Meet Our Team
“They move fast, they go the extra mile, they’re proactive, responsive, and most importantly, they know their stuff.”
- Justin Epstein, Startup Advisