JStokes | People

Adrian Nunn

Vice President, Business Development

When Adrian isn't rooting for West Ham United or coaching his kid's soccer team, you can find the U.K. native at JStokes reaching out to potential clients. Adrian's experience runs the gamut. From GUESS Jeans to senior living, if it needs to be marketed or branded Adrian probably has experience in the field. But life isn't just soccer and marketing: Adrian is also an avid hiker and proud supporter of The National Audubon Society, a fan of The New Yorker and thinks the original Prime Suspect is way better than the U.S. remake.

Farzana Khan

Creative Services Manager

Farzana is all about flow and following her passions. The organized Virgo in her has cultivated fluid production processes through companies like Design Within Reach, Butler, and Bonfire Communications. During the dot.com era, her love of electronic music and dance culture lead her to WiredPlanet, where she was managing editor of content and music director for seven stations, streaming uplifting beats and grooves. Did we mention she interviewed Thievery Corporation on a Muni train?

Erick Flores

Accountant

A native of El Salvador and a graduate of Cal State Hayward (he refuses to call it “East Bay”), Erick adds to our bottom line with his impressive financial and tax accounting skills. He’s worked in various roles at both Deliotte and TriNet, a major human resources firm. Here at JStokes he’s responsible for supporting day-to-day operations and long-range financial forecasting. An avid Star Trek fan, Erick knows how to salute in both Vulcan and Klingon.

Lisa Lopez

Accounting Manager

When Lisa crunches numbers, they turn into answers. Good ones. A 15-year veteran of the ad wars, she keeps us all on the financial straight and narrow, yet still finds time to do yoga, root on her beloved Giants, and spend time with her family.

Nina Lesowitz

Associate Communications Director

Nina has some serious PR IQ. She nimbly manages national publicity campaigns, brand positioning, social media, community relations, and special events. She’s also the author of the bestsellers Living Life as a Thank You, and The Courage Companion which was awarded a 2011 Independent Publishers Book Award. A member of the executive committee of Litquake, the largest literary festival on the West Coast, Nina produces events and is also a member of the Northern California Book Publicity and Marketing Association.

Andrea Hegarty

Account Services Director

An account management dynamo, Andrea comes to us from Grey SF, where she served as the Account Supervisor for the BMW Western Region. Prior to that she was at Team One/El Segundo working on the Western Lexus Dealers Association. This woman knows how to move the needle. Here at Stokes Andrea manages Subway, SpeeDee and Bay Alarm. In her spare time she likes to spend time with family and friends.

Scott Leeper

Associate Creative Director

Scott penned his first ad when he was just 7 years old. The headline: Why Every Boy Needs A Puppy. He’s been creating effective, award-winning work ever since in categories from semiconductors to smoothies, and cars to cable TV. A Bay Area native, Scott gives back to his hometown as a reader for Books Aloud, a free audio library for the blind and visually impaired. P.S. He got the dog.

Nicola Lockey

Associate Research Director

Nicola calls soccer “football” and potato chips “crisps”. But we forgive her, because like a classic Brit, she brings keen insight and intelligence to the planning process. Prior to joining JStokes, Nicola built the Strategic Planning Department at J. Walter Thompson/Silicon Valley—delivering measurable results for a broad range of B2B and consumer technology clients.

Elaine Segura

Office Coordinator

Elaine is literally the glue that holds JStokes together. In addition to running the front desk and helping out with accounting/billing, she makes sure we never run out of coffee and candy bars. For this we are deeply, deeply grateful. Elaine’s a graduate of Cal Berkeley who loves to sketch, do web design, and produce music and comedy videos.

Kristen DePaschalis

Broadcast Supervisor

An avid gardener, Kristen also helps our clients grow through smart, targeted media programs. During her 20–year career at top agencies including Group M, Chiat Day and Hoffman/Lewis, she’s managed, negotiated, and purchased for the biggest brands in the biz: Macy’s, Toyota, United Airlines and Campbell's Soup, to name just a few. If you’ve seen it, chances are good Kristen bought it—for less.

Eric Lee

Associate Developer

This guy can design and program websites like nobody's business because he understands how essential a good website is to a business. Part artist, part code jockey, part web visionary, Eric can often be found roaming the halls swigging a Diet Pepsi and wailing random Counting Crows songs.

Betty Tafoya

Media Services Director

After launching her career at Ketchum, Betty joined JStokes over 20 years ago and has been planning and overseeing all of our broadcast, print, and out-of-home media ever since. She believes media can and should be every bit as creative as the creative itself. That said, she can put together a media flowchart so detailed it will make you weep. Betty speaks fluent Italian, a good skill for when her media reps take her to lunch.

Corinne Remeika

Account Supervisor

Corinne’s heroes are Orville Redenbacher and the Earl of Grey. Because in addition to making things happen for her clients, her two biggest loves are popcorn and tea. And naps. A prior Goodby girl, Corrine holds a B.A. in Advertising from Washington State University, with a minor in Psychology. So she’s qualified to know how crazy this place can get.

April Geer

Digital Services Manager

Jock. Web Geek. Digital Goddess. That’s April. She helps our clients use new-world channels to achieve real-world results. SEM? QR Codes? She knows this stuff inside and out. She can also throw inside—as a 6 year veteran in the California Women’s Baseball League. Go ahead, tell her she throws like a girl.

Rachel Zimmerman

Media Buyer

A Poli-Sci major turned Media Maven, Rachel comes to JStokes from Universal McCann and Rivet Global where she worked with high-profile clients such as BMW, Six Flags, and Visa. Her ability to plan, negotiate and buy media will knock your socks off; and in her free time, she enjoys doing crafty activities and spending time with her family, which includes being an avid fan of her son’s baseball team.

