Great Team

Ted Tuerk

Senior Vice President

With hair that good, you’d never expect to see him in a hat. But at Creaxion, Ted wears a lot of them.  He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the agency including Finance, HR, Legal and IT.   A former CPA, Ted has extensive experience in accounting and client project management.

Prior to joining Creaxion in early 1999, Ted worked for PeopleSoft and Accenture.  In his spare time, Ted enjoys running road races, working out and chasing his dog “X” (the company mascot) around Piedmont Park.  Ted holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Furman University.

Our accountant might have said it best when he said of Ted:  “Creaxion’s books are in better shape than most major corporations.” 
In this day and age, that pretty much says it all.

Karen Rogow

Vice President, Marketing Services

If you can’t trust that smile, who can you trust?  For more than a decade Karen has been the steady hand at Creaxion, leading our clients through the day-to-day marketing maze. If it can be done, she’ll get it done--on time and on budget.   As Vice President of Marketing Services, Karen oversees our design team, events team and grassroots marketing, promotions and social media outreach.

Prior to joining Creaxion in 1999, Karen worked for The Coca-Cola Company, MCI and The Miller Brewing Company. 
 
An avid runner and endurance athlete, Karen regularly competes in triathlons and marathons. She is the mother of two great young boys---who love their Mom and her work. 
 
Karen is a graduate of Emory University and earned her master’s degree at Marquette University.

Jonathan Barnes

Director, Media Relations

If he weren’t holding the reins of the PR department at Creaxion, Jonathan would be holding the reins of a racehorse. An avid horse racing fan (and former rider/trainer), Jonathan is a sure bet when it comes to dealing with the media.   Over the past nine years at Creaxion, he’s developed relationships with key reporters and editors all across the country.  From the New York Times, USA Today, and the national and local broadcast networks on down, Jonathan knows how media types operate and how and when to pitch our clients and their stories for maximum impact.

Prior to joining Creaxion in 2001, Jonathan worked in healthcare for seven years.  He holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Georgia State University. 

Sunni Hickman

Sr. Director, Marketing & Media

If ever a name fit the person, it’s this one.   Sunni simply lights up life.  She does it with a million dollar smile and a can do will do attitude.  With an extensive background in marketing and media Sunni brings a wealth of experience to our clients.  She is responsible for day-to-day planning and execution of major client projects.

Prior to joining Creaxion in 2007, Sunni held senior level marketing positions at Amerigroup Community Care and Upscale Magazine.   She holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Media Arts from Clark Atlanta University. 

Sunni is the wife of a college basketball coach and mother of two. Her spare time is filled with weekend soccer trips, basketball games and a little shoe shopping, when she can! (Sunni owns over 100 pair of shoes)  

Nicole Heaps

Director of Marketing & Media

Nicole loves animals, her family and a good joke (ok, even a bad one). Though easily amused, Nicole tackles projects with a serious dedication that leaves no stone unturned, detail untouched or question unanswered – or un-asked.

A proud Creaxionite since 2000, Nicole manages and executes value-packed marketing and advertising campaigns for our clients.

Prior to joining Creaxion, Nicole managed interactive marketing and promotions for entertainment and high-tech companies. She also oversaw direct response marketing and fundraising campaigns at Grizzard Communications Group.
Nicole is a graduate of Florida State University with an MBA from Georgia State University.

Hal Schneider

Senior Graphic Designer

If you need great creative done fast, then Hal’s your man. He has worked with 1,000 year old mummies, helped the world go dark for an hour and made a great white shark crash through the Georgia Aquarium’s front window. 
 
When he’s not working, Hal is playing Ultimate Frisbee, cheering for the Gators, or going on hikes with his wife Katherine.

Prior to joining Creaxion in 2008, Hal was the Senior Graphic Designer at Honeybaked Ham and a 401k manager at Invesco.
 
Hal is a graduate of the University of Florida and holds a master’s degree in Graphic Design from the Portfolio Center.

Scott Smallwood

Senior Manager, Marketing & Media

Whether hiking to the top of Yosemite Falls or tackling the marketing needs of our clients, Scott works hard to accomplish his goals.

Scott Smallwood joined the Creaxion team in 2006 after obtaining his bachelor's degree in Public Relations from the University of Georgia Grady School of Journalism.  Since 2008, Scott has served as Creaxion's Senior Manager of Marketing and Media, managing and coordinating our clients' grassroots marketing programs and promotional campaigns.  As head of Creaxion's Social Media Task Force, Scott also provides unique results-driven guidance for clients' promotional needs in targeted online communities.  

An avid urban traveler and outdoorsman, Scott brings to the table a unique sense of adventure and endurance, benefiting the firm, his team, and most importantly, Creaxion's clients and their marketing needs.

Leslie Johnson

Marketing Manager

Born and raised in Georgia, Leslie has all the charm and kind-heartedness of your typical southern belle, but her love for UGA football makes her marketing decisions and event planning only lead to touchdowns.

Leslie is responsible for facilitating and coordinating the flow of projects from inception to completion and serving as the liaison between clients and the Creaxion departments to ensure the successful execution of marketing, events and design initiatives.
Before joining the Creaxion team in 2006, Leslie was the events manager for the Leader Publishing Group where she developed and executed the events for Leader’s three publications. Leslie worked closely with the brand development manager to create promotional material, event programs and the design of websites.

Leslie holds a Journalism degree from the University of Georgia – Go Dawgs!

Laura Badovinac

Marketing & Media Specialist

Laura loves the unknown. She loves visiting places she has never been, learning about things she is unfamiliar with, all while sharing random trivia and tidbits with the rest of the office. Her love of researching, analyzing numbers, and drawing conclusions makes her a valuable member of the marketing team.

Laura puts these skills to good use in helping with grassroots outreach. She helps educate and build a relationship between our clients’ products and their target audience. She also traffics ad submission and occasionally steps in to help the design team when needed. 
She earned a bachelor’s in Fine Arts in Advertising Design from Savannah College of Art & Design.

Arniesha Hayes

Media Relations Manager

You know you’re doing something right when a network television reporter tells a CEO—during an interview---that his PR person should get a raise.   That’s exactly what happened to Arniesha during her work on Earth Hour (and yes, she got the raise).   For three years now, Arniesha has been a persistent presence in the Creaxion PR department.  She knows no fear when it comes to interacting with the media—and consistently generates favorable news coverage for our clients.

Arniesha holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Emory University and is currently pursuing her Master of Business Administration at Kennesaw State University.

Liz Ceaser

Media and Marketing Specialist

They say good things come in small packages. At just 5 feet tall Creaxion’s youngest and shortest member, Liz Ceaser, is proof of that!  Liz has pitched it all, from national news outlets to regional publications, to secure extensive coverage for clients on all levels.  In addition Liz is responsible for scheduling media interviews, creating press materials and tracking coverage for the amazing clients here at Creaxion.

Liz started at Creaxion in 2007 after receiving a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Political Science at Emory University.

An avid volunteer, Liz works with the Camp Twin Lakes organization and is a dedicated member of both the Public Relations and Host committees for the organization’s annual Camp Dance charity event.  She also serves on the Young Professionals committee of the American Marketing Association’s Atlanta Chapter.