Some agencies sell campaigns to clients. Others pitch the depth of their services. We get hired to tell stories. Because it really is as simple as that. You have stories that need to be told; we love telling them. Truly, madly, deeply.
ABOUT
Why Thinkwell?
To get your hands on work created by Thinkwell is to get your hands on work that is dripping with pride. Our smallish size means we are better at anticipating client needs, paying serious attention to detail, and at being totally flexible when changes call for us to shift directions on a dime.
We want to take care of you in a way that ticks off all the right boxes. Each project begins by pulling together a team that will tell your story quickly and on budget. We shoot for the “whoa!” factor. And we are such friendly folks, it kinda-sorta-maybe-might-be the most fun you’ll ever have doing marketing. Just puttin’ that out there.
What is Thinkwell Creative?
Thinkwell Creative is a full-service marketing and communications company headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. Our team is a rogue band of wordsmithing, graphic-designing, marketing and communications ninjas who've chosen to use our powers for good.
What do we do?
No matter what your story is, let Thinkwell tell it. Whether the target audience is your team, other people in your organization, clients or end users—we cut through to the heart of what you want to say with powerful words and insanely eye-pleasing graphic design. When we show up on the page (any page—web, printed or otherwise), the result is an interesting mix of creativity where practical meets magical.
TEAM
Stacey Meredith
Hometown: Birmingham, AL
Occupation: Production Manager Maven & File Ninjaneer
Can often be found: Chasing the good life, the kind you find at her fave vacation spot in Treasure Cay, Bahamas—where cars are not allowed, freshly baked cinnamon rolls are mandatory and it’s against the law not to notice breathtaking sunsets
Will never be found: Using big, ugly, honking fonts
You know that girl, the one that can totally get away with top-of-her-lungs, one-note off, windows-down car singing? That’s Stacey. Stacey is passionate about living large. When she’s not production managing her own life by creating goodness in the kitchen and kissing boo-boos, she is bringing her amazing talents to Thinkwell projects. By day, Stacey can be found working with designers and event managers, researching vendors, securing prototypes, placing orders and overseeing the process from first ideas to final wow. At night, she takes a little nap so she can do it all over again.
Early life
Even though she was born in the Deep South, Stacey was raised in different cities along the eastern seaboard. Her parents ran a loving but strict household, encouraging Stacey to take her education seriously in hopes that she would one day become a doctor or scientist, maybe even Nobel Prize winner. Well, that backfired. Instead, Stacey went off to college and switched career paths three times while her parents pulled their hair out. On graduation day, Stacey was a fine arts major holding a diploma in graphic design. She really wanted to take a gap year, but it wasn’t en vogue back then, plus her parents didn’t have any more hair to pull out, so instead she plunged head-first into a job with an advertising agency in Memphis.
Career
While she began her professional career making gorgeous stop-people-in-their-tracks graphics, Stacey has done it all—design, advertising, marketing and communications. Over the years (a lady never tells exactly how many), she has garnered invaluable experience having a hand in just about every part of production. So, it was no great surprise when she decided that she didn’t just want to be in on one part of the party. In true Stacey fashion, she wants it all. Now, she uses her perfectly balanced brain—the left side handles creative while the right watches time, budget and the big picture—to take great ideas and breathe life into them. Bring us a project you don’t think Stacey can production manage the heck out of. We dare you!
Personal life
While Stacey is always a great girls’ night waiting to happen, she also honors her enneagram number (4) by taking time to be introspective and to notice beauty. She is married to JD (another talented graphic designer). They are often asked to join forces on projects, but without question their most impressive collaborations to-date are daughter Garner and son Graham. When she’s not working or raising her family, Stacey attempts to power through the growing pile of yet-to-be-read books on her bedside table. But let’s be honest, she usually says to heck with the books and starts a dance party with her entire family in the kitchen instead. Sometimes guacamole is involved, sometimes bacon. Sometimes both. She also makes a mean chocolate chip cookie. And, no, you can’t have her. She’s ours.
Erica Stuart
Hometown: Rochester, NY
Thinkwell role: Creative Writer + Copy Ninja
Big fan of: Yoga, meditation and reading in bed
Not a big fan of: Disorganized spaces, like sinks full of dishes or unmade beds
Erica and writing go together like springtime and flowers or PB & J. And while her friends often think she’s plugging away on the next Great American Novel, she’s usually actually lending her brilliance and linguistic savvy to clear, resonant and memorable messaging for Thinkwell clients. From ghostwriting for C-suite executives to her younger days as Rochester’s spelling bee champ, Erica is a communications all-star and master of the written word.
