Every person who has been chosen (and chooses) to work at People Who Think is part of a creative family focused on moving consumers to think, act and buy. But more than that, our People Who Think team is strategically crafted to blend varying strengths, personalities, competencies, emotional intelligence and unique points of view. The result is a sustainable team that powers the organization and pushes to excel far beyond what is expected.
Jay Connaughton and his wife Jennifer founded People Who Think with the goal of combining exceptionally high design standards with a deep understanding of the client’s needs. Jay’s wide range of experience in both corporate and political brands across multiple industries gives him a unique perspective on using deep data to address client challenges. Jay is managing partner of People Who Think, an advertising agency with three core divisions: Innovative Advertising, Innovative Politics and Fridge.
Jay served as a Media Advisor to President Donald Trump’s campaign. He is a leading national political ad strategist who has worked on many major campaigns over the last 20 years. His creative strategies have helped shape and win elections for Republican U.S. Senators, Congressmen and elected leaders at all levels of State Government.
Under Jay’s leadership, People Who Think has grown into one of the region’s largest advertising firms and one of the country’s most successful boutique creative political firms. They’ve amassed a record of impressive victories across the Southeastern United States including campaign, caucus and issue advocacy experience, plus six different presidential races, U.S. Senate races and Congressional campaigns.
In addition to winning elections, Jay’s work wins awards too. Over 15 National Pollie Awards, including sweeping direct mail in 2008 winning 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place and Best Viral Video of the Year. His work has scored more than 100 Addy awards, including a National Addy award, two Best of Show Awards, and a People’s Choice Award.
Jay is a native of Louisiana and is a proud LSU alumnus. He and his wife Jennifer have three children. His “no limits” philosophy means unbridled creativity, limitless enthusiasm and infinite possibilities for brand success. Jay loves food, wine and creating great meals – but not doing the dishes.
If Jay Connaughton’s creative energy inspires People Who Think, his wife and partner Jennifer’s financial and operational management skills are the engine that keeps us moving forward. She plays a pivotal role in the company’s ability to grow, thrive and succeed for our clients in the future. On the home-front Jennifer expertly manages two school-age children, a toddler, two cats and an unruly miniature golden-doodle named Mollie.
With more than 20 years of advertising agency experience, Lena has a true passion for the business. In her role as Chief Client Officer, she draws from her experience with clients in many different industry segments, from food and beverage to travel and hospitality to oil and gas, to guide internal teams in the development of marketing strategies based on digging deep to reveal priceless insights. She also provides progressive leadership, cultivating a culture of client-centricity for the Account Leadership team while also working directly with select client accounts. As Media Director, Lena oversees the strategic development of advertising plans based on multi-channel applications designed to maximize audience reach and engagement. Always conscientious of clients’ campaign resources and advertising objectives, Lena consistently optimizes campaigns to achieve favorable performance metrics and strives to secure a positive return on ad spend for all commerce-driven initiatives. Lena’s unwavering curiosity, persistence, and fascination with innovation were sparked when she attended Space Camp as a child.
Gordon Reese leads People Who Think’s political division, Innovative Politics. He is a trusted, behind-the-scenes advisor to leading advocacy groups, donors and politicians at every level of government. His dedication to the political and legislative process led Gordon to Washington, D.C. where he developed winning strategies for candidates, associations and government relations organizations.
After Hurricane Katrina, Gordon took a yearlong sabbatical where he raised over $1.5 million to rebuild homes and small businesses in coastal Louisiana.
Since joining People Who Think in 2007, Gordon has led the Innovative Politics team in an impressive number of victories in races and issue advocacy campaigns across the nation.
Emily’s at the heart of what makes business tick—relationships. Working in partnership with our account leadership team Emily helps clients to gain a clear understanding of their needs and develops strategic and creative solutions. She specializes in the food and beverage industry, working with national brands, top-level franchise restaurants and consumer packaged goods. Emily divides her time between the home office and our location in Nashville, Tennessee. And, it goes without saying: Emily loves to eat.
Jeremy is a creative leader with a passion for problem solving. To him there’s nothing more exciting, challenging and rewarding than coming up with the perfect idea and executing it to meet a client’s needs. Equally at home with graphic design for print and interactive media, Jeremy has received a national ADDY award, two Best of Show ADDY awards and two Best of New Orleans awards. In addition to an eye for design, Jeremy’s ear for music sets the tone for the design department and occasional impromptu office dance parties.
Rick leads the Video Services department, guiding the creative development of all agency digital and broadcast video productions. His vision, execution and leadership play a crucial role in developing ideas that build brands. Rick has developed and expanded the company’s internal video production and post-production capabilities which now average over 130 unique ads, films and digital assets annually. Rick was honored with the Ad Person of the Year Award for Creative Production. Always ahead of the curve, the gift of his grandfather’s 8mm movie camera inspired Rick to enter the industry and produce and sell his first feature film at the Sundance Film Festival before age 21.
