Victor Aguilar
Designer
B.A., Studio Art - Graphic Design, University of Maryland at College Park
With an academic background in classical art history, art-philosophical theory, contemporary art practice, design and typography, Victor manages to synthesize a highly refined conceptual and aesthetic approach with a broad spectrum of technical expertise. Having acquired his first copy of Photoshop in 1996 at the age of 14, Victor is a highly visual thinker with over 15 years of experience in Adobe's industry-standard software combined with an ever-growing arsenal of creative and development tools.
Victor's foundation in the more traditional realm of paint and pencil afford him an artistic vision not often seen on the web. Moving seamlessly between print and interactive, he has produced publications for clients such as Le Alliance Française, LeftTurn Media and While You Were Sleeping magazine. In addition, Victor has initiated numerous independent multimedia projects both off and online in the industries of music, fashion, art, food and technology. Throughout his interactive work, Victor manages to create user-interface experiences that marry the formal qualities of editorial and print-based media with clean, functional web-standards.
In his downtime, Victor is the lead designer, co-founder and a contributing writer for AllOurNoise.com, an independent online journal showcasing the best in past, present and future music. He has also exhibited his artwork at the Union Gallery at U of MD, Transformer non-profit art space, the Corcoran Gallery of Art and Cell Projects, London. When not otherwise glued to his monitor, he can be found obsessing over local produce, inhaling black truffle salt or honing his culinary prowess in the kitchen.
Paul Bhorjee
Director of Technology
M.A., Information Technology, American InterContinental University; B.A., Political Science, University of Michigan
With over a decade of programming experience, Paul is our resident expert on .NET and PHP/MySQL web application development. Paul has focused his passion for the web on developing robust, data-driven web applications for corporate clients like Turner Broadcasting and The Royal Bank of Canada as well as governmental and non-profit clients like the DC Government’s Office of the CTO and the Clerk of the US House of Representatives. Paul brings a human touch to engaging with clients and with the rest of the IS departments. He has a unique ability to speak human language to all levels of technical challenges. Under his guidance, the technical team and projects run smoothly and he is the communications link between the Accounts Team and the Design Team, making sure projects come together as planned.
Paul has long held the Microsoft Certified Professional Developer certification and is an expert on the Microsoft Platform. He is intimately familiar with Microsoft Server, SQL Server, and the IIS web server. More recently he has engaged in many LAMP projects that have broadened his development and server environment capabilities. Paul has recently received his Zend Certified Engineer in PHP 5.3 certification - only one of few programmers who hold this valued certification in Washington, DC. He is also a Sitecore Certified Developer, earning that distingction in 2011, and has applied his Sitecore knowledge in the development of 4 full website builds in addition to various website enhanments and extensions.
When not baking bread, riding his bike, or trolling the gym, he’s playing Bocce Ball, rowing the Potomac, hiking the trails of Shenandoah, or inhaling international soccer news.
Dean Burney
Managing Partner
Director of Design & User Experience
B.A., Advertising, Iowa State University
Dean has an 18-year history in creative services, including advertising copywriting, corporate marketing and Internet consulting. His experience leading and moderating numerous usability studies has helped him develop an innate understanding of user behavior that translates to all his projects. That combined with an equally strong background in information architecture and front-end development results in designs that are as functional as they are beautiful.
Prior to joining Interactive Strategies he was the Creative Director for the Indigio Group, an award-winning web agency based in Denver, CO. In just five years, he quadrupled the size of the company’s user experience team and led the introduction of in-house usability testing as a primary service offering. While at Indigio, his work on the Budget Car Rental culminated in a redesign that was named the industry’s most usable car rental site. Other notable clients included Qwest Dex, Avis Car Rental, Allied Van Lines and several of the nation’s largest newspapers websites, including the Denver Post and the San Jose Mercury News.
When not in the DC office, Dean can most likely be found on a train on his daily commute from Baltimore or lost on the trails of nearby Patapsco State Park. He is the proud new parent of his son, Liam.
Mark Davenport
Senior Account Strategist
M.B.A., Marketing, Georgetown University, B.S., Journalism, University of Maryland at College Park
Mark brings to his role nearly twenty years of experience and a passion for partnering with clients to envision new ways of engaging with their audiences online. Drawing on a background spanning writing, design, marketing and technology, he focuses on creating user experiences that drive business results.
