About

We exist to change minds + move markets for brands we believe in.

Ideabar is an integrated marketing + media agency that tells powerful brand stories. We are data-driven, wildly creative and fluent in all media. Our strategists, creative professionals, analysts and media planners measure success by our client’s ROI and smiling faces. We are based in sunny Palm Beach, Florida, and Atlanta, Georgia. Our parent company Cox Enterprises, a private, global, values-driven corporation with 55,000 employees and $21 Billion in annual revenue, has been investing in long-term growth since 1898

Ideabar was started by three girls in a garage, sort of.

The garage was a windowless office. The year was 2012. And the first girl was a journalist-turned marketer-turned-intrapreneur who disrupted from the inside out by listening – really listening – to the growth challenges of hundreds of brand and business leaders. What started as the marketing consultancy of a legacy media publication grew into an independent marketing + media agency by fearlessly pursuing the most relevant ways to grow our clients’ businesses. Our team’s expertise comes from advertising, media, publishing and tech. Our indie, idea-generating spirit – well, we’ve owned that from the start. This is our story. What’s yours?

Our Values

We are guided by these principles.

Be kind and direct.

We approach client work with a partnership mentality. We believe in communicating, internally and externally, with empathy and clarity. Genuine camaraderie and respect make everything we do better, and it shows in the work.

More talent, less ego.

We measure our success by our client’s ROI. Period.

Start with yes.

We work hard to get to yes and move our clients’ businesses forward.

Be optimistic.

We focus on the positive and approach our work with enthusiasm and joy.

Cultivate your curiosity.

We value diverse perspectives and believe in trying new things, accepting challenges, and supporting our employees as they pursue new interests. We foster a culture of innovation and an openness to creative problem-solving.​

Our Team

Allow us to introduce ourselves.

Our talent comes from the fields of advertising, publishing, media and tech. We attract thought leaders from around the world who are energized by Ideabar’s purpose-driven clients, our diverse and collaborative culture, and the legacy of our parent company Cox Enterprises, Inc.

Amy Royster

Founder + Managing Director

Amy Royster

Founder + Managing Director

Amy founded Ideabar in 2012 for Cox Enterprises. A modern storyteller with 20 years of experience spanning journalism, media and advertising, she is tenaciously curious. She created Ideabar in the fearless pursuit of relevant ways to tell powerful brand stories. She is passionate about new forms of storytelling, branding, media and advertising. She cultivates diverse talent, embracing mothers of young children in leadership roles and leading a team that is 40% minority and 65% female. She holds a B.A. in Creative Writing and M.A. of International Studies, but received her best education moving around the country as a child, working as a journalist for a decade and seeking collaborations with inspirational people.

How she tells her story…

Amy loves her family, clear water, fly fishing, sleeping under the stars and traveling to new places. She dislikes cardboard. Amy is a published author, has won numerous writing, design and advertising awards, and frequently volunteers in leadership roles with nonprofits in the Palm Beach community she calls home.

 

Tonya Speciale

Creative Director

Tonya Speciale

Creative Director

Part of Ideabar’s founding trio, Tonya leads the agency’s award-winning content, design and interactive teams with grit, grace and a passion that is unmatched. With 20 years of storytelling experience, her branding and creative work spans industries, consumers and countries, and has earned international recognition. Tonya believes that all great creative ideas are driven by insights, instinct and a whole lot of emotion. #strategicsparkle

How she owns her story…

Tonya cherishes her family time, especially time spent with her daughter and husband. Her creative energy takes a culinary turn on the weekends – her baking skills are almost Ina Garten legendary – and you’ll oftentimes find her whipping up homemade sauces, soups and stews on any given Sunday, or throwing an impromptu dinner party (did someone say tablescape?).

Jorge Gomez

Design Director

Jorge Gomez

Design Director

Jorge brings more than a decade of graphic design experience to his role as art director. An award-winning artist, Jorge began his career in motion graphics and animation, and is passionate about brand development. He helps oversee Ideabar’s talented team of graphic designers, and prides himself on delivering high-impact, pixel-perfect creative.

How he tells his story…

Raised in Miami, Jorge has always been inspired by the area’s dynamic culture and artistic spirit.

Staci Sturrock

Deputy Copywriter

Staci Sturrock

Deputy Copywriter

As Ideabar’s resident wordsmith and ideator-in-chief, Staci brings writing experience and cultural expertise to each assignment. A former journalist, Staci has told stories that won national and international awards for changing minds and moving readers. She brought her insatiable curiosity and collaborative spirit to Ideabar in 2015, and she firmly believes that everyone – from veteran waitress to wounded warrior – has a story worth telling.