Early life:
As a kid, Erica’s life revolved around two central themes: reading and horses (and, on occasion, reading to horses). Her very first job was working as a stablehand, where she spent most of her time mucking out stalls and the rest falling head over heels for foals. Weekends were spent riding and working, and her earnings were spent buying—you guessed it—books. Always immersed in one series or another, Erica eagerly absorbed all the reading material she could get her hands on and built up one heck of a vocabulary from an early age.
Education and career:
In college, Erica put her discipline, smarts and amazing time management skills to work earning a degree in Human Development from Cornell University. After graduation, she landed a job that allowed her to combine her communication skills and human psychology background in an unexpected way—namely, traveling the country for two years as Britney Spears’ publicist’s assistant.
Eventually, Erica transitioned from her role touring with the “Princess of Pop” to a broader position in public relations and marketing. She honed her focus to copywriting in 2015 and never looked back; now, her clients know they can count on Erica to write anything from succinct, compelling social media posts to meticulously researched feature-length articles. If there’s a story to be told, Erica can tell it—and we’re overjoyed that she’s flexing her brilliance here at Thinkwell.
Personal life:
Erica is a supermom to two amazing daughters, which also means she spends a LOT of her time driving to practices and cheering her girls on at basketball and lacrosse games. In those quiet moments outside the bleachers, Erica can often be found meditating or practicing yoga—both of which she does to help keep herself healthy and grounded. A Brené Brown fan and all-in-all warmly gracious human being, Erica is her friends’ go-to person for clarity, calm and intentional conversation.
Name: Andrea Acton
Hometown: Germantown, TN
Occupation: Marissa's Right Hand & Master of All Things Supportive
Superpower: Keeping up with three energetic boys while maintaining her love for sunflowers
Quirky talent: Accidentally inventing "Andrea-isms"
At Thinkwell Creative, Andrea embraces the role of Marissa's assistant with enthusiasm and a keen eye for detail. Her warm presence in the office, combined with her 15 years of diverse work experience, establishes her as a special part of the team. Andrea's ability to make people feel at ease and her unwavering positive attitude contribute to the close-knit atmosphere at Thinkwell.
Early Life:
Andrea, affectionately known as Annie, grew up in a lively household with three sisters and two brothers. With a finance-savvy father and a nurturing, stay-at-home mom, the Acton clan was full of love, laughter and a touch of chaos. Andrea's childhood was filled with dance lessons, family performances and spying on her older siblings' adventures. As a dedicated track athlete in high school, she excelled at hurdles, proving she's always been ready to leap over any obstacle in her path.
Education and Career:
Andrea attended Saint Louis University, where she earned a degree in Marketing and Communication. A true testament to her adaptability and dedication, her career has been a 15-year journey through various roles and industries. Now at Thinkwell, Andrea has found her perfect fit, assisting Marissa and enjoying the company of her talented and friendly colleagues.
Personal Life:
Family is at the heart of Andrea's world. She and her husband met on St. Patrick's Day at Silky's on Beale Street and have been together ever since, raising three active boys (ages 10, 8, and 4) who adore their cousins. Andrea loves beach vacations with her family, running with friends, and indulging in pizza and movie nights at home or going out for Mexican food—complete with queso and margaritas.
Andrea's favorite pastimes include listening to murder mystery podcasts and diving into cheesy, suspenseful thrillers. Known for her occasional "Andrea-isms," she embraces her quirky side, always ready to help lost souls navigate the grocery store aisles. Above all, Andrea follows the wise words of her favorite quote by Dolly Parton: "If you see someone without a smile today, give 'em yours."
Bethany Stover
Hometown: Florence, AL
Occupation: Account Manager & Communications Jedi
Talents: Investigating & researching
Singing
Being a prayer warrior
Secret keeping
Unpaid kid Ubering
Outdooring
Roll Tiding
Friends count on her to: Tell it like it is with brutal honesty.
You know that person who always has too many tabs open in her head, but floats through the day getting it all done effortlessly, all while rocking the coolest outfit? That’s our Bethany. This team-centric, service-minded problem solver is all about putting her diverse experience to work for you. Let Bethany’s knowledge and know-how become your edge.
Early life
Bethany couldn’t have scripted her life better, if she tried. Her growing up years sound like hilarious scenes out of Steel Magnolias. Bethany wore smocked dresses but refused to be ladylike and chose to sell roasted peanuts with her dad at festivals over going to etiquette class. Instead of Strawberry Shortcake dolls, she collected black eyes wrestling with her beloved brothers and competing in organized sports. This woman couldn’t become any more fierce, but if she does, that’s fine with us.
