OurTeam

With 15 years of experience in the world of national event and magazine media, James is a whiz at networking, partnership development, and operations and logistics. Among his greatest hits: creating the multimillion-dollar event series, Mother Earth News Fairs; partnering with UC Berkeley to host a beneficial business gala with speakers including Deval Patrick, former governor of Massachusetts, and Jostein Solheim, CEO of Ben & Jerry’s; and helping produce large-scale music events.

What do you enjoy about your job?

I absolutely love that I get to work on projects that truly make the world a better place.

What is your favorite quote?

“There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened.” 

–Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams

Bark Media co-founder Jessica Kellner uses her decades of experience in brand strategy, communications, and audience building to create holistic content marketing plans for nonprofits and impact-driven companies. Jessica specializes in strategy development, brand and voice development and alignment, content creation and editing, multi-channel campaign development, and project flow and management. With a background in national media, Jessica is skilled at creating compelling content designed to build audience affinity and engagement.

What's your favorite type of project to work on and why?

I love exploring what drives people’s passions, then telling compelling stories to connect our clients’ work with those passions. I enjoy distilling seemingly disparate messages and needs into an overarching strategy that speaks to the audience and connects the work our clients do with the things their audience cares about. My goal is to use my experience and expertise in communications to uplift the people and organizations working to create a better world.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work?

Spending time with my family, friends, and dog; yoga and fitness; food and wine; reading great fiction; art, travel, and culture; new people and new experiences; sunshine and swimming pools.

Jennifer spent a decade leading the editorial processes for national magazines. She was managing editor of Mother Earth News magazine, helping take the 30-year-old brand to record levels of print and digital readership. She was tapped to execute the editorial vision for a small media startup about conscientious businesses founded in conjunction with the nonprofit B Lab, and has since lent her skills to multiple mission-driven clients. While at Bark, she has worked on large campaigns, from development to execution, for impact investing firms and events, regenerative agriculture and climate change nonprofits, and movements for economic reform.

What's your favorite type of project to work on and why?

The content and creative process is all exciting to me, but I most enjoy taking a set of goals and ideas and turning it into an organized set of deliverables and processes to achieve the desired outcomes. Mission- and goal-aligned project management is where I thrive.

What is your favorite quote?

A poem, not a quote 🙂 

The Peace of Wild Things

When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought of grief.
I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light.
For a time I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.

— Wendell Berry

Lindsey came to Bark with extensive experience in helping national brands and publications hone their voices and grow their digital audiences. Since Bark’s early days, Lindsey has used her passions for data and tech to hone the SEO strategies and website experiences of numerous organizations. Through her technical assessments and creative initiatives, Lindsey has helped her clients sell out events, rapidly grow their email audiences, substantially increase their web traffic, and engage their communities on a deeper, more human level.

What's your favorite type of project to work on?

While I love the technical stuff, my favorite projects have been those that allow me to harness my creativity while diving deep into a specific topic — think topical, targeted email series, and storytelling downloadables. The opportunity to be clever and a little bit edgy makes me excited, and I also, of course, love tracking the data tied to these projects.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Japanese pan noodles with extra veggies and tofu, an on-the-rocks margarita with no salt, a glass of water (no ice), and a slice of cold, double-crust apple pie. The details are really important on this one.

Born and raised near the Great Lakes, Apolonia is now fully rooted in the prairies of Kansas, where she earned degrees at KU in Ecology and Environmental Studies. Apolonia has worked and volunteered for myriad nonprofits advancing environmental education, land conservation, and food sovereignty. She serves on the founding board of directors of Native Lands Restoration Collaborative.

What do you enjoy about your job?

The opportunity to curate hope and drive action for system-level change.

What is your favorite quote?

You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. … With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy. – Max Ehrmann, “Desiderata”

Emily’s educational background is in journalism and women, gender, and sexuality studies — she has bachelor’s degrees in both of these fields from the University of Kansas. At Bark, Emily takes lead on social media strategy and also writes articles and builds email campaigns. Recently, she earned a Social Media Marketing certificate from eCornell.

What do you enjoy about your job?

My favorite aspect of my job is working with purpose-driven organizations that are doing good in the world.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work?

When I’m not at work, I enjoy relaxing with an oat latte, traveling, and spending quality time with my cat, Lola.

Susie has more than 30 years of experience in communications, primarily as an editor for national and regional magazines, online news sites, and newspapers. At Bark Media, she creates articles, emails, and other content to help clients spread the word and build their positive impact. Her previous roles focused on health and environmental policy and included social media, public relations, and event coordination.

What do you enjoy about your job?

The best part of my job is talking with people and creating stories that share how they are building positive social and environmental impact — every day, through their large and small projects, products, and programs.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work?

Going for a morning run or walk (followed by coffee, of course!), cheering on our Jayhawks/Royals/Chiefs (depending on season), and drinking a beer with friends at a local brewery. Sometimes I can do a couple of these at the same time!

Kristen Miles joins Bark Media after more than 16 years as an arts administrator based in New York City. During her tenure as Director of Marketing and Communications at Baryshnikov Arts Center, she spearheaded marketing, branding, and public relations efforts across multiple media, and was involved in key aspects of the organization’s strategic planning and development. She holds a master’s degree in performing arts management, and has served on advisory boards and worked as a consultant to artists.

What do you enjoy about your job?

I love working with people who have a bold vision and are passionate about building movements that benefit communities.

What is your favorite quote?

“You can say no and that ends it. If you say yes, we may learn something.” 

— Merce Cunningham

Kelli is a Lawrence-based UX Designer with several years of experience in graphic design. Passionate about creating impactful digital experiences, she utilizes her strong foundation in user research, interaction design, and visual design to deliver innovative solutions that meet the needs of diverse audiences. Kelli has worked with businesses of all sizes, from large corporations in the healthcare, fashion, and food industries, to small local businesses on a mission for growth.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work?

I find joy in family time, early morning walks, sunshine, meditation at the local Zen Center, and culinary adventures.

MJ Ruff is a citizen of the Oglala Lakota tribal nation from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. MJ has worked as a poet, community organizer, and librarian and was an Indigenous Studies major at Haskell Indian Nations University.

What do you enjoy about your job?

I enjoy storytelling, so it’s always interesting when I get to engage my experience as a writer and a poet in helping a client tell their story.

What are your top 3 favorite films?

Yi Yi (Dir. Edward Yang), Aparajito (Dir. Satyajit Ray), If Beale Street Could Talk (Dir. Barry Jenkins)

An East Coast native, Jenny joined Bark Media after more than a decade in New York City where she managed advertising campaigns for Hearst Magazines Digital Media. She is well versed in project management, client relations, and all things content — from branded content creation to custom photo and video production to social media. Throughout her career, Jenny’s focus has been helping clients identify creative, data-driven opportunities to drive brand awareness and generate growth.

What do you enjoy about your job?

The creativity, the collaboration, and the purpose.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Muffuletta from Central Grocery in New Orleans.

After receiving her Journalism and Mass Communications degree, Rochelle spent nine years in newspaper writing. She’s covered many aspects of the news, from features to local government. She’s now turned her sharp eye for compelling stories and clear writing to helping beneficial businesses spread the news about what they’re doing.

What do you enjoy about your job?

I enjoy the various components of the writing process — researching and/or interviewing, writing and editing — and get a lot of satisfaction from seeing everything come together in a piece that reads well.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not at work?

Spending time with family, hanging out with friends and reading. I particularly enjoy reading short stories and creative nonfiction.