By Kelly Schermer

Director of web development, Don Selkirk, cranks out complex websites line by line while listening to the crispy lisp of vinyl, so when he says he’ll walk 1,000 miles to fall down at your door, you can bet he’s deep into the coding zone and bringing it home.

One part web genius, one part problem-solver extraordinaire, and a blazing spark of goofball, no one can diffuse stressful situations and clear roadblocks quite like Don. Over the course of his career, Don has walked 500 miles in a number of roles and figured out how to bring the best along with him. Today, his experiences provide him with a unique perspective across the web development process that he uses to architect brilliant solutions for clients.

A developer developing trust

While he’s built websites of all shapes and sizes, it’s developing trust that matters most to Don. Almost two years ago, he took a leap of faith and moved with his team to 2A in order to continue working with the colleagues and clients he loves. It may sound high stakes to some, but to Don, who’s been stranded on an island in the Pacific Ocean in the name of love, it’s not too far a stretch. For him, the chance to be part of a supportive team, one that would encourage growth and allow him to focus on helping others, was well worth the risk and it’s paid off in spades ever since.

The seasoned coder making space for what works

Like most tech guys you meet, Don loves checking out what’s new, but he understands the importance and value of preserving what works. He recently played an integral role in creating the Build Live website, which provides a new interactive experience for an established conference. Outside work, he’s focusing on making more time for woodworking, biking, and listening to his vinyl collection—all throwback passions of his that get his blood pumping and keep him young at heart. 

Our C# (and javascript) karaoke superstar

Ask Don a question and you’re likely to get the up-beat lyrics of an old classic as a prelude to the answer. Is it riddled advice in the form of well-chosen verse or stream of consciousness karaoke? Either way, you can bet on Don to show up and bring down the house.

Looking for someone to walk 1,000 miles for your next web project?  Or who will whip out the piña coladas when it rains? We know a guy. 

By Kelly Schermer

A gust of wind rocketed her parachute forward, blurring her drop zone into the patchwork of Northern California fields. She evaluated her options—a vineyard spiked with wooden stakes or a bustling airfield. Airfield it was. Now to hit the ground at a sprint and dodge large aircraft. Her mother was not going to like this.

Just then, a shift in the wind brought a hangar roof into range.  Veronique negotiated the distance, pulled her cord, and crumpled onto the metal sheeting. Before she could take stock of the damage, a gale grabbed her chute and hurled her 30 feet down to the blacktop. She died on impact.

A day later, she awoke in a hospital bed.

Fast forward 19 years. Today, Veronique Serruya runs equally harrowing (albeit non-life threatening) product launches for 2A clients. While she may have retired her skydiving license, her passion for adventure, her grace under pressure, and her pragmatic tenacity keep her soaring.

Not your typical adrenaline junkie

James Patterson could easily crank out dozens of best sellers based on Veronique’s life story. Her character’s adrenaline-seeking antics would woo readers, but in real life it’s her ability to forge friendships in moments of extreme adversity that builds fans. Since flatlining and coming back to life, Veronique has led a dogsled team across parts of northern Quebec, hiked the Annapurna trail through the Himalayas in Nepal, and kayaked alongside penguins in Antarctica. In her free time, she works as a project manager for 2A, specializing in high-stakes product launches. Whether it’s across a barren tundra of ice, or a boardroom table, Veronique thrives on seeking out new experiences and building connections.

On a quest to complete 1,001 things

Running product launches requires the ability to plan and follow incredibly detailed schedules, the resilience to adapt on the fly, and an endless reserve of patience, optimism, and energy. One might (reasonably) think this line of work would be exhausting. Not for Veronique! When she punches out of work, she goes home to systematically dismantle her guiding manifesto, 1,001 Places to See Before You Die. While she’s already traveled to over 30 countries, with China and India planned for this year, she has thoroughly researched and mapped out dozens more in her personal OneNote travel notebook.

In pursuit of the real story

The linchpin that makes Veronique pure 2A gold is her storyteller heart. Through all her travels and her projects, she seeks to understand and reflect the world around her. Rather than trying to force her personal agenda, Veronique’s success stems from her ability to find the truth of a situation and cultivate that story.