How she tells her story…

Staci is a voracious reader and enthusiastic road-tripper. She cherishes her library card, relishes the open road and vanquishes the New York Times crossword puzzle almost daily. Film is her grace, the nearest museum is her temple, and Dr Pepper is her salvation.

Daniel Sauceda

Associate Design Director

Daniel Sauceda

Associate Design Director

Daniel is an experienced graphic designer with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Skilled in branding, conceptual art, photography and video production, Daniel is extremely versatile and has an extensive portfolio filled with countless awards. With a Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.S.) focused in Graphic Design and Communication, Daniel has recently worked with national companies such as Canopy Growth, Atlanta Ballet, United Way, Lion Country Safari and Palm Beach State College, to name a few.

How he tells his story…

Daniel was born and raised in Honduras and came to the U.S. at the age of 9 with dreams of one day making a difference in this world. He believes that art is a channel that allows him to express himself freely. Recently, Daniel married the love of his life, and he is excited to start a new adventure with her. In his spare time, he enjoys playing and watching sports, traveling and spending as much time with family and friends.

Tom Kirkpatrick

Senior Designer

Tom Kirkpatrick

Senior Designer

Tom has been working in multiple creative disciplines since he can remember. In his two years at Ideabar, he has worked on building brands and creating artwork for clients like Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Canopy Growth, LaCroix and more. His favorite projects usually involve visual identity, typography, photo manipulation and illustration.

How he tells his story…

When he’s not creating stuff, Tom likes basketball, Guy Fieri’s TV shows, eating hot pot, laying down in hammocks or any similarly relaxing lounge furniture, playing kendama, bowling and rewatching the same five to 10 movies.

Will Dolan

Senior Designer

Will Dolan

Senior Designer

Will brings his positivity, passion for branding and years of design experience to the agency every day. His love for smart, modern design and social media always keeps Ideabar on trend.

How he tells his story…

Will’s Florida roots help him stay grounded, and his love for art and travel keep him inspired. When he’s not curating graphics for our clients’ social media, he’s curating his own life – filled with pride, friends, family and fierce selfies.

Jim Beriau

Senior Production Designer

Jim Beriau

Senior Production Designer

Jim has been with Ideabar since its inception, having migrated over from Senior Marketing Designer for The Palm Beach Post to Senior Graphic Designer/Photographer for Ideabar. He studied graphic design and photography at Southeastern Massachusetts University and has made it a personal as well as professional goal to marry the two media as much as possible. He achieves that goal working with clients such as Downtown Development Authority, shooting striking portraits of business owners. He also manages and designs all collateral for one of Ideabar’s first local clients, Anthony’s. His photography and design touch many clients such as Palm Beach Day Academy, LaCroix, Royal Poinciana Chapel, LivRelief, Children’s Services Council, Lion Country Safari and more. He is also responsible for making Ideabar staff look their best through masterful photography.

How he tells his story…

Jim enjoys nature photography, specializing in Florida birds and birds in flight as well as macro photography. Jim and his wife Jeannette love to travel and have been to amazing destinations including New Zealand, Peru, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Egypt, Morocco, as well as areas of the United States including Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and California. If he’s not shooting, he’s burning tons of calories playing racquetball.

Dana Wardeh

Sr. Director of Client Engagement

Dana Wardeh

Sr. Director of Client Engagement

Dana is a respected transformation leader with extensive experience developing teams that solve complex client problems and build lasting relationships. Her passion is building agile client-focused cultures that provide innovative solutions and measurable results. Dana is certified in IAB Digital Sales, Google Ad Words and Search and understands the importance of backing up promises with quantifiable outcomes.

How she tells her story…

Even as a young child, Dana was focused and driven with a belief that she could achieve whatever she set her mind to. Her resilience and tenacious work ethic propelled her to win three high-school athletic state championships and advance into the 2nd chair position in the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestra. When not at work, Dana enjoys spending time with her family and teaching her children to embrace challenges with dedication and hard work.

