The team
More than communications people. We are communications partners.
Olivia Faust
Associate Creative DirectorOlivia found herself in a strategy session with the team several years ago and decided that the MediaDeskers were her kind of people. As Associate Creative Director, she balances heartfelt communications, data-driven tactics, and client goals to elevate and mobilize causes that make a difference. She firmly believes that on-the-ground efforts can save the world, or, at the very least, improve the lives of fellow New Mexicans.
Fernando Gaverd
Graphic DesignerFernando is a Mexican designer and graphic artist from La Paz, Mexico. His decade-plus of experience has given rise to logos, textile designs, websites, app interfaces, and quite recently a design that— literally — traveled to Mars on NASA’s 2020 Perseverance Rover. Outside of MediaDesk his collaborations have ranged from Paramount Pictures and OPI to designing textiles that juxtapose imagery of La Baja’s shores with his adoptive land of the New Mexico desert.
Jason Griffin
Director of Web ServicesJason Griffin is the Director of Web Services at MediaDesk. With over 25 years of experience in IT he is passionate about technology and creating intuitive, attractive, genuinely useful sites that ensure our clients succeed at powering positive change. He's a headphone audiophile, coffee geek, opera lover, cinephile, Formula 1 fan, and scotch enthusiast. Jason loves New Mexico — a job moved him here in 2004 and when it attempted to move him back in 2015 he said, "big nope."
Emily Hill
Communications StrategistWith a background in journalism, Emily has traveled the world biking and backpacking, and reporting on her adventures. As Communications Strategist at MediaDesk, she uses her love of storytelling to craft everything from national op-eds to augmented reality exhibits. Emily is passionate about helping nonprofits leverage creative technologies to reach new audiences. She’s also passionate about indoor cycling and EDM. (Weird, we know.) As MediaDesk’s lead trainer, Emily uses her background as a ESL teacher and outdoor educator to build interactive workshops that are fun, hands-on, and involve lots of cat GIFs.
Angelica Ortega
Communications AssociateAngelica is a native burqueña. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Political Science. After living in LA, and interning for a political podcast firm, she returned to her home state of New Mexico (<3) and worked in local politics. She is passionate about strategic communications as a method to ensure systems of democracy and nonprofit services are accessible to all. Outside of her home office, you can find her running or biking, or snuggling with her two westies.
Julisa Rodriguez
Project ManagerDigging into the details while staying true to the big picture—that’s second nature for Julisa. She got her start in project management and operations in the public education sector after graduating from UNM. As a Project Manager at MediaDesk, she combines her keen attention to detail and process-oriented thinking to keep projects on time and on budget. In her personal time, she can be found spending time with her three tabby cats (she’s not a crazy cat lady though, we promise) and drinking home-brewed tea.
Sommer Smith
Co-founder, Creative DirectorSommer’s story with MediaDesk starts when she was a kid and her dad invented these guys (yes, two oversized, human-filled chile peppers). It’s a long story that involves a couple decades, a stint in New York and Brazil, and an unexpectedly job-relevant degree in anthropology to actually arrive at MediaDesk… But that’s where it began. History aside, as MediaDesk’s Creative Director, Sommer leads our award-winning team as we work with clients and causes we believe in to find creative solutions that power positive change.
José Viramontes
CEOJosé is the Owner and CEO of MediaDesk. He came to MediaDesk following a career in the public sector where he led communications, policy, and strategic planning for natural resource conservation efforts in the western US. At MediaDesk, he’s a leader that elevates all aspects of our work. Sometimes he’s supporting our team, keeping us on the leading edge of our industry. Other times he is making sure our charcuterie boards have Marcona almonds (he knows about good snacks).
The team
More than communications people.We are communications partners.
Olivia Faust
Associate Creative DirectorOlivia found herself in a strategy session with the team several years ago and decided that the MediaDeskers were her kind of people. As Associate Creative Director, she balances heartfelt communications, data-driven tactics, and client goals to elevate and mobilize causes that make a difference. She firmly believes that on-the-ground efforts can save the world, or, at the very least, improve the lives of fellow New Mexicans.
Fernando Gaverd
Graphic DesignerFernando is a Mexican designer and graphic artist from La Paz, Mexico. His decade-plus of experience has given rise to logos, textile designs, websites, app interfaces, and quite recently a design that— literally — traveled to Mars on NASA’s 2020 Perseverance Rover. Outside of MediaDesk his collaborations have ranged from Paramount Pictures and OPI to designing textiles that juxtapose imagery of La Baja’s shores with his adoptive land of the New Mexico desert.
Jason Griffin
Director of Web ServicesJason Griffin is the Director of Web Services at MediaDesk. With over 25 years of experience in IT he is passionate about technology and creating intuitive, attractive, genuinely useful sites that ensure our clients succeed at powering positive change. He's a headphone audiophile, coffee geek, opera lover, cinephile, Formula 1 fan, and scotch enthusiast. Jason loves New Mexico — a job moved him here in 2004 and when it attempted to move him back in 2015 he said, "big nope."
Emily Hill
Communications StrategistWith a background in journalism, Emily has traveled the world biking and backpacking, and reporting on her adventures. As Communications Strategist at MediaDesk, she uses her love of storytelling to craft everything from national op-eds to augmented reality exhibits. Emily is passionate about helping nonprofits leverage creative technologies to reach new audiences. She’s also passionate about indoor cycling and EDM. (Weird, we know.) As MediaDesk’s lead trainer, Emily uses her background as a ESL teacher and outdoor educator to build interactive workshops that are fun, hands-on, and involve lots of cat GIFs.