Career
At Thinkwell, Bethany’s our double threat—with a bachelor’s from Bama and a master’s from the UofM. She’s a get-it-done guru, who is just flat out awesome at collaborating with our team and clients to deliver outstanding solutions to complex challenges.
Before Thinkwell, Bethany spent almost a decade working in an athletic department at a local all-girls’ school. She wore many hats during her time there coordinating more than 70 athletic teams, coaching varsity cross country and track, and creating and teaching physical education curriculums.
Personal life
Bethany’s Super Mom powers are a lot like her work ethic: unstoppable. She and the love of her life, Donnie, are bringing up three adorable kiddos with a color-outside-the-lines approach to life. It’s a no-perfection zone where you have fun and get messy. When she’s not rooting for the Crimson Tide, you will find Bethany reading, Mario Karting with her kids or hosting family movie night. She also puts her energy and a whole lot of love and passion into being a Teacher/Mentor for teens at her church.
Shoshana Cenker
Hometown: Memphis, TN
Occupation: Writer & Mistress of Content
Would be played in a movie by: Rachel McAdams
The movie would be:
A zany comedy about a quirky father named Butch who has an epic obsession with Disney World and has taken his family to the famous park 30 times and counting. Rated PG due to the unfortunate cussing incident on the Tea Cup ride from 1983.
Spoiler Alert: True Story.
We sometimes refer to Shoshana as the impossible love child of Etta James + Lisa Jackson + Jane Fonda, because this amazing powerhouse somehow finds the time to be a bluesy songstress + an inspiring writer + a fitness fanatic—all while simultaneously juggling life, kids and all those Disney trips (see above).
Early life
Okay, so she’s actually the love child of Butch and Dina of Memphis, who cranked up Elvis, Peter, Paul & Mary, Otis Redding and the like on the record player in their home when Shoshana was a wee tot. She remembers parties where the men sported mutton chop sideburns and stood at the bar making gimlets while ladies fussed over harvest gold-colored fondue pots. Her parents had a legendary reputation for upping the dinner party game in the neighborhood—introducing exotic international foods to the block, like falafel and shwarma pita. This was way before Food Network, people. Shoshana’s parents were Food Network in the ‘70s-‘80s. Shoshana is the only member of the Thinkwell team who once trained for the Olympics. As a young girl, she hit the mat as a competitive gymnast for 12 years straight. She had no idea at the time that it was also great preparation for a career in marketing communications. Both require extreme discipline, endurance and courage. Shoshana has been fearless—on the uneven bars and behind a laptop.
Career
Shoshana is the kind of writer who can just open her brilliant mind, and perfect thoughts pop out and land on paper. So it’s no wonder she was part of a stellar team that was nominated for an Emmy when she was a TV news writer and producer in D.C. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly develop a writing crush on her. As our content writer, Shoshana knows what it takes to understand your message and find a voice that makes you look good. You’ll fall in love with everything about her writing. You can blame Indiana University, her alma mater, for your writing crush.
Personal life
Shoshana joyfully exhausts herself by being the best playmate to her three children anyone could ever dream up. She crawls, chases, hides and climbs after twin boys and a daughter (who thinks she's the triplet!) every day—sometimes in three-inch heels and a dress. Shoshana’s fam, which happily resides in her hometown of Memphis, also has two dogs: Dreidel is a mini poodle and Memphis is a black lab mix. Side note: Her last name Cenker means Tavern Keeper in Yiddish—another first for Thinkwell. We’ll drink to that!
Kristen Regenold
Hometown: Cunningham, KY
Occupation: Account Director & Goddess of Git-er-done
Most useful skill for Thinkwell: Can read clients' minds
Most useful skill for Zombie apocalypse: Can handle a tractor
*Bonus tidbit:
If you hear someone at Thinkwell referred to as Reggie, it’s this lady (A.K.A., “the Kristen who came after the other Kristen”).
At Thinkwell, Kristen guides our clients through projects from the moment of inspiration to the point of completion. What we mean is, she can DO IT ALL. Kristen spends her non-Thinkwell time keeping four small children alive. So making sure projects get done on time and on budget? Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
Early Life
Kristen grew up in a really small town in southwestern Kentucky (if you’re thinking of Mayberry, you’re not wrong), where she and her younger sister spent their days fishing, riding horses and exploring in the woods.