Prior to joining Interactive Strategies, Mark drove the vision, design and development of several award-winning sites as a senior consultant at NavigationArts. He led the company's first-ever mobile Web site project and broke new ground with the use of Sitecore, Salesforce.com, Coveo and ExactTarget as a subscription publishing platform.
After starting his career as a daily newspaper reporter, Mark fell in love with the communications potential of the Web in 1997 and began planning, building and managing sites, including an early online community for the Association for Women in Communications.
Moving to the dot-com epicenter of San Francisco in 1999, he deployed his skills with start-up AllBusiness.com and financial giant Charles Schwab. Following his MBA, Mark honed his marketing expertise as a consultant with MarketBridge, where he led the execution of strategic engagements for such clients as IBM, Cisco, SAP, Sage and Kronos.
When not helping clients, Mark can most likely be found teaching his sons how to play guitar, ride a bike, swim or meditate.
Chris DeOrzio
Senior Front End Developer
B.A., Communications and Advertising, West Virginia University
Chris started his career in the days of the dotcoms, as both a designer and developer for an adventure travel site. With one foot in design, and the other in development, Chris was uniquely poised to see where a connection between these two areas was needed. That’s when front-end development became his focus.
With 10+ years of experience in the web field, Chris specializes in the area where design and code meet. Because of his experience in both specialties, he can understand each side and speak their respective languages fluently.
Chris is dedicated to turning design comps into interactive experiences that engage and excite users. Keeping up on all of the latest trends, including HTML5, CSS3 and jQuery, he brings websites to the next level, always keeping in mind the complexity of cross browser differences.
Outside of the office Chris remains on his never-ending quest to master fingerstyle guitar. He also reads history books, watches hockey and searches for the perfect slice of pizza. Chris has never had a cup of coffee.
Lori Evans
Operations Manager
B.S., Marketing and Finance, Penn State University
As our Operations Manager, Lori is responsible for managing our accounting, human resources and office needs. She ensures each I.S. staff member has what they need to do their jobs effectively, productively and happily. In short, she is the Captain that keeps us afloat.
In addition to her finance background, Lori also has extensive experience working in the interactive space, which allows her to be keenly in tune with the goals of our company, the work we do and the needs of our clients. As a QA Analyst at 10 Notes she conducted usability studies, developed testing methodologies and provided strategic insight on projects that required a deep knowledge of finance. As co-owner of Lucidea, an interactive agency, she helped each client shape a strategic vision for their projects, and managed a team of designers and developers to deliver thoughtful, powerful websites and applications.
When she is not running I.S. like a tight ship, Lori enjoys shopping for great shoes and hanging out with her best canine pal, Buddy.
David French
Designer
Growing up in front of a computer screen, Dave always knew that he would walk down a digital path. Over the course of his career, Dave has always been an advocate for the user. He has a "thing" for solutions, and there has never been an issue on a project that he could not fix. In his previous role as a Senior Web Designer at Bridgeline Digital in Denver, CO, Dave was recognized by the executive team with the President's Award for his outstanding achievements and willingness to go the extra mile for his clients and co-workers. Dave's previous client list spans many well known brands, including Denver Botanic Gardens, Budget, PODS, and The Children's Hospital Colorado.
When Dave is not busy delivering results, he can be found focusing on his other passions. Whether in the garage brewing up a new beer concoction or in the studio laying down tracks, there is never a dull moment in Dave's creative world.
Tory Gobat
Web Application Developer
B.S.E., Digital Media Design, University of Pennsylvania
Growing up spending hours playing computer games, designing greeting cards, and obsessing over fonts, it was only natural that Tory wanted to fuse technology and the visual in her studies. Majoring in a cross-disciplinary program provided her with a solid base of programming skills plus tastes of the fine arts and design fields. It was her internships at Dow Jones, however, that first afforded her specific experience in both front-end and back-end web development.
After graduating Tory dove right into the field, finding her niche as a Drupal/PHP developer at Night Kitchen Interactive in Philadelphia. There she contributed heavily to website (re)design projects built on the Drupal open-source content management system for clients such as the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the Gilder Lehrman Institute, and the Asian Art Museum.
