Agents

Alejandro Rodriguez
Founder

Alex has worked in consumer research, brand strategy and innovation for two decades. He started Agent A in 2010 spurred by his curiosity about human nature, culture and the narratives that move us. Since then, Agent A has successfully worked with clients globally including Pepsico, Avon, Coty, Etsy, Chobani, Diageo and Remy Cointreau. Aside from brand building, he writes and directs short films and is often lucky to showcase them at festivals around the world.

Edgar Ochoa
Account Director

Edgar began his career in New York at creative agencies on the account management side of the business, working with clients like Frito Lay, Citibank and Royal Caribbean. He transitioned into media where he developed and executing sponsored creative and marketing campaigns for brands across social, digital and traditional linear television. Most recently, he managed the Network Partnerships team for two of NBCUniversal’s Cable Entertainment networks where he worked closely with brands across categories on content integration, creative, and digital and social content strategies.

Marianne Velonis
Insights & Strategy

Marianne spent her career on both the ad agency side as an account planner (Goodby Silverstein & Partners, DDB, JWT) and the brand side as an in-house innovation and trends consultant (Kraft Foods). With a background in strategy, trend activation and innovation, the bulk of her experience has been with clients including Nestle, Kraft, Frito-Lay, Dreyer’s, Haagen-Dazs, Diageo, McDonald’s, BeamSuntory, Last Call Operating Co and The Melt.

Dan Chodrow
Creative Director

An award-winning creative director and writer who specializes in new brand and new business development. He’s spent the last 25 years working at large and small ad agencies, design shops, startups and kitchen tables. Dan has built big brand ideas for everything from distilled spirits and mobile phones to financial services and diapers. His career has taken him from Boston to Buenos Aires to Beirut, but he calls Chicago home, where he lives with his wife and two unfairly beautiful daughters. Ask to see pictures.

Jonathan Meitus
Creative Director

A hands-on creative leader who has spent his career working for some pretty damn insightful clients; for some ridiculously smart agencies; and with some of the most talented creatives in the business. His work has been humbly recognized and awarded by the ADDYs, the Effies, the Reggies, the Webbys, AdAge, Adweek, Communication Arts, Creativity, HOW, ID, PDN, Print and Publish and as a result believes that the best work takes blood, sweat and (sometimes) tears.

Alexis Kay
Creative Director

Alexis is a writer and creative director who’s worked at IDEO, method, Apple, and most recently Hulu. She’s spent her career helping brands find their voice and find unique ways to tell their stories. Along the way, she’s launched iPhones and iPads, written brand books, websites, and scripts, made many short films and many friends. Very few enemies. 

Ted Calhoun
Project Management

Ted has over 25 years of market research experience under his belt – this includes all facets of project management including questionnaire design, sample plan development, fielding logistics, budget management and data processing management. His most recent post was at The Futures Company in Chapel Hill, NC.

Mafe Estevez-Breton
Multi Cultural Insights

Mafe is a seasoned multicultural strategist and consumer researcher with more than 10 year of experience across categories. For the past decade Mafe has developed integrated strategies for the Hispanic market across a wide array of categories including packaged goods, healthcare, government, and spirits. She started at Y&R working on Nabisco Brands and OTC Wyeth Brands such as Advil and Chapstick. She later joined McCann/Casanova were she helped brands such as Nestle Waters, USPS and Microsoft grow by connecting them with Hispanic consumers in more culturally relevant ways.