Response Drivers

Maria Botta is a seasoned marketing strategist and fractional Chief Marketing Officer who partners with startups and established businesses to drive growth through innovative branding and digital strategies. Over the past decade, she has advised more than 200 founders, particularly supporting Black, Latino, and female entrepreneurs through roles with Techstars, Builders + Backers, and ACT House. B...

Christopher Erkelens is the Founder and Chief Storyteller at Marketing Impact, a California-based consultancy that helps purpose-driven organizations clarify their brand narratives and align marketing strategies to inspire measurable impact. With over 15 years of experience in marketing and communications, he specializes in crafting compelling stories that drive audience engagement and business gr...

Sarah Oyungu is the Principal Alchemist and Founder of The MRKTing Alchemist, a marketing consultancy that empowers visionary founders and business leaders with bespoke strategies to drive revenue growth and elevate brand authority. Drawing from her extensive experience across global teams and industries, she specializes in making enterprise-level marketing accessible to small- and medium-sized bu...

Rick Cesari is the Chief Marketing Officer at Direct Branding, a marketing agency specializing in direct-to-consumer strategies and video marketing to help consumer brands scale and drive measurable sales growth. A pioneer in direct response advertising since the early 1990s, Rick has played a pivotal role in building iconic brands such as Juiceman, Sonicare, The George Foreman Grill, OxiClean, an...

Josh Gold is the Vice President of Client Services at RPM Direct Marketing, a Seattle-based agency specializing in performance-driven direct mail campaigns that help clients increase response rates and sales. In his role, Josh oversees client relationships and ensures the successful execution of tailored direct marketing solutions. He also contributes to the company's blog, offering insights on in...

Russell Kern is the Founder and CEO of Kern and Partners, a leadership development consultancy that specializes in neuroscience-based, strength-centric programs designed to elevate team dynamics, collaboration, and innovation within organizations. With over four decades of experience, including leading a 400-person national advertising agency, Russell brings a wealth of knowledge in organizational...

Mike Kichline was the CEO and Co-founder of Yesler, Inc., a global B2B marketing agency offering services such as content marketing, marketing automation, sales enablement, and analytics. Under his leadership, Yesler expanded to over 350 employees across 14 countries, serving prominent clients including Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. In 2020, Accenture acquired Yesler, integrating its capabilities...

​Rick Rappe is the President and Owner of RPM Direct Marketing, a Seattle-based agency specializing in direct mail marketing services, including lead generation, acquisition, loyalty, and win-back programs. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Rick has developed and managed some of the largest and most successful direct-marketing-driven sales channels in the country. Under his leaders...