A detail-oriented programmer, Tory has a well-rounded ability to convert functional requirements into a blend of Drupal configuration and custom-coded modules. When things get complex, she has no fear of digging deep into the Drupal API to find a way to make it work. Harboring a love for front-end development as well, Tory enjoys working in the tightly entwined system of custom Drupal themes layered with CSS and jQuery.
Tory is passionate about her non-techie hobbies as well - primarily social partner dancing of many flavors, including blues, fusion, west coast swing, and salsa. She also loves expanding her music collection, being a picky craft beer enthusiast, indoor rock climbing, and attempting narrative writing from time to time.
Vanessa Hampton
Senior Online Marketing Manager
B.A., Marketing, James Madison University
Vanessa Hampton brings over eight years of online marketing experience to the online marketing team at Interactive Strategies. She provides strategic insight on developing and managing creative, well thought out search, email and social media campaigns that meet our clients’ needs. Throughout her career in online marketing, she has managed successful campaigns, improving ROI, for a variety of high-profile companies such as Marriott and Renaissance Hotels, Apartment Showcase, The Nature Conservancy, Forrester Construction and Team Hole in the Wall.
Vanessa is a Google AdWords Certified Professional and working towards expanding her certifications to include Microsoft Advertising and Google Analytics. She is an expert on both search engine platforms as well as their respective online tools. Vanessa also has basic HTML knowledge and works with a variety of email service providers including, Emma, MailChimp and Topica.
Outside of the office, Vanessa enjoys traveling – especially to the beach in the summer, staying active and trying new healthy recipes.
Corey Johnson
Art Director
B.F.A., Graphic Design, Virginia Commonwealth University
As our Art Director, Corey brings the highest level of curiosity and creativity to each project. Like most designers who started out pre-Internet, Corey’s 10+ year career in online experience design is rooted in illustration. The classical training he received at VCU sets the foundation for his work today. From UI design to brand development, through a trained eye he consistently produces work that balances usability with remarkable detail and visual impact – a quality that is hard to find in a traditional web designer.
While Corey designs beautiful experiences, he is also passionate about concept development and excels at finding new ways to represent a brand, express a message or achieve a client’s goal. With fresh, unexpected solutions, his designs drive projects forward and are highly effective. At Interactive Strategies, he has created several forward-thinking designs for clients such as the United Way, Nature Conservancy.
Corey came to Interactive Strategies from AOL where he designed many product screens and iterations of the Running Man (that little yellow guy). Working within such strict brand guidelines influenced his interest in brand development and inspired him to hone his skills in logo and identity design. As our in-house logo designer for such clients as InfinityQS, Mixology and DARPA Mobilize, he creates thoughtful brand identities that speak to the true nature of the business.
When Corey is not in the office working, he is outside the office working. As a freelancer his clients have included the Discovery Channel, GlaxcoSmithKline, Allen Iverson, Daryl Green, Oguchi Onyewu, Real Hip Hop Network and many others. When he's not working (it happens), you can find Corey fishing in one of the area’s many lakes and ponds, or biking one of our great trails.
Cory Jurentkuff
Director of Content Strategy & Communications
M.A., Interactive Journalism, American University , B.S., Mass Communications & Advertising, James Madison University
Cory Jurentkuff, Director of Content Strategy & Sr. Account Strategist
M.A. American University; B.S., James Madison University
A Content Strategist whose experience ranges from two journalism degrees to being a homepage writer and editor at AOL, Cory believes strong, usable content is a critical component to a successful multi-channel online experience. She was immediately energized by the field of content strategy, and has built the IS content service from the ground up.
Cory works with clients to launch successful multi-channel content strategies for their websites, mobile experiences and social media presences. She immerses herself in their business goals and audience needs to develop and execute these plans through content audits, marketing reviews, sitemaps and copywriting for the web and social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. She also thinks of creative ways to extend content to other social media platforms such as YouTube and Pinterest, knowing that social media is one of the best ways to engage users and build brand advocates.
And when clients wish to execute their content strategies in-house she conducts workshops on best practices for content on the web, mobile and social media. Cory continuously refines her craft, having most recently attended content workshops at the Nielsen Norman Group’s Usability Week and Media Bistro’s Social Media Marketing Bootcamp.