Looking for an intrepid PM to guide your next product launch? We know just the show-stopper for you!

By Kelly Schermer

The long stretch between summer blockbuster releases and Halloween costumes can have a comic book fan jonesing for a good superhero story.  Thankfully, at 2A, you don’t have to look any further than our own Drue Stewart. Unlike her fictitious foils, who rely on radioactive spiders and extraterrestrial rock for their superpowers, Drue’s fueled by her own optimistic, can-do attitude, her tireless perseverance, and her dedication to building up those around her. If Marvel ever meets her, they’ll probably make a problem-solving action figure that protects with a big-laugh forcefield and shirks olives like Kryptonite.

Drue is a present-tense action verb

Drue works as the Practice Lead for 2A’s team of Project Managers meaning she coordinates, fills, and oversees every PM position. She started with 2A as a project manager back in 2015, proving her mettle in steep ramp-up situations. Her passion for learning from experiences (both good and bad), as well as her ability to adapt to rapid-fire changes make her a natural at 2A.

Drue’s past experiences help her operate

Like all superheroes, Drue’s origin story stems from remarkable feats achieved in civilian clothing. Starting at age 15, as a receptionist for a small software company, Drue acquired a deep appreciation for service, efficiency, and people which established the foundation for her operations expertise today. Along the way, she honed her natural talents through experiences in home loan underwriting and end-to-end operations management for a semi-truck trailer skirt manufacturing company (yeah, that’s right, trucks can wear skirts too). Across all of that, Drue has sprinkled in accounting, business, English literature and nursing classes.

Drue wields a golden lasso of problem solving

Drue’s wealth of education and experiences across industries and organizations has given her a unique perspective on problem solving that shines in her role at 2A. She moves gracefully from 30,000 feet to the trenches, from outside the situation to in, until she lassos the heart of the issue and tames it.

From our view at 2A, there’s no limit to what Drue can accomplish. Need help getting your project off the ground? Ask Drue how a 2A project manager can take you up, up, and away!

By Katy Nally

What’s a jack of all trades look like these days? Coined by Shakespeare’s critics who were jealous he was both an actor and playwright, the phrase conjures someone slamming a blacksmith hammer with one hand and slaying a rabbit with the other. That can’t still be true…unless we’re in Portland. If Jesus Terriquez Camarena is any indication, today’s jacks are a little hipster, resoundingly well liked, and known for their wellspring of quick wit and moxie.

Data guru by day

His medium is data, and like Shakespeare, he can make it sing. For Microsoft, Jesus dove into seas of go-to-market data to track patterns and harpoon campaign outcomes. His degree in economics and sociology from Washington State University trained him to look beyond the dashboard and understand how data points fit into the big picture.

Bartender by night

You can’t become a jack of all trades by slowing down! For a year now, Jesus has worked as a bartender in Ballard on the weekends. At first he took the job because he wanted to learn how to make cocktails, but stuck with it even after he mastered the menu. Nights as a barback maintain the frenzied pace Jesus needs to thrive.

Mechanic on the side

Growing up in Tijuana with his industrious mom as his role model, Jesus learned the value of keeping things running. Though he got in trouble for taking apart calculators (and putting them back together) he learned a lot in his self-taught mechanics 101, which eventually helped him pay off his student loans. In college he fixed brakes and calipers at a machine shop because, why not? These skills came in handy when he started a taco truck business with a friend after graduating.

Just when it doesn’t seem possible to cram any more skills into one person, Jesus masters another trade. There’s no doubt his know-how can help your business too.

By Katy Nally

Sarah knows what to do if you’re stranded in Yemen. While working at the State Department, Sarah managed crisis situations—from helping tourists who lost their passports while on vacation, to coordinating the evacuation of U.S. citizens after an earthquake. Now an expert at fielding the hectic, Sarah brings a classy calm to 2A, and zenfully takes on even the toughest consulting curveballs. But her smooth approach is just the beginning of what she brings to the table. 

She leads with diplomacy 

At the State Department, Sarah learned how to be diplomatic from the best, and work with a range of personalities. Whether it was longtime foreign service officers or DC-based civil servants, Sarah was able to bring groups to consensus and initiate a path forward. 

