Rockstar” whose extensive knowledge of our system keeps us rocking!

Kathleen Tierney: She’s a chameleon with the ability to adapt content and engagement styles for the audience she’s trying to reach.

Jim Tobin: He has determination. Every year he returns from Coach K Camp a little more tattered than the year before, but the next year he just as excited as if it were the first time .

Kailee VanDamia: She can always be counted on to ask the “how” and “why” behind every idea or strategy, working with other teams and our clients to find her answers.

Brandi Royal-Washington: She thinks as clients think.  She anticipates their needs and expectations in order to have her team always prepared.  She’s never afraid to fight for what’s right and clients respect her for that.

Darrough West: He’s consistently bridging creativity and technology to develop solutions in ways that wow both Ignite and our clients.

Vanessa Williams: She keeps us up-to-date on the latest trends and has an understanding of how to craft implications for brands and marketers, across a variety of verticals.