Jocelyn Coolbaugh

Account Supervisor

Talk about well-rounded ad experience! Jocelyn's work with American Honda, Kirin Beer, Kaiser Permanente and Toshiba has given her the opportunity to be a part of some amazing campaigns. She enjoys everything from taco trucks to gourmet food and has a treasured collection of other people's favorite recipes. Out of the kitchen, Jocelyn likes yoga and traveling. Although she admits her work with automotive campaigns hasn’t helped her driving skills, she is definitely the person you want behind the wheel of your marketing and advertising efforts!

Luz Perreira

Production Artist

Throughout her 11 year career, Luz has worked for various companies starting with a copy shop, a newspaper, an investment firm, and a print brokerage firm. She is the Ying to the creative department’s Yang. Along with her sense of professionalism, people skills, persistence and dedication to her work, Luz’s production skills helps keep the Creative Department sailing forward. Speaking of travel, she and her family are always on the go finding new places to explore. When at home it is all about baseball and reality television. Thank goodness for the MLB station and “Real Housewives”.

Dan Stokes

Executive Vice President

Tennis nut, classical guitarist—if it has strings, Dan’s into it. He’s also into providing razor-sharp strategy and account management. He’s helped literally hundreds of national brands and growing companies succeed. A devoted modernist and active community volunteer, Dan once even sang with The Temptations (he was the short white guy).

Jim Stokes

President

Our fearless leader, Jim Stokes sets the bar high for the entire JStokes team. He’s driven by a passion for creative excellence and exceptional service. That, and breaking 80. Jim gives back to the community as an active supporter of Children’s Hospital of Oakland, the MS Society, the Contra Costa Food Bank and others.

Kat Solitario

Creative Intern

As a self-motivated designer, Kat has recently achieved a BFA in advertising. She enjoys experimenting with design, and looking for new ways to challenge herself through different communication mediums. Outside of JStokes, this intern loves to spend time with her full-time body guard (a pitbull), running, traveling, and watching basketball.

Ed Tajon

Associate Creative Director

Ed’s resume reads like a Who’s Who of Advertising: DDB, Cramer-Krasselt, J. Walter Thompson, McCann-Erickson. His kitchen, on the other hand, looks more like What’s That? A foodie of the highest order, Ed loves to prepare obscure dishes from around the world, which he often brings in for an appreciative JStokes staff. More mofongo!

Leticia Ruiz

Art Director

A collector of scarves and cool business cards, Leticia boasts a wildly diverse skill set: designer, production artist, Photoshop whiz, and all-around creative juggernaut. She’s worked on such brands as Sunsweet, Jelly Belly, Crystal Geyser and eBay. Leticia loves the San Francisco Giants, running, sketching and taking candid photos of her pets.

German Martinez

Account Executive

Our resident Phileas Fogg, German (pronounced Herr-maan) was born in Mexico City, grew up in Phoenix, graduated from Syracuse, and came to us from Zimmerman Advertising in Ft. Lauderdale. When he’s not updating his passport, German’s providing our clients with razor-sharp strategic and tactical insight. He hopes to one day visit every country in the world and eventually settle—as if he’d ever settle—in Switzerland.

Zach Wihl

Creative Intern

Zach claims to be a Zack-of-all-trades. A graduate from San Jose State University, Zach received his BA in Art, Emphasis in Design Studies with a minor in Photography. Since his graduation he has interned at Bonfire Communications in San Francisco, picked up a part-time job, took a semester of web-design at a community college and finally, showed up at JStokes, interning as a designer. On his free time, he likes to pwn n00bs at video games, jam on his piano and shred down the mountains on his snowboard. One day he'd love to snowboard Alaska.

Raffi Apelian

Account Coordinator

This up-and-coming advertising star graduated from San Jose State with a B.S. in Advertising and is looking to become JStokes’ own Don Draper. Raffi has worked with clients that range from non-profits, IT services, to Nissan. His hobbies include trying new restaurants, taking photos, and collecting movie ticket stubs. He has over a decade of stubs collected.

Lindsey Montalvo

Assistant Account Executive

A self-proclaimed neat freak with just an endearing touch of OCD, Lindsey puts her fearsome organizational skills to work as assistant account executive on our Subway and SpeeDee accounts. This woman does not miss a detail or a deadline. Ever. When she’s not keeping us all on the straight and narrow, she plays a tidy second base for her co-ed softball team.

Claire Corpus

Senior Account Executive

Claire's an avid collector of fortune cookie fortunes, and we're indeed fortunate to have her here at JStokes, where she handles account planning and coordination for a number of our clients. She'd like to someday see the Pyramids, but in the meantime she keeps herself busy rooting for her beloved San Jose Sharks and singing karaoke. Free Bird!

Ongie Chin

Assistant Account Executive

Ongie came to JStokes from the California State Fair, where she served as Sponsorship and Marketing Coordinator. A self-proclaimed sports-fanatic fashionista, when Ongie's not searching for the next pair of trendy shoes, you can find this Los Angeles native coordinating sponsorships for three Southern California markets of Subway, or following her beloved teams: LA Dodgers, LA Lakers, and USC football. This girl stays true to her roots!

Alfred Torres III

Assistant Account Executive

A California native and old-school video game junkie (do not challenge this man to Donkey Kong), Alfred coordinates Subway media, fundraising and special events with unerring flair. He holds a B.A. in Mass Communications from Fresno State University and has been nationally recognized for his work with SCORE—Counselors to America’s Small Business.