
Dante Betsch
Communications AssociateAs a deeply creative person, Dante has worked in a diverse set of fields ranging from manufacturing and printing, UI/UX design, startups, and communications. His studies in textile and graphic design have even led him to live in London. His out-of-the-box thinking and care for creating beautiful work as a Communications Associate shows in all of the projects he works on at MediaDesk.

Mariah Carrillo
Communications StrategistMariah is a Communications Strategist at MediaDesk. With a Master’s in Art History, a background in visual arts, and marketing experience in the nonprofit sector, Mariah’s creative vision and strategic followthrough are instrumental in helping organizations achieve their communications goals.

Katerine Contreras
Graphic DesignerKat is a Venezuelan designer whose life has taken her to different cities across North and South America. She has experience in illustration, animation, photography, film, and printmaking. At MediaDesk, Kat puts her diverse skills and multicultural perspectives to work creating unique visual materials.

Olivia Faust
Communications StrategistOlivia found herself in a strategy session with the team several years ago and decided that the MediaDeskers were her kind of people. As a Communications Strategist, 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 those around us.

Fernando Gaverd
Lead DesignerFernando Gaverd is MediaDesk’s Lead Designer. He has over a decade of experience, ranging from logo design, to textiles, to web and app interface design. His clients, alongside MediaDesk’s, have included Paramount Pictures, HBO, and in 2020 his design for MEDA traveled to Mars on NASA’s Perseverance Rover. His work has been published in Design Envy by AIGA, and he has been featured in numerous publications.

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. When a big firm tried to pull him back into the corporate world in 2015 he said, "big nope."

Emily Hill
Communications StrategistEmily is a marketer and journalist, with a record of in-depth reporting and innovative marketing strategy. As a Communications Strategist at MediaDesk, she specializes in reaching audiences in creative ways through social media, public relations, and multi-platform media campaigns.

Angelica Ortega
Digital StrategistAngelica is a Digital Strategist at MediaDesk. Her degree in PoliSci started her out in political podcasting and campaigns. Now her experience in print, digital, podcasting, and social media is paired with digital advertising and strategy to reach even larger audiences.

Julisa Rodriguez
Director of OperationsJulisa is Director of Operations at MediaDesk. She got her start in project management and operations in the public education sector. Julisa combines her keen attention to detail and process-oriented thinking to keep projects on time and on budget, which both our team and our clients are thankful for.

Sommer Smith
Co-founder, Creative DirectorSommer leads our award-winning team from concept to creation. With over a decade of experience in creative leadership, Sommer has a proven success record from design to delivery. As co-founder of MediaDesk, she’s been with us since the beginning.

Henry Valdez
Earned Media SpecialistHenry is a writer, storyteller, and communications professional. At MediaDesk, he provides earned media and strategic communications support for causes we believe in. With a background in visual, digital, and written storytelling, Henry brings the heart of a story to life.

José Viramontes
CEOJosé is the CEO of MediaDesk. For over 20 years, José has led strategic communications and marketing efforts in both rural and urban settings throughout the U.S. His diverse leadership experiences in the social, public, and private sectors come together at MediaDesk to support a high-trust team that empowers, collaborates, and innovates for our clients.