Mariel Rosenwasser

Sr. Account Director

Mariel Rosenwasser

Sr. Account Director

Mariel’s career has been comprised mostly of big-name brands, big launches and building brand stories using integrated media. With experience in CPG, OTC, retail, hospitality, education and the financial sectors, her diverse experience over the past 16 years has allowed Mariel to work seamlessly and apply her vast knowledge across categories and clients. Prior to moving to Florida, Mariel honed her account management skills at two large global agencies in New York, specifically BBDO, where she worked on brands such as Pizza Hut, Visa, Office Depot, Gillette and Mars/M&Ms, as well as Havas where she helped re-position and lead integrated global marketing efforts across the NYSE Euronext business. Mariel is a proud graduate of Boston University’s College of Communication, where she earned a B.S. in Communication with a concentration in Advertising.

How she tells her story…

When Mariel isn’t helping to drive business for her clients, you can most likely find her out on the golf course driving a golf ball, determined to master her own game during a friendly round of 18 holes.

Kenya Hill

Sr. Accountant

Kenya Hill

Sr. Accountant

Kenya is a native of Atlanta, GA and a graduate of Saint Leo University, where she earned a degree in Accounting. She has over 10 years of experience in Finance and Accounting and has worked in Accounts Payable and Receivable. Most recently, she held a Senior Accountant position with Delta Dental Insurance in Alpharetta, Georgia.

How she owns her story…

In her free time, Kenya enjoys traveling and binge-watching shows. She is also a self-proclaimed movie fanatic and loves spending time at her favorite store, Costco. She is very eager to learn, enjoys working with teams and has a positive attitude.

Mindy Hylton

Account Supervisor

Mindy Hylton

Account Supervisor

Mindy brings a competitive spirit to the team and is sure to be your biggest cheerleader. With an inherent drive to succeed and an entrepreneurial mindset, Mindy offers over ten years of experience in marketing, events, branding, content creation and digital strategy. Working with a variety of clients across the sports, arts, hospitality, restaurant, technology, and non-profit sectors, she can handle the most nuanced account.

Rarely seen without a cup of coffee by her side, she is always up for the next challenge. Known for her strong communication, management and organizational skills, clients gain a marketing ninja that ensures the best possible work is always delivered.

How she tells her story…

Growing up in Atlanta, Mindy has always had a passion for sports and entertainment. She cheered and danced at the University of Georgia and went on to coach at Georgia Tech before becoming the Marketing Director of the GT Athletic Association.

You may have seen her on TV competing on American Ninja Warrior. In her free time, she, and her ‘mini me’ explore Atlanta, stroll the Beltline and train to one day be a mom and daughter duo on ANW.

 

Elizabeth Stewart

Elizabeth Stewart

Sr. Account Executive

Elizabeth Stewart

Elizabeth Stewart

Sr. Account Executive

Elizabeth is honored to have graduated Summa Cum Laude from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, where she received a B.S. in Advertising, with an Account Planning emphasis and a Psychology minor. She has experience in brand development, content creation, media outreach, client communications and social media management. Elizabeth was drawn to advertising because of the intersectionality of art, culture, psychology, and strategy and loves the thrill of working with diverse clients on a multi-faceted team!

How she tells her story…

During her free time, Elizabeth can be found outdoors with her Frenchie, Zuzu. She also enjoys listening and creating music, traveling, exploring new restaurants and museums, meeting new people, and binging the latest Netflix hits.

Lulu Carter

Director of Brand Strategy

Lulu Carter

Director of Brand Strategy

Lulu has experience across a broad range of strategic offerings including brand identity development, brand positioning, product innovation, and brand and product naming.  Prior to Ideabar, Lulu worked with multiple Fortune 500 companies on key branding initiatives, with a client list including Hershey, Conagra, CocaCola, and Proctor Gamble. Lulu holds a B.A. in Psychology and has a passion for decoding the consumer; she is quick to uncover cultural and behavioral insights and get to a powerful brand idea.

How she tells her story…

Lulu finds creativity with a true endorphin release – whether its running, spinning or yoga – activity keeps her wheels spinning.

Jenna Lehtola

Creative Project Manager III

Jenna Lehtola

Creative Project Manager III

Jenna is all about the Ds … deliverables, details and deadlines. She is the go-to person for the day-to-day scheduling, overseeing and monitoring of the agency’s project workflow. Before joining Ideabar in 2013, she spent multiple years working at several South Florida newspapers, editing and designing award-winning news and features pages.

How she tells her story…

Jenna can often be found reading. A few authors on her shelves include Banana Yoshimoto, Josh Malerman and Stewart O’Nan. She is always game for a scary movie and enjoys taking Bear, her large, sociable husky, on rambling “sniff walks” around the neighborhood.