Pets Kristen had as a child:
1 - dog
2 - cat
3 - raccoons, squirrels, possums and a coyote
4 - ferret
You get the gist. In addition to over-achieving in the Wilderness Badge arena, Kristen was a compulsive reader. When grounded by her parents, the delighted bookworm would retreat to her room to dig into a different kind of adventure. Kristen remembers wanting to be a lawyer because her parents told her she was good at persuading people. She went into advertising instead, earning a degree in Marketing and Public Relations from Murray State University.
Career
If you are looking for an account manager who knows what she’s doing, may we please offer you Kristen’s resume? Her first job out of college was with ALSAC/St. Jude, where she handled planning and marketing for fundraising events. Then she hopped over to the advertising world, working as an account executive at a local ad agency. During her years there, Kristen cut her teeth on all things advertising and worked with some pretty fantastic clients, like the University of Memphis, Methodist Hospital and Live at the Garden. After her first baby, the 60-hour work week didn’t work anymore, and she was offered a work-from-home opportunity with a digital ad agency based out of NYC. This gave Kristen a chance to soak up as much as she could about all things digital while perfecting her talent of working with agency partners. Next, on to Thinkwell! Here’s what she likes best about the kind of work she does now: “I love that I get to work with different kinds of folks and lots of unique projects. Each day is totally different from the last – it keeps me on my toes and I always get to learn something new.”
Personal Life
What personal life? With a full-time job and four full-time kiddos- oh and an awesome husband who helps keep her sane – Kristen does not find many extra hours in her day. In the precious moments after everyone is asleep, she may indulge in a thrilling novel or an 8pm bedtime for herself. Kristen and her hubs love trying new foods and have already started a wedding fund (one son, three daughters). When asked how she would spend a day with no responsibilities, she answered, “SLEEP. But also, I might sit at a pool. Or maybe go to a movie. Sleep at the pool while watching a movie?” Can we blame her?
David Hardin
Hometown: Memphis, TN
Thinkwell Role: Design Director and Photoshopaholic
Big fan of: Rock bands, such as Stone Temple Pilots, Guns N’ Roses and Alice in Chains
Not a big fan of: Awkwardness, like when people are super serious and show no emotion
What KISS is to American metal rock, David is to graphic design. At his own keyboard with headphones blasting, David brings bold showmanship to the images he creates. Bright, flamboyant and never boring – his work is pretty great, too. Far from a one hit wonder, David prides himself on being able to make the final product match each client’s vision.
Early life
David was born and raised in Memphis and dutifully recites the Memphian mantra: “Love the food. Love the people. Hate the weather.” He and his younger brother were good at being little boys and spent their time playing sports, dominating video games and creating new worlds with action figures. And, of course, the greatest game brothers play: How can I embarrass you in front of everyone and make them laugh? David confesses that he still likes this game a little too much. His brother agrees.
When he wasn’t making mischief, David was making art. Drawing since the age of three, he kept at it all the way through art school. There, David says he was trying to figure out who he was, not just as an artist, but also as a young man. What he figured out is that he loves karaoke.
Career
Early in life, when David was having fun with video games, action figures and flipping through comic books, he was also developing a love of design and a unique perspective that have served him well in his professional career. David finds influence everywhere and, therefore, can be a design chameleon, experimenting with whatever style and approach fits the flavor of the project. David has worked at several design firms in multiple media and has won numerous awards. He has also worked with many kinds of people, each with their own creative vision, and learned the delicate art of collaboration. His most important collaborative project, his life with his wife and kids, required that David get really creative when it was clear one of them needed to be home more. So, he left the agency life in search of a small company with flexible hours and lots of heart. Hello, Thinkwell!
Personal life
David and his wife, Jacquelynn, have three kids, love to travel and aspire to one day live somewhere that has more than two seasons. This family enjoys going to the movies, riding bikes and, of course, drawing.
If David had an afternoon to himself, he might: (1) Run errands, (2) Fix something around the house, or (3) Call up some friends to play flag football. (In other words, NOT SIT STILL.) After some thought, he added that if he had enough time he might go “man”tiquing at the local swap meet. Boring, David is not.
Kristen Behan
Hometown: Memphis, TN
Occupation: Accounting Director & Money Honey
A few notable details:
She’s a good listener, mother of four kiddos and fervent Grizz fan. You can often find her outside taming her garden, or inside where she’ll look for any distraction or excuse not to cook dinner.