Angelica Ortega
Communications AssociateAngelica is a native burqueña. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Political Science. After living in LA, and interning for a political podcast firm, she returned to her home state of New Mexico (<3) and worked in local politics. She is passionate about strategic communications as a method to ensure systems of democracy and nonprofit services are accessible to all. Outside of her home office, you can find her running or biking, or snuggling with her two westies.
Julisa Rodriguez
Project ManagerDigging into the details while staying true to the big picture—that’s second nature for Julisa. She got her start in project management and operations in the public education sector after graduating from UNM. As a Project Manager at MediaDesk, she combines her keen attention to detail and process-oriented thinking to keep projects on time and on budget. In her personal time, she can be found spending time with her three tabby cats (she’s not a crazy cat lady though, we promise) and drinking home-brewed tea.
Sommer Smith
Co-founder, Creative DirectorSommer’s story with MediaDesk starts when she was a kid and her dad invented these guys (yes, two oversized, human-filled chile peppers). It’s a long story that involves a couple decades, a stint in New York and Brazil, and an unexpectedly job-relevant degree in anthropology to actually arrive at MediaDesk… But that’s where it began. History aside, as MediaDesk’s Creative Director, Sommer leads our award-winning team as we work with clients and causes we believe in to find creative solutions that power positive change.
José Viramontes
CEOJosé is the Owner and CEO of MediaDesk. He came to MediaDesk following a career in the public sector where he led communications, policy, and strategic planning for natural resource conservation efforts in the western US. At MediaDesk, he’s a leader that elevates all aspects of our work. Sometimes he’s supporting our team, keeping us on the leading edge of our industry. Other times he is making sure our charcuterie boards have Marcona almonds (he knows about good snacks).
The team
More than communications people.We are communications partners.
Olivia Faust
Associate Creative DirectorOlivia found herself in a strategy session with the team several years ago and decided that the MediaDeskers were her kind of people. As Associate Creative Director, she balances heartfelt communications, data-driven tactics, and client goals to elevate and mobilize causes that make a difference. She firmly believes that on-the-ground efforts can save the world, or, at the very least, improve the lives of fellow New Mexicans.
Fernando Gaverd
Graphic DesignerFernando is a Mexican designer and graphic artist from La Paz, Mexico. His decade-plus of experience has given rise to logos, textile designs, websites, app interfaces, and quite recently a design that— literally — traveled to Mars on NASA’s 2020 Perseverance Rover. Outside of MediaDesk his collaborations have ranged from Paramount Pictures and OPI to designing textiles that juxtapose imagery of La Baja’s shores with his adoptive land of the New Mexico desert.
Jason Griffin
Director of Web ServicesJason Griffin is the Director of Web Services at MediaDesk. With over 25 years of experience in IT he is passionate about technology and creating intuitive, attractive, genuinely useful sites that ensure our clients succeed at powering positive change. He's a headphone audiophile, coffee geek, opera lover, cinephile, Formula 1 fan, and scotch enthusiast. Jason loves New Mexico — a job moved him here in 2004 and when it attempted to move him back in 2015 he said, "big nope."
Emily Hill
Communications StrategistWith a background in journalism, Emily has traveled the world biking and backpacking, and reporting on her adventures. As Communications Strategist at MediaDesk, she uses her love of storytelling to craft everything from national op-eds to augmented reality exhibits. Emily is passionate about helping nonprofits leverage creative technologies to reach new audiences. She’s also passionate about indoor cycling and EDM. (Weird, we know.) As MediaDesk’s lead trainer, Emily uses her background as a ESL teacher and outdoor educator to build interactive workshops that are fun, hands-on, and involve lots of cat GIFs.
Angelica Ortega
Communications AssociateAngelica is a native burqueña. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a degree in Political Science. After living in LA, and interning for a political podcast firm, she returned to her home state of New Mexico (<3) and worked in local politics. She is passionate about strategic communications as a method to ensure systems of democracy and nonprofit services are accessible to all. Outside of her home office, you can find her running or biking, or snuggling with her two westies.
Julisa Rodriguez
Project ManagerDigging into the details while staying true to the big picture—that’s second nature for Julisa. She got her start in project management and operations in the public education sector after graduating from UNM. As a Project Manager at MediaDesk, she combines her keen attention to detail and process-oriented thinking to keep projects on time and on budget. In her personal time, she can be found spending time with her three tabby cats (she’s not a crazy cat lady though, we promise) and drinking home-brewed tea.
Sommer Smith
Co-founder, Creative DirectorSommer’s story with MediaDesk starts when she was a kid and her dad invented these guys (yes, two oversized, human-filled chile peppers). It’s a long story that involves a couple decades, a stint in New York and Brazil, and an unexpectedly job-relevant degree in anthropology to actually arrive at MediaDesk… But that’s where it began. History aside, as MediaDesk’s Creative Director, Sommer leads our award-winning team as we work with clients and causes we believe in to find creative solutions that power positive change.
José Viramontes
CEOJosé is the Owner and CEO of MediaDesk. He came to MediaDesk following a career in the public sector where he led communications, policy, and strategic planning for natural resource conservation efforts in the western US. At MediaDesk, he’s a leader that elevates all aspects of our work. Sometimes he’s supporting our team, keeping us on the leading edge of our industry. Other times he is making sure our charcuterie boards have Marcona almonds (he knows about good snacks).
* Adria Malcolm took these dope photos in collaboration with our creative team
* Adria Malcolm took these dope photos in collaboration with our creative team