Kristin Anderson

Creative Project Manager II

Kristin Anderson

Creative Project Manager II

Kristin is a seasoned project manager with experience in a variety of sectors, ranging from data security to health & beauty. She holds a Master’s Degree from King’s College London in International Marketing and a Bachelor’s in psychology, which gives her the perfect background to market to consumers and businesses alike.

How she tells her story…

Kristin resides in sunny Florida and enjoys spending time playing outside with her three nephews and 3-year-old niece. She loves to travel and is proud of her passport full of stamps. On the weekends she can be found cuddling her cat Esme and attempting to cook something delicious.

 

Danika Kirvin

Director of Integrated Media

Danika Kirvin

Director of Integrated Media

An agency veteran of Universal McCann, Spark Foundry, GSD&M and most recently Zimmerman Advertising, Danika has 15 years of experience leading integrated media strategy, growing teams, and driving client results across the Restaurant, Retail, Tech, and Travel industries. Her client roster includes: Michaels, Starwood Hotels, AT&T, Papa John’s, and Anheuser-Busch InBev (formerly InBev). Her natural curiosity motivates her to seek out new and unique media opportunities for clients.

How she tells her story…

A Palm Beach County native, Danika has a sense of wanderlust that’s driven her to travel the globe experiencing other cultures and hearing people’s stories.

Daniel Nichols

Sr. Digital Manager

Daniel Nichols

Sr. Digital Manager

Over the past six years, Daniel has focused on creating and executing comprehensive digital media strategies within industries including secondary education, retail, CPG, luxury real estate, healthcare, energy utility, family & parenting, finance and non-profit. With certifications focusing on sales and ad operations from Google, Facebook and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), Daniel incorporates the latest developments and trends into strategies for Ideabar clients.

How he tells his story…

With a strong belief of challenging his regular thought processes, Daniel enjoys finding ways to regularly push himself outside of his comfort zone to gain a greater perspective on work, life and relationships. An avid travel enthusiast, he often is happiest when exploring areas he’s never been and learning about local cuisine.

Jon Sawtelle

Digital Strategist

Jon Sawtelle

Digital Strategist

Jon has a passion for marketing with five years’ experience managing campaigns across paid search, social, video and display channels. Before joining Ideabar, Jon specialized in automotive advertising and worked with a variety of manufacturers including BMW, Ford, Subaru, and Volkswagen. Through digital marketing, he helped dealership franchises attain their monthly, quarterly and annual sales goals. He is continually searching for new ways to optimize campaign strategies and enjoys helping brands resonate with consumers.

HOW HE TELLS HIS STORY

Jon was born and raised in Vermont where he grew up playing ice hockey. He migrated to Florida for college and earned bachelor’s degrees in Marketing and Hospitality Management. When he’s not at the office, you can find Jon at the beach, hockey rink or spending time with family and friends.

Dana Wexler

Media Supervisor

Dana Wexler

Media Supervisor

A veteran of advertising agencies large and small, Dana has almost 20 years of media buying experience. She’s worked with clients in categories of automotive, retail, restaurant and entertainment. She prides herself on learning about all her clients and making lasting relationships in the media industry.

How she owns her story:

Dana is a music lover and can be found attending several concerts each year either in her hometown of Atlanta or other cities across the country. But you may catch her reading a good book during her down time too.

Gwen Berry

Director of Operations

Gwen Berry

Director of Operations

With more than a decade of editorial and research experience, Gwen leads Ideabar’s in-house research team. Ideabar holds robust licenses with nationally syndicated research companies and develops custom research studies based on the unique needs of our clients.

Gwen uses a variety of research tools to create custom target consumers for Ideabar clients, providing insights into consumer demographics, behaviors, attitudes, beliefs and media use.

Research is the foundation for Ideabar’s creative and media recommendations.

How she tells her story…

To say Gwen is research-obsessed is an understatement. She digs through data with the determination of the long-distance runner she is. FYI: Gwen is a certified sommelier.

Sammy

Agency Puppy

Sammy

Agency Puppy

Meet Sammy, a teacup (or in our case, coffee cup) Apple Head Chihuahua. He loves to visit Ideabar and meet with clients. Because really, what meeting isn’t better with a tiny puppy?

How He Owns His Story

He embodies our Ideabar value of “more talent, less ego,” and he doesn’t let his good looks go to his head.

Careers

Interested in joining the team? We’d love to hear from you. Learn More