At 2A, Sarah’s put her penchant for relationship-building to good use, fostering strong team dynamics both in our office and among clients. Sometimes she tells a self-deprecating joke for the greater good, or a funny story everyone can relate to. Her ability to navigate the conversation ultimately leads to better collective work. 

She aspires to the speed of twitter

Speed is important to Sarah. It’s why she chose 2A, and it’s why she can’t get enough Twitter. After a few years working for the government, Sarah noticed the drag of red tape and began to appreciate the agility of the private sector. Once she finished her MBA she sought a growing, nimble company like 2A. As a consultant, she likes being part of a team that readily takes action, and can get things done quickly.

As for Twitter, it’s Sarah’s 360 view of the world. Even though she left DC, she still keeps up with the latest political news, garnering updates from a range of voices worldwide.  

She knows how to pull the creative thread

During her first year at UW Foster, Sarah was the representative for student affairs, in charge of organizing events for her fellow classmates. It was a position that led to her unexpected love of event planning. Events like the Oscar-themed, year-end leadership dinner allowed Sarah to scratch her creative itch. And she’s been able to continue the trend at 2A. 

For the 2017 holiday season, Sarah orchestrated our fully themed, highly detailed, and unforgettable presents for clients: an Überleben Zünden fire-starter. Sarah worked with 2A designers, writers and animators to ensure the multiple components of the gift had a cohesive story, look and feel, crafted to bring out the inner ruggedness of our recipients. Bitte, Freunde.

International crises? Pressing pitch deck? There’s nothing Sarah can’t handle.

By Katy Nally

Innovations build on past experiences to deliver cutting-edge solutions. Shaped by the tech industry over the past 20 years, Angela is propelling 2A forward, innovation-style. Her growth mindset, strategic focus and tech background are advancing the 2A team as we continue taking on new challenges. Lucky for us, Angela relishes a good challenge. A storyteller by nature, she has an eye for the pitch and the expertise to deliver.

She’s a facts-first storyteller

Angela has a knack for compiling and analyzing information that comprises the backbone of quality storytelling. She’s right at home in the tech industry, where there’s always something new to learn and new fields to dive into.

For clients, she’s an expert at understanding how to shape stories for a given audience, whether its underscoring the bottom line for business decision makers, or highlighting the impact of lives saved for global health NGOs. By grounding her approach in facts, not fluff, she’s able to craft smart marketing that appeals to the right group.

She’s a Microsoft vet

Angela grew up in the Seattle area, witnessing firsthand the transformation Microsoft had on the region. Joining the still-fresh company in the 90s, Angela became accustomed to Microsoft’s growth mentality. There she managed multi-channel marketing, led PR efforts surrounding business customers, and drove market penetration and consumer adoption for mapping products.

Her decade at Microsoft imparted Angela with empathy to better understand our clients’ needs, and the rigorous pace fortified her energy and appetite for consulting.

She speaks fluent tech

The tech industry found Angela when she started working at Microsoft. There she realized the capability of technology to change the world for the better, and its ability to improve lives. She was hooked and hasn’t looked back. At home she has voice-controlled devices in every room with plans to finalize her smart home.

With years of experience in talking and living tech, Angela understands the complex nuances of many products and the driving forces behind the industry. She keeps tabs on the ever-changing needs of b2b customers, and their supporting partner ecosystems, including both their dependencies and their alliances.

Angela is innovation in our back pocket. Let’s see what breakthroughs we can achieve together.

By Katy Nally

It’s one thing to illustrate something, it’s quite another to bring it to life. That’s the tricky part of storytelling, and it’s why we love Aaron, our motion designer. He literally brings our clients’ stories to life through animation.

While creating an animation is a full team undertaking at 2A, Aaron brings the unexpected playfulness that make them so engaging for viewers. Not only is he an all-in-one illustrator plus animator, he’s also a natural marketer. He’s an expert at conveying technical concepts through a compelling visual narrative in a way that’s easy to understand.

His illustrations capture the heart of the story
Aaron portrays the world around him through sketches. His notebook is full of fluid line drawings in pencil, depicting everything from food trucks to floating heads. His keen sense of his surroundings keeps our designs fresh and our images current.