Kristen grew up in a family that always found ways to make life un-boring. She was the oldest of six kids and recalls a house unabashedly run amok with laughter, fun times, a wee bit of chaos and loud debates over whose turn it was to ride in the front seat. Or take out the trash. Or who put an empty carton of milk back inside the fridge, for crying out loud! You get the drift. As our numbers girl, she’s mostly behind the scenes at Thinkwell, but hopefully you’ll have the chance to meet her and her unforgettable self.
Early life
Numbers have always been Kristen’s specialism. Her lifelong love of math began when she sat on the front row of Mrs. Carruther’s class at Germantown High. In no time flat, she zoomed from teacher’s pet to class treasurer to business major at Rhodes College to CPA. We won’t say it’s hip to be a numbers nerd, because who says hip these days? But we can all agree that Kristen is awesome.
Career
We love having our very own mathemagician. Before coming to Thinkwell, she held a number of financial positions, beginning at Ernst & Young in Atlanta and eventually landing in the ad agency world in NYC. She managed to avoid a totally humdrum accounting career by working the books at some high-profile and fun places, including Y&R and WPP. Because WPP’s headquarters are in London, Kristen even got to hop across the pond a few times. She also traveled quite a bit with Ernst & Young and found it fascinating how all her clients ran their businesses so differently. She soaked it up like a sponge.
Personal life
When she is not crunching numbers, Kristen can be found with a cup of coffee in her hand, squirreled away in a sweet little spot reading on a quiet Saturday morning. That’s a little lie—with three boys and one girl, she merely fantasizes of having Saturdays free to herself, has completely lost touch with what the word “quiet” means and very rarely gets to crack open a book. Although good books and good sports talk radio both make her drool. She is married to another CPA, and they have lived in all kinds of cool cities (Atlanta, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Stamford and, of course, digable Memphis) building a beautiful life together. So you could say they go together like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong. Wah-hooo, yeah!
Kristen Behan
Hometown: Memphis, TN
Occupation: Accounting Director & Money Honey
A few notable details:
She’s a good listener, mother of four kiddos and fervent Grizz fan. You can often find her outside taming her garden, or inside where she’ll look for any distraction or excuse not to cook dinner.
Kristen grew up in a family that always found ways to make life un-boring. She was the oldest of six kids and recalls a house unabashedly run amok with laughter, fun times, a wee bit of chaos and loud debates over whose turn it was to ride in the front seat. Or take out the trash. Or who put an empty carton of milk back inside the fridge, for crying out loud! You get the drift. As our numbers girl, she’s mostly behind the scenes at Thinkwell, but hopefully you’ll have the chance to meet her and her unforgettable self.
Early life
Numbers have always been Kristen’s specialism. Her lifelong love of math began when she sat on the front row of Mrs. Carruther’s class at Germantown High. In no time flat, she zoomed from teacher’s pet to class treasurer to business major at Rhodes College to CPA. We won’t say it’s hip to be a numbers nerd, because who says hip these days? But we can all agree that Kristen is awesome.
Career
We love having our very own mathemagician. Before coming to Thinkwell, she held a number of financial positions, beginning at Ernst & Young in Atlanta and eventually landing in the ad agency world in NYC. She managed to avoid a totally humdrum accounting career by working the books at some high-profile and fun places, including Y&R and WPP. Because WPP’s headquarters are in London, Kristen even got to hop across the pond a few times. She also traveled quite a bit with Ernst & Young and found it fascinating how all her clients ran their businesses so differently. She soaked it up like a sponge.
Personal life
When she is not crunching numbers, Kristen can be found with a cup of coffee in her hand, squirreled away in a sweet little spot reading on a quiet Saturday morning. That’s a little lie—with three boys and one girl, she merely fantasizes of having Saturdays free to herself, has completely lost touch with what the word “quiet” means and very rarely gets to crack open a book. Although good books and good sports talk radio both make her drool. She is married to another CPA, and they have lived in all kinds of cool cities (Atlanta, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Stamford and, of course, digable Memphis) building a beautiful life together. So you could say they go together like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong. Wah-hooo, yeah!
Melissa Webster
Hometown: Puerto Rico (although she has never lived there)
Thinkwell Role: Design Director & Manager of Making It Pretty
Likes she shares with college students: Naps, romantic comedies, and eating pizza at 4:30 p.m.
Likes she shares with octogenarians: Naps, romantic comedies, and eating pizza at 4:30 p.m.
Melissa Webster is a graphic designer and the manager of making it pretty at Thinkwell Creative. After spending hours upon hours in her design school studio learning to perfect traditional artistic mediums, she chucked it all for the instant gratification that comes with graphic design. Communicating something visually really stirs her tea. In a nutshell, Melissa wants to make things pretty, and she wants to do it fast!
