Our Team
Our job is to make your job easier and our strategic consultants freelance from all over the world to get it done. View the bio’s of many of our incredibly talented marketers.
Lisa Kent
Energetic and pragmatic senior executive who has started, grown, marketed, sold, and reinvented companies and brands. Reputation for being passionate about healthcare and a thought leader who inspires and drives innovation. Unique insights gained from a breadth and depth of industries and challenges—from candy to biotech, sutures to fragrances, and software to nail color. Proven track record of uncovering untapped opportunities. Over 20 years of experience, in writing, reviewing, evaluating, and executing marketing & business plans. Adjunct Professor of Integrated and Digital Marketing at NYU, Lehigh University, and Rutgers University. Most recent publications: Leveraging Leadership, Millennium Marketing and Inspiring Innovation.
Michelle Keller
An accomplished innovator and strategic marketer. She has tackled business issues across a wide variety of categories, and consistently identifies new ways to grow brands. She has particular depth in skin care, diabetes and nutrition having worked on multiple assignments in these categories for many years. Michelle has an ability to glean new insights and suggest approaches that help brands to connect with their consumers. She has written hundreds of winning concepts in categories as diverse as women’s sexual health, seasonings and new to the world consumer devices. In addition to ideation and concept writing, Michelle develops business models, evaluates white space opportunities and helps brands develop strategies for business growth. Michelle enjoys bringing her breadth of experience to new categories and applying best practices alongside innovative approaches.
Brian Cairns
An accomplished business leader and entrepreneur with strong analytical and technical background. Brian has a knack for uncovering and identifying hidden market opportunities. He has achieved business and category growth with brands and businesses of varying size and budget. Has worked with numerous entrepreneurs in diverse categories from veterinary cannabis to LED medical devices. Brian also has experience as a Group Product Director in Upper Respiratory and experience in Business Development and has built models and technologies for many medical device businesses.
Jill Lesko
A seasoned ex Johnson & Johnson marketer with experience in many sectors: consumer, device, pharmaceuticals and corporate advertising. She brings expertise in business planning, new product development, strategy, and training. Jill is a certified business coach and most recently plays a major role in our Insight and Concept Writing trainings. She has evaluated, developed and launched brands around the globe. Jill has helped manage the divestiture of several businesses and worked on long-term innovation.
Amy Venetianer
A skilled strategic and analytical marketer, Amy has provided guidance and marketing support for diverse organizations, with a unique ability to partner seamlessly with clients and agencies. Her clients have included Johnson and Johnson, Panasonic and Lutron. Support has included writing business plans, developing P&L’s, brainstorming, social media management, packaging development, claims development, leading project teams, and managing day to day businesses. Amy has successfully worked with Business Development teams to ensure sustained growth on brands while developing sales pitches and managing smooth divestitures. She has a proven track record as a marketing trainer, having developed and led training sessions for marketers around the globe.
Nurit Bloom
With both commercial and nonprofit experience Nurit is nimble and fast. She most recently supported the American Standard brand on a robust digital and social media campaign, defining KPIs, analyzing results and liaising with their internal e-commerce division. She also has developed our mobile marketing course for Rutgers University. She has earned a B.A. from Rutgers University in Biology and Psychology, a Masters of Education from Harvard’s Graduate School of Education, and an M.B.A from Babson’s F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business.
Kristen Garufi
A seasoned consumer products marketer with experience in both small and large companies, across a wide variety of categories and brands. She works to delight the consumer through new products and marketing communications. She excels at leading cross-functional teams. Kristen quickly adapts to any business in order to deliver on strategy initiatives or day-to-day functional needs.
Ilene Quilty
A senior innovation leader and global marketing strategist with experience in a broad array of consumer segments, including over the counter medicines, beauty, nutritionals and sleep. She also has experience in the healthcare professional space. Ilene has successfully evaluated and launched new technology and products in established businesses as well as developed Rx to OTC Switch programs and shaped business development deals. Ilene builds strong innovation pipelines by identifying deep consumer insights, translating them into high scoring market-ready concepts and developing commercially successful new businesses.
Danielle Boucree
Joined Luminations with over 12 years of brand management, marketing strategy and consumer food sales experience. In addition to her experience in traditional brand management, Danielle has extensive sales experience. She has focused on communications and P.R. Danielle was also an entrepreneur for many years. Most recent engagements include a long-term ethnic marketing assignment and initiatives for the United States Postal Service.
Lauren Taveroni
Our digital communications expert has 15 years of experience building and online strategy, metrics dashboards, websites, and programs. She’s a social media coordinator for global brands.
Helene Cotton
Helene has 20+ years as a leader in uncovering consumer insights. As a market researcher she synthesizes and analyzes crucial data and metrics for optimal performance. She is a certified focus group facilitator and has drawn out insights from a wide range of consumers of all ages and professions.
Wendy VanBesien
Has extensive experience as a senior marketer across the consumer and medical device fields. She managed M&M’s digital strategy for its 75th anniversary and helped launch a new confection product into the US market. Wendy’s contagiously positive attitude translates to her coaching work where she motivates and inspires. She is a certified IPEC coach and has mentored at the World Happiness Summit.
Tim Taylor
Experienced healthcare industry Business Development executive with deep global deal expertise in divestiture/ acquisition, technology, and product licensing, co-promote/ distribution, and JV collaborations for consumer healthcare, Rx /OTC pharmaceuticals, and medical device business segments. He has an in-depth understanding of deal negotiations, due diligence/reverse due diligence processes, data collection/organization and control aspects of company data flow in support of Business Development function.