Aaron refined his illustration talents at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where he received his BFA. He has screened his work—Dwellings and Bric-a-brac to name a few—in various galleries and festivals, including the Ann Arbor Film Festival, New York City’s Animation Block Party and the Northwest Film Forum.

He’s got the right flow for animations
While animation effortlessly tells the story, Aaron’s process to bring images to life is pretty labor-intensive. Motion designing—the final phase in creating animations—involves Aaron adding motion to illustrations on one screen, while viewing a giant sequencing chart on the other, to get the story just right. But he makes it look easy.

Aaron knows how to conjure emotion and entertain the viewer by balancing the right amounts of story and flow. How many motion designers can make viewers swoon for oysters? In a 25-second loop, Aaron merged the creative genius of The Big Lebowski, Rube Goldberg and a Victorian era favorite, the zoopraxioscope. A nautical Pacific Northwest scene was the perfect setting for his animation that gave some flare to our Aw Shucks Party.

He seizes marketing challenges
Aaron knows the value of an engaged audience. When creating an animation to achieve a marketing goal, he never loses sight of the main message, and develops visual concepts to make it pop. His storytelling abilities go beyond illustrations and motion design: Aaron has a way with words and helps craft scripts to elevate clients’ messaging. Most of the animations 2A produces involve highly technical subject matter (like this one about Azure Cosmos DB), which Aaron helps communicate smoothly and with personality. 

We’re pretty emotional about Aaron and his motion designs. We’ll let him tug at our heartstrings any day. Got a story you need brought to life through animation? Send us an email and let’s talk.

By Scott Knackstedt

Katy loves to make things grow. Her community pea-patch is chock-full of tomatoes, beans and berries. An avid apiarist, she’s worked hard to keep the bees that zip above the groundcover – and pollinate her crops – happy. In addition to her squash and sunflowers, Katy and her cheery, can-do attitude have been key to growing our storytelling practice here at 2A. A Connecticut native with green thumbs and a journalist’s eyes, she has jumped feet-first into delivering exceptional work for clients – and making our community better along the way.

She’s got the write stuff

We love words at 2A, and bringing someone with Katy’s penchant for wordsmithing onto the team was a no-brainer. She has worked as a feature reporter, a freelance writer, and a communications associate, penning pieces for newspapers, magazines, and policy briefs. At 2A she has leveraged these reporting chops toward qualitative research, asking probing questions to find nuggets of insight. She’s crafted taglines, constructed copy, and created stories for companies large and small. She relishes the challenge of keeping words intentional and we’re lucky for it.

She puts the hive first

Katy has a passion for community, and has worked with non-profits, schools, and local government to make her city a better place to live. She has helped install permaculture gardens in rural communities, promoted urban hives as the executive director of DC Honeybees, and volunteered as a bee educator at The Smithsonian. She has shown her support for Seattle Pride, participated in SIFF, and helped reduce traffic as a bike commuter. This community-first attitude translates into a collaborative and open approach to problem solving. Listening with a critical ear and not afraid to ask the tough questions, she ensures that team projects with broad stakeholders can find success, getting to the crux of the challenge and acting in everyone’s best interest.

She brings a new perspective

We appreciate the diversity of industries that our team has had exposure to, and Katy’s previous projects with urban planning, non-profits, and international development are no exception. She has studied in Paris, taught in Peru, and worked in Colombia. With her knack for language that makes sure nothing gets lost in translation, she is a natural fit for projects with global teams and cross-continent coordination.

Sowing seeds and providing pollinators have their rewards for gardening, but Katy loves it best when she can pick the fruits of her labor and cook up a tasty meal. She brings a lot to the table at 2A and we – and our clients – are lucky she’s decided to put down roots here. She may be as busy as a bee when leading projects, but seeing them grow into top-tier deliverables is, well, sweeter than honey.

By Abby Breckenridge

Scott came to us pre-vetted. He had been in the Foster graduate program with two of our consultants which translated to two glowing recommendations. I consider hiring to be a huge challenge with an even huger upside—Scott was an easy choice. During his interview, he asked smart questions about the future of our business, and handed out milk.