Personality
A refreshing combination of deeply thoughtful and silly, Melissa can be a bit shy around those that don't know her well. When asked to describe herself for this bio, she said, “I don't talk a whole lot unless I need to.” There you have it.
Early life
Born in Tacoma, WA, Melissa then moved to Germany, then Texas, then Germany (again), then North Carolina, then Alaska, then Texas (again), then Georgia and now Tennessee.
Q:Melissa moved so much because her dad was in:
The circus.
A nomadic tribe.
The military. (This is the right answer.)
The Witness Protection Program.
While playing geographic hopscotch, Melissa attended three very different high schools.
High school: #1
Location: Alaska
Potential announcement from principal: “There's a bear outside. So don't go outside.”
High school: #2
Location: Texas
Potential announcement from principal: “Football, football, football, football. Football!”
High school: #3
Location: rural Georgia
Potential announcement from principal: (Silence.) There was not a lot going on here.
Melissa crossed from small-town living through the Twilight Zone to the land of leather, piercings and tattoos ... also known as design school. She loved the quirky juxtaposition of the super-hip Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) with a slow-as-molasses, southern tourist destination. In her words, design school was “ridiculously hard,” and one of her proudest accomplishments is surviving SCAD and doing well.
Not only did SCAD provide Melissa with ninja-like artistic skills, she also bagged a husband there. Once again, in her own words: “I met Austin in a class my freshman year, and I remember thinking, ‘Hey, he looks normal.'” These two crazy kids now have two actual crazy kids, Norah and Eva, who could not be more perfect if these two designers had Photoshopped them themselves.
Career
Having originally studied interior design, Melissa got a job with an architectural firm after graduating from SCAD. She eventually realized that the graphic presentations she was preparing for clients were more exciting to her than the interior design work within those presentations. So she changed gears and landed an in-house graphic design gig for a glass studio. From there, it was on to freelance, baby, and that's where the real fun began.
Melissa has had the privilege of lending her design skills to numerous nonprofit organizations through City Leadership, a Memphis-based start-up that consults with budding, urban leadership programs. “Choose 901” has been one of her primary projects and is an initiative to encourage dynamic, young entrepreneurs to bring their talents to Memphis. She has also worked with churches, charter schools and several local community programs.
To Thinkwell Creative's benefit, Melissa is now using her professional powers to make things pretty for us. At present, she is doing so from Atlanta.
Personal life
If Melissa were not happily married and busily chasing her babies around, we might find her following Marc Anthony's tour bus. She likes Salsa music ... a lot. When doing housework, she blasts her tunes because it makes her feel like the world is good. Let's hope her neighbors also like Salsa music.
Perfect relaxation for Melissa involves drinking coffee and reading a book on the beach at sunrise. Fortunately, both of her siblings have moved to vacation destinations in Florida.
Other activities
Deeply rooted in her faith, Melissa is continually looking for ways to make positive contributions to the world that surrounds her. She enjoys cooking, baking and domestic activities at large.
Ashley Harris
Hometown: Birmingham, AL
Occupation: Account Director & Master Chef of Communications
Sometimes finds it funny: that she used to faint on airplanes when they closed the door
Never finds it funny: snakes
Ashley Harris is an account director and master chef of communications for Thinkwell Creative. Her diabolical doings include hunting and gathering information and putting it all together in an organized, pretty package. Keeping the project trains moving in the same direction and on the right schedule are among the many skills in Ashley's big bag of tricks.
Early life
Growing up in Birmingham, AL, Ashley began her career in communications and found her knack for organization early by being the only girl on her street and bossing around all of the boys.
Declarations by Ashley:
- “We are going to play football, and I am going to be the quarterback.” (to the boys in her neighborhood)
- “While my parents are at the disco, we're going to listen to records in the den.” (to her babysitter)
- “My ideas are usually the best, so why do it any other way?” (to the person interviewing her for this bio)
When not playing with neighborhood friends, Ashley spent time at home making Lite-Brite masterpieces in her bedroom and writing creative fiction in the closet. Her only regret from youth is that she was never elected to the Safety Patrol at school. Ashley laments, “It would have been fun to have that much control.”
At Auburn University, Ashley earned a degree in marketing and forever cemented her love of college football. Her husband, Brad, is a University of Alabama fan, but she decided to marry him anyway. On game day, they manage to keep things “very civil.”
Career
Out of college, Ashley began a career in the banking world of Birmingham, where she did administrative work, training, support for new branch openings and, finally, marketing. Banker-by-day, student-by-night, she also passed enough classes to walk away with her MBA from UAB.