Laran Spencer
With deep and rich experience in facial and body care, Laran has tackled many challenges across a range of companies. She is a well-established claims expert and has launched successful new products at a rapid pace on numerous businesses. She has coordinated a FIFA World Cup Corporate Sponsorship and led ideation for Weight Watchers®. Her background in publishing lends itself to literary and copy writing clientele. Laran’s most recent engagement is focused on digestive health at Pfizer.
Lorel Sanchez
Has both traditional consumer products and technology marketing experience. She has led a number of business development initiatives and new product ventures across wound and skin care. She most recently worked on a complex cross-company trade promotions for key retailers called Healthy Essentials®.
Amy Bellamente
A Brand Strategist who has achieved measurable success in driving brand growth for Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and Over-the-Counter (OTC) healthcare businesses. She has also held a management leadership role at a marketing & design agency, helping to achieve double-digit growth for that business. She brings expertise in New Product Development, Brand Positioning, Package Design and Rx to OTC switches.
Maryann Small
Brings nearly 30 years of creative strategy, design, concepting and campaign experience to clients. Although she has produced quite a bit of award winning work, she is most proud of the results that Agency creative produces for our clients be it “in the green” scoring of new product concepts and advertising, 5-star customer ratings on digital design, and sales increases on promotional programs.
Peter Steed
Has both entrepreneurial and big brand experience which he applies to any challenge. He led brand development and innovation for an early stage men’s grooming company as well as global brand development on Dove® at Unilever. Peter also has finance experience, a scientific degree and was a Captain in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Eva Baker
Has marketing strategy, client leadership and creative experience that clients have benefited from for nearly 20 years. She also has client-side experience in marketing and sales in the contact lens industry. Additionally, she has held roles in creative services and copy development with leading global advertising agencies. This complement of experiences ensures that clients bring a human-centered approach to solving challenges and building businesses.
Steve Aronson
Has more than 20 years of marketing strategy, consulting and leadership experiences working on both the client and agency side. Stephen has led many change management and communication initiatives within the enterprise for Colgate-Palmolive and consumer-directed integrated marketing campaigns for leadership brands as diverse as Tylenol and Anthony & Sylvan Pools. Stephen has degrees from both Brown and Wharton.
Catherine Murphy
Insight-led global marketer and strategist who thrives on identifying the winning intersection between the science, insights and Brand Idea to reimagine and maximize a Brand's full value potential with HealthCare Professionals. Catherine has a passion for solving the tougher challenges to fuel differentiation and for reinventing engagement with digital-1st approaches. She is a highly collaborative and influential global team builder and leader who loves to inspire, empower, and connect diverse teams, markets, and senior stakeholders. Expert at working across functions to align mission and message and to simplify the complex. Equally effective across niche and iconic Brands, Mass, and RX.
Ellen Roggemann
A natural marketer and a stronger brand leader. She has solid instincts about brand building, creative, and is a master at executing the details. Ellen spent 15 years working in house as a senior marketing exec for some of the world’s favorite lifestyle brands. She is a strategist with an operations mindset and has worked with popular brands such as Whole Foods, Spartan, Dunkin’ and MYXfitness.
Lorie Kraynak
A multi-faceted marketer with over 20 years’ experience developing and activating award-winning marketing communications and corporate social responsibility campaigns. With both a corporate and agency background, she understands how to leverage existing assets and direct account and creative teams to create positive business results. Her work on the US Nursing Initiative for Johnson & Johnson helped to create increased Corporate awareness and reputational lift for this important corporate priority. Whether working within a large corporate structure or small business environment she knows how to cultivate cross-functional team integration, manage people and projects and create unique activations that improve engagement.
Melissa Weissman
Marketing strategist who revitalize iconic brands, launch new products and brand extensions, and create compelling narratives that resonate with consumers. She loves exploring target market behaviors and industry trends to derive insights that inform marketing strategies, product design, and consumer outreach.
Sophie Arsenlis
A business and marketing consultant helping companies with marketing, innovation, operations and business planning. Prior to consulting, Sophie worked at the Campbell Soup Company for 14 years where she held marketing, sales and corporate strategy roles across Campbell’s, Prego and V8 brands. While at Campbell’s, her most notable achievement was leading the development and launch of Well Yes!, a new health-oriented soup brand. Sophie started her career at Procter & Gamble working on Cover Girl cosmetics in product development.
Stacy Blatt
Tara Kastury
Versatile marketer who has launched new-to-the-world products, led global brand campaigns and innovation pipelines across retail, wholesale and e-commerce channels to drive measurable business growth. Her experience includes marketing, innovation and communication roles at wide-ranging organizations and brands that have undergone periods of significant change, turnaround and reinvention in the food & beverage, consumer goods, and healthcare industries. She is a collaborative, thoughtful leader who builds high-performing teams and trusted relationships across diverse cultures and levels. Tara attended Boston University.
Ellen Rusnak
A seasoned marketing and innovation leader with a 20+ year track record in spearheading marketing strategies, programs, and initiatives that generate dynamic business results. Her areas of expertise include innovation, new product development and portfolio management, strategic vision and direction, branding, positioning, messaging, business development and organizational and talent development. She has worked extensively in the Consumer Healthcare sector, managing global and domestic brands and innovation portfolios in the pain, upper respiratory and digestive health categories. She completed her degrees at Boston College and New York University.
Kelsey Giolli
As a Marketing Coordinator and 2020 addition to the Luminations team, Kelsey brings her motivation, creativity, and energy to the table. Kelsey is an experienced business specialist, with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies and Mass Media from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and a demonstrated history of working in the event coordinating and marketing promotions spaces, as well as the finance industry. Kelsey is excited to grow with the team, as she carves a path for herself in the marketing and strategy-innovation world.
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