Since he joined 2A, we’ve gotten the chance to build our own glowing opinions of him. Here’s a glimpse.

He loves words

Shortly after he joined, Scott asked if he could read an original poem at the holiday party. This was a first for me, and not the kind of request you say no to. Over wine and appetizers, Scott recited this poem to a room full of new colleagues and their loved ones, much to the delight of the room. His knack for poetry has sparked the recurring idea that 2A launch a business poetry offering (email us if you’re interested).

Before Foster, he spent five years at Gordon Thomas Honeywell in their governmental affairs consulting group where he flexed his language skills by bringing together stakeholders from across countries and industries.

Scott’s passion for words does more than entertain us at parties. His command of language (English being one of four) also brings a much-appreciated edge to his client work.

He collects information

Some people scroll through Instagram during lunch, Scott reads the Economist. And he listens to The World Next Week and Stuff You Should Know. From niche scientific factoids to international relations, Scott enjoys understanding how systems work.

Other items on the long list of things Scott has chosen to learn in his free time include: to play the bagpipe, to make soap, why Dalmatians are associated with fire houses, how aspartame impacts the body, to coach Special Olympics skiers, to be a karaoke rock star.

As marketing consultants, we’re called on to quickly get up to speed in a variety of industries. Scott has both a knack and hunger for just that challenge. Hopefully we’ll get a project in chemistry soon so he can put his knowledge of the periodic table to use.

He’s democratically goofy

A few months back when Nick and I were waiting for the elevator, we heard a thump, thump, thump. The door opened and there was Scott, a little embarrassed, dancing by himself.

He doles out “later ‘gator” with equal opportunity, and made an unexpected choice for his Skype profile photo.

One of our 10 rules of client management is that clients are people too. No one wants to work with a robot and we all owe each other a little leeway, as we’re just moving through life as humans. You’re not going to be a successful consultant if you’re struggling to be something you’re not. Scott’s ability to be his goofy self in all company makes him a pleasure to work with. We think you’ll agree.

By Scott Knackstedt

It’s not uncommon on a Friday afternoon to hear an 80s power ballad, a kitschy 90s chart-topper, or a pop hit from the 00s spring from “the design pod” at 2A.  Our team of designers has recently doubled in size, and it is exciting for us to showcase our top-tier chops in graphic design.  Evan Aeschlimann – the source of the musical interludes – is much more than the self-assigned 2A DJ. In his short time here he not only gets our feet tapping but has demonstrated some design wizardry worth talking about.

He’s a visual storyteller

Evan has a keen sense for transforming an idea into a visual narrative.  He sees the message and knows what color expresses it, what image defines it, or the composition that captures it.  He listens carefully and structures his interpretation faithfully.  He has put those skills to work at 2A with multiple identity projects, from industries as varied as finance to traffic control, and has shaped new brand identities from the ground up.

He’s a team player

Evan picked up the 2A way without a hitch: he’s collaborative, convivial, and shares his unique qualities to support the team.  Although he has plenty of experience in the field – including previous work with an agency – Evan knows how to strike a balance between his professional responsibilities with his personal pastimes.  An avid sports fan, Evan has leveraged his crafty savviness into a board game, Red Zone Football, that unites his design clout with his passion for the gridiron. It is this sort of cleverness that makes him a clutch player in our starting line-up.

He has the right rhythm

It is easy to charge headfirst into a project and whip out something uninspired, but Evan has demonstrated a thoughtfulness in his work beyond his years.  He knows that high-quality deliverables take time to get right, ensuring that the finer details of a new logo, website, or keynote presentation demand an attentiveness that sometimes cannot be rushed.  Evan has been praised for showing a solid aesthetic – and we’re grateful for his commitment to getting things right.

Evan may have waded into the 2A pool recently but he has made a definitive splash.  We are excited to learn more about Evan, someday meet his energetic dog, Clementine, and look forward to him quietly posting one of his quick-witted memes on the wall.  And though his computer may periodically blare a catchy pop song from a bygone decade to lift the office, we are thankful that Evan’s classical eye and new wave soul continue to produce visual stories that rock.