Ashley's communication and organizational skills were evident, and upon moving to Memphis for a job change for Brad, she took on a role in culture and communications at Hilton. A few years later, it was time for Brad's job to move the family again; this time to Pittsburgh. Marissa offered Ashley a job working remotely for Thinkwell, and Thinkwell gained an office in Pennsylvania!
Personal life
Brad and Ashley have two sons, Jack and Sam, and spend most of their weekends in the fall watching SEC football. They also enjoy exploring their new geographic area, carefully, as it offers the second-highest deer/automobile collision rate in the country. Family hobbies include traveling, cooking, reading, playing board games and singing Journey songs at a high volume. What does the future hold for this southern family up North? Ashley says, "We are going to learn how to do snow sports and not die."
Marissa Loper
Hometown: Birmingham, AL
Occupation: Founder, President & Chief Word Nerd
Things that bug her: Y'all misspelled, incorrect usage of the word nauseous and rAndOm caPitaliZaTion
Things that excite her: chocolate, pedicures and proper pronunciation of her name (Marissa rhymes with Lisa, not Melissa)
Marissa Loper is the founder, president and chief word nerd of Thinkwell Creative. For Marissa, crafting superb communications requires a careful recipe: thoughtful strategy, succinct writing and strong design. She has spent two decades perfecting this art form. (Please don't do the math there. Marissa loves celebrating her 29th birthday. Every year.)
Early life
Voted Best Sleeper and Lil' Miss Congeniality of the hospital's newborn nursery, Marissa began overachieving at a young age. She dabbled in softball and volleyball (and opera, naturally) as a youth, but truly hit her stride in the classroom. Marissa was valedictorian of her class and went on to double major in business administration and French at Rhodes College. It's a wonder that she found the time to wrangle that hunky football player (Brook Loper) from her accounting class!
Marissa's first job after college was with a wealth management company, where she was a portfolio analyst and French translator.
This job involved:
France.
Wine.
Money.
Unfortunately, it also involved obsessively stalking the stock market, which just didn't feed Marissa's need to be creative and to personally connect with her clients. So she joined an advertising agency as an account executive, then transitioned into the life of a copywriter.
This job involved:
Wine (sometimes, when it was on sale).
In 2001, Marissa left the agency and founded Thinkwell Creative. She believes good communication is the basis for all successful relationships and businesses deserve access to expert, creative assistance in this department. Marissa also believes in finding good help and has handpicked a team that's just as talented and crazy as she is.
Personal life
Marissa lives in the ‘burbs of Memphis with her husband and three children. When the Lopers are not eating pizza on family movie nights or coming up with kooky traditions, you can find them flitting across the country with the aggressive goal of visiting all 50 states before their oldest child graduates high school. Did we discuss that Marissa is a bit of an overachiever?
Other activities
In her nonexistent spare time, Marissa enjoys photography, art, long showers, mindless TV shows, movies, traveling and yucking it up with friends.
Meghan Blaszkowski
Hometown: Rochester Hills, MI
Occupation: Webinar Manager & Report Wrangler
Definition of Coney Island to people from the South: an amusement park in Brooklyn
Definition of Coney Island to Meghan: a hot dog with chili or a late-night diner
Meghan Blaszkowski is the webinar manager and report wrangler at Thinkwell Creative. Imagine doing all of the prep for a traditional face-to-face presentation and then throwing in a whole bunch of technology to put it on the web. That's where Meghan comes in. She begins with setting up online registration and will have you to final reporting and analysis before you can even attempt to spell Blaszkowski!
Early life
Meghan grew up in the picturesque town of Rochester Hills, MI, where she and her siblings enjoyed playing sports, spending time at the lake and being wholesome. Her family (the McKelveys) was so clean cut that they earned the nickname the McCleavers. Meghan described herself as shy, reserved and just trying to blend in while attending Rochester Adams High School. That would not be a fitting description for all graduates of RAHS.
Rochester Adams High School highlights through history:
1970 – Opened its doors
1974 – Swimming pool complex built
1976 – Madonna graduated. Yes, the Madonna.
2005 – Artificial turf installed on football field
After high school, Meghan went to Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and claims, while chuckling mysteriously, to have had “a good time” there. That good time included earning a degree in accounting and being a member of the oxymoronically titled “business fraternity.” It also included meeting her husband, John, and a story that involves a dorm front desk clerk, a pizza delivery guy and some serendipitous timing. (Ask Meghan for details.)