With 10+ years managing web projects, including the first AOL.com site in 2005, and multiple site redesigns for the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Cory also serves as a Senior Account Strategist. Cory has a knack for helping clients sort through their goals, challenges and audience needs to find that big idea that will set their web experiences apart and yield the most positive returns. She loves a good conundrum most of all -- because that means she can brainstorm creative ways out of it. She loves whiteboarding.
When she’s not writing on the whiteboard, Cory enjoys reading a good book, having a "Lord of the Rings" marathon or listening to her vast library of music. She also loves running, hiking trails in her homeland of Vermont, getting lost in a museum, and quoting lines from [insert movie title here].
Paul Meyer
Web Applications Developer
B.S., Information Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology
Paul has been programming websites ever since he graduated with honors from RIT – one of the best IT programs in the nation – in 2008. Concentrating on development for websites with database integration, Paul prefers to program in a PHP/MySQL environment, though he supports the increasing popularity of all open source projects.
Paul is fascinated by the interaction between user and website, and is always working to improve that connection - either by using frameworks such as jQuery, or simply programming and designing in a more human fashion. Though he is just beginning what is sure to be a long and successful programming career, he is always eager to learn and adapt his skills to support the innovative and ever-changing world of web development.
When not programming, Paul enjoys spending time with his family, exploring the world of micro brewing, and playing games.
Nate Mow
Lead Application Developer
B.S., Graphic Design, University of Evansville
Nate works as Interactive Strategies' lead application developer, creating custom modules and themes for WordPress and Drupal, implementing data-driven eye candy using jQuery and the Google APIs, and working with the rest of the IS team to create sustainable, efficient web systems. Although Nate currently focuses on open source technologies, he also has deep experience on Microsoft's .NET and SQL Server platforms.
During his 10 year career, Nate has worked with dozens of associations, federal offices and enterprise-class customers, including PBS, USPS, DOE, the IRS, FLOTUS, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the SisterToSister Foundation. Prior to joining the IS team, Nate worked as the Director of Technology for Lucidea, founded 10 Notes (a small interactive agency based in D.C.), and later served as the Director of Technology for Rock Creek Strategic Marketing.
When he’s not wearing his codernaut helmet, Nate enjoys live (loud) music, riding his sweet Raleigh around town (wearing an alternate helmet), and training his dog Rudy on the finer points of being a true soldier of the rockpocalypse.
Bruce Namerow
President
B.A., Marketing, University of Michigan Business School
Bruce honed his marketing and communications skills in politics, first at the Clinton White House before joining the Office of Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt in 1994. The year was 1994 when he suggested that the Congressman consider a website to help communicate his agenda to the public.
Following his passion for the emerging Internet, Bruce soon left politics to work at Magnet Interactive. Before long, Bruce was Senior Producer helping to shape online strategies for Fortune 500 clients such as First USA/Bank One, DuPont, Accenture, USAA Insurance and more. In 2001, Bruce founded Interactive Strategies with the belief that web agencies could do a better job of meeting the strategic needs of clients. In the ten years since, Bruce has grown the company into one of DC’s leading agencies. Rather than focus on growth, he has been driven by the desire to provide innovative and comprehensive web strategies for a select group of clients.
Outside the office grind, you can catch Bruce enjoying a newspaper, riding a bike or spending time with his family.
Max Resnick
Technical Strategist
BS Engineering Management, Missouri University of Science and Technology
Max started his career defining ruggedized and militarized communications systems for the aviation and ground vehicle markets. He took joy in the challenges that were brought on by working to integrating new products and features with legacy systems while trying to keep schedules and budgets practical. Later, Max moved to IT Consulting with Deloitte. As a consultant Max, help define the enterprise architecture for one the largest electronic health records. Max has also worked with a financial services oversight agency as the lead requirements manager and change request manager. In his free time, you’ll find Max roaming the streets of DC, or other major cities with a film camera in hand, and a coffee in the other hand. You also might find him in a local dive bar or foodery.
Kye Tiernan
Managing Partner
Director of Client Service
M.A., Anthropology, University of Chicago; B.A., Anthropology & Film Studies, Indiana University
Kye’s interest in technology began under water -- supporting diverse projects in maritime archaeology in the United States and Latin America. Since surfacing, she has amassed over fifteen year of experience in the world of digital solutions and brand development. Blending strategic design, user research and project management, Kye is interested in understanding how culture shapes the interaction between an organization and its audience. She is also interested in translating brands into digital environments.