As Assistant Creative Director, Beth knows with certainty that words can be shaped to elevate ideas and make brands come alive. For more than a decade she has crafted words and helped create ideas for the People Who Think that win awards, votes, media coverage and, most of all, create results for our clients. Beth began her career on the other side of advertising, as a radio broadcaster. Whether strong or subtle, eloquent or outrageous, Beth finds a way to say what you mean. Beth competed in the Moth Grand Slam Storytelling event, sharing her own true story to a sold-out crowd in New Orleans.
Jamie Miller has enjoyed a more than 20-year career in Florida, working at nearly every level of politics in the state. He previously served as executive director for the Republican Party in Tallahassee. He has managed several statewide campaigns in Florida and has also served as a consultant for campaigns in West Virginia, Mississippi and North Carolina. His deep expertise positions him to lead Innovative Politics in winning victories for candidates, issues and organizations in the Sunshine State.
Anna thrives on creating unique concepts and pixel-perfect designs. She’s a planner, organizer, list maker and problem-solver for clients and co-workers, too. She loves collaborating with the design team to define the visual look and feel of a brand. Away from the office Anna is the mother of twins, owner of pugs and a lover of fairytales.
Holly is the master of getting it done, with a passion for getting it done correctly and on time, too. With a background in printing, design and direct mail, Holly recently trafficked and managed over 271 unique mailers, resulting in five million direct mail pieces, from design to mailbox in just 90 days. Hiding inside the mother of four teenagers is also a head-banging hard rock and metal music fan.
Dave understands that achieving results for our clients in the digital world requires a thoughtful blend of technology, design and strategy. For over five years, Dave has helped People Who Think craft digital solutions to complex problems that drive business growth. With a minor in Video Game Development, Dave is a self-professed geek who loves creating solutions for clients while striving to accomplish them in a way that is both unique and accessible.
Steve loves turning ideas into products and elegant, scalable solutions. Steve’s work sets our sites and apps apart from those that simply look good. Research and strategic planning ensures that what we build is carefully crafted to succeed. Outside the virtual world, Steve enjoys crafting things out of wood and is a fan of all sports teams based in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Kaitlyn has a knack for the details that matter. She’s known for being an effective communicator and building strong relationships with her clients. Hailing from Ohio, Kaitlyn brings a broad mix of global and domestic marketing, project coordination, and logistics experience to the team. She has a soft spot for well-crafted puns and roller skates.
As a specialist in public image and communications management, Kayla is responsible for executing communication strategies that promote our client’s brands and reputations. Kayla brings a strong foundation in broadcast journalism and healthcare marketing and public relations to her role at People Who Think.
Matt knows that a good art director is open to the influence, inspiration and the experience of the team, while maintaining a clear vision of delivering a message that speaks directly to the brand. An illustrator at heart and a designer by trade, Matt is always open to finding new ways to create. He loves working with his hands to make works of art in wood.
A hurricane set Chris’ career in motion. While displaced to California by hurricane Katrina, Chris took a video production class in 8th grade and has been making movies ever since. He loves the process of visually telling a stories for our clients. When not in front of a monitor, Chris enjoys the Sportsman’s Paradise of Louisiana.
As a member of the design team, Sydney works to develop creative solutions that meet client needs and objectives. Sydney is a graduate of the University of Louisiana, Lafayette with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Graphic Design. Sydney is passionate about art that is not only visually appealing but also purposeful.
Victor was born in Caracas, Venezuela and is fluent in both Spanish and English. He graduated with honors from Southeastern Louisiana University with a dual degree in Graphic Design and Applied Computer Science. Victor enjoys incorporating hand-lettering and illustration in his designs.
As an editor and Motion Graphics Artist Kelvin brings years of experience to the team. He prides himself on his talent for storytelling and attention to detail. He’s helped create content for brands like Alibaba, JCPenney, Coca-Cola and the New York Times.
Bridging the gap between technical details and the creative process is Laura’s specialty. She brings both agency and freelance experience to the team and loves being part of a strong, collaborative design effort. Laura was an all-state musician in high school and enjoys watching her daughter’s musical talent develop.
Jennifer manages accounts payable and receivable for PWT while ensuring that detailed and precise records of projects are maintained for agency clients. With a medical billing background and a passion for problem-solving, Jamie is a valuable resource for the PWT team.
Jamie supports the PWT team by managing accounts payable and receivable and making sure that we maintain detailed and accurate records for our clients. Jamie brings an accounting background in the food and beverage industry and a life-long love of numbers and problem-solving to PWT.
Missy specializes in solving problems and getting things done for the People Who Think. With a background in political science and journalism, Missy’s attention to detail has served her well working in campaign finance on both the federal and state levels and within the campaigns of statewide elected officials.
Shane is a key member of the People Who Think team, creating content, coordinating the flow of information between various teams within the agency, conducting research and providing project support to clients. Shane was a Congressional Intern in the U.S. Senate and is a Marine Corps veteran.
Paul is a part-time employee in the video department while he completes his degree in Communications at Southeastern Louisiana University. He has always been passionate about storytelling and video and will graduate in the Spring of 2024. Paul has worked as an Assistant Editor on projects for Start and NetGear.