Career
After graduation, Meghan spent the next 10 years running the gamut of positions at a small bank in Michigan. The most interesting, perhaps, was serving as the test case to see if banking cons could be a threat to potentially gullible people. (Remember the McCleavers?) Then one day, her aviation-engineering husband got a call about a job at FedEx in Memphis. Meghan laughed and swore she'd never move to the South. She also probably thought she would never call a pop a Coke.
After a stint spent wrangling two kids and running the PTA circuit, Meghan did some freelance financial and HR work. Her organizational skills and attention to detail were just the sort of thing for which Thinkwell was looking. Now, underneath “southerner” and “PTA goddess,” Meghan can add “Thinkwellian” to her list of things she never imagined she would be.
Personal life
These days, Meghan and John can be found watching their daughter, Colleen, play softball and volleyball or visiting their son, Jack, at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga. They also enjoy traveling as a family, which includes trying interesting food and finding out how other people live. Usually after vacation, they need a vacation.
Other activities
In her spare time, Meghan reads everything. She particularly relishes fictional history and whatever young adult series her daughter is reading (just for the bonding, and not because she secretly loves them).
Christy Bicknell
Hometown: Cabot, AR
Occupation: Senior Strategist & Head Honcho of Ideas
Appreciative of: thoughtfulness, attention to detail
Christy is the senior strategist and head honcho of ideas for the Thinkwell team. While Moses gave the world 10 commandments, Christy's approach to projects gets it done in three: (1) listen, (2) understand the goal, and (3) communicate it quickly and clearly. She puts her philosophy into practice when strategizing communications and projects that make the business world go 'round.
Early life
Christy spent her youth exploring nature in central Arkansas with her twin brother, Jason, and her younger brother, Jared. So not only is Christy outdoorsy and knows how to hang with the boys, she's also an avid sports fan. Woo Pig Sooie! While briefly living in St. Louis with her family, Christy fell in love with baseball and became a crazy Cardinals fan. She owns roughly 3,500 baseball cards and will watch any sporting event that's televised.
Christy attended Rhodes College in Memphis, where she majored in psychology and minored in music. When she was not studying or attending musical performances, Christy worked at sports camps and volunteered for a variety of urban outreach programs, kicking off her future work with nonprofits.
Career
After graduation, Christy went from spending her summer employment driving ski boats and teaching softball, to working as an account manager for a graphic design firm managing national advertising agency accounts. This role didn't float her boat, and she was soon coordinating urban outreach for three years. Then it was off to Dallas for graduate school and more work in the non-profit sector and a valuable season in legal marketing.
Christy eventually found her way back to Memphis, working in a variety of executive and management non-profit and higher education roles (public affairs, marketing and communications, operations.)
Personal life
Christy and her husband, Curt, are parents to a beautiful girl. As a family, they like to be outside and to eat, and sometimes eat outside. Afternoons alone are now rare, but when possible, Christy loves to find a local coffee shop, settle in with a good book and jazz music, then enjoy some laughter and fun when a friend randomly shows up.
Other fun facts about Christy: Momma to two rescue pups. Loves the coast of Maine. Hates rollercoasters. Considers herself an introvert but can sneak out of that bubble pretty quickly.
SERVICES
What we love to do
Here's just a sampling of our services:
- Branding
- Brochures
- Business plans
- Communication plans
- Copywriting
- Digital media strategy & placement
- Fact sheets
- FAQ documents
- Graphic design
- Interactive PDFs / e-brochures
- Logos
- Meetings and events
- Memos
- Newsletters
- PowerPoint presentations
- Product guides
- Production management
- Reporting & spreadsheets
- Social media planning & execution
- Speechwriting & coaching
- Taglines
- Templates
- Training
- Videos
- Virtual meeting support
- Website design
What we don’t do
Sometimes it's easier to define what we do by first clearing up a few things folks
have asked us to do that we just don't do. Ever.
Public Relations & Colonoscopies*
*This one warrants further explanation. Our phone number is just one digit different from a local gastroenterologist's, so we receive errant patient calls a few times per week. We'd like to help, butt...
work
We love showing off our latest and greatest work. It’s also our clients’ work, and we respect the fact that they may not want it splashed all over the Interweb.
To see samples of the phenomenal things we can do, click below, and we’ll send you a real-deal paper copy of our Thinkwell look book.
Request Look BookCONTACT
We're ready to get started on your projects.
Thinkwell Creative
9045 Forest Centre Drive
Suite #102
Germantown, TN 38138
901.755.9111
Or, drop us a line in the form below, and we'll be in touch soon!