Expert at turning complex ideas into intuitive online experiences, Kye’s creative problem solving and approach to user-centered design have shaped solutions for corporate, non-profit and governmental clients, such as United Way, CapitalSource, MAXIMUS and DARPA. Her substantial experience developing instructional technology and educational products for the University of Chicago, Indiana University and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt makes her uniquely qualified to guide clients through the design and development process. She also leads the IS account team in the conceptualization, research, and development of strategic, customer-driven solutions.
In her spare time, Kye can sometimes be found steeping in warm Caribbean waters. She also spends a considerable amount of time on her head, practicing yoga.
Levi Wardell
Director of Online Marketing
If you could blend an adrenaline rush, a dozen years of digital marketing experience, a dash of sarcasm and a slight touch of OCD, you would get our Director of Online Marketing, Levi Wardell.
He may not be the loudest in the bunch, but Levi is one of the most zealous marketers you’ll find in the digital space. After all, he has dedicated his life to fighting the Google machine for the good of his clients and drinking from the social media fire hose on a daily basis. When he’s not sitting in front of his computer (often times yelling at it), he’s probably out at a speaking engagement teaching folks about the latest and greatest in the industry.
Since he realized that writing code didn’t suit his fancy in the late 90’s, Levi has been fortunate enough to work with some of today’s leading brands in the non-profit, government, small business and Fortune 500 arenas. Organizations such as the National Association of Wholesale Distributors, American Institutes for Research, Agora Publishing, The Washington Redskins, Brooks Brothers, Discovery Education, Next Day Blinds, The Ad Council and others.
To get specific, Levi’s proficiencies include strategic cross-channel campaign development, content marketing, SEO, PPC, conversion optimization, social media marketing, email marketing, mobile optimization, user-metric analysis, interactive media, information architecture and user-experience strategy.
With as much time as he spends “on the grid”, it is no wonder he finds relaxation off-line. If you want to find Levi off-hours, look up. Levi’s been known to jump out of a perfectly good airplane from time to time. When he’s not falling at terminal velocity, he also enjoys photography, driving American muscle cars and spending time with his equally fanatical wife and son.
Ryan McBurney
Digital Marketing Manager
B.A., Marketing & Entrepreneurship, Syracuse University
Ryan McBurney, a Washington D.C. native and Syracuse University graduate, is a true lover of the unique power digital marketing provides brands – both big and small – to grow in an influential and cost-effective manner.
His passion for the industry led Ryan to work for a D.C. area startup within the mobile-technology industry where he honed his skills using cutting edge marketing technologies such as QR codes and augmented reality to further enrich the campaigns he developed. His passion for the social landscape soon found him seeking a larger audience. This brought him to a national marketing agency based on Connecticut Ave. known as FaceTime Strategy. It was at FaceTime where he polished his digital skills and learned to develop cutting-edge campaigns, including email marketing for Tuesday Morning, an award-winning Facebook campaign for the be.group and various other multi-channel campaigns within an array of verticals.
Ryan joined Interactive Strategies as the Digital Marketing Manager where he helps the digital team develop, execute and manage effective online campaigns. On the weekends, Ryan is a Syracuse basketball fan, an armchair quarterback and a self-diagnosed iPad addict. He also hopes to be a Civil War re-enactor one day.
Jacob Wolfsheimer
Senior Account Strategist
Online Marketing Manager
Jacob Wolfsheimer brings over a decade of professional experience to the account management and online marketing teams at I.S. He provides strategic solutions to clients with an emphasis on integrated marketing efforts that drive results.
As one of the first consultants to provide online marketing services to the federal government, he has developed and implemented organic and paid search marketing campaigns, usability tests, media planning and buying efforts and social media marketing and monitoring plans for major national initiatives promoting excellence in business, attracting teachers to the teaching profession and fighting childhood obesity. He has also developed email marketing and reputation management campaigns across nonprofit and corporate clients.
Prior to his career in marketing agencies, Jacob collected a JD from the Syracuse University College of Law and a BA in Sociology and Politics, with a minor in Internet Studies, from Brandeis University. While navigating said higher education, he was a theater geek who performed in a wide variety of plays, musicals and trial competitions, including such classics as "Bye Bye Birdie", "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Same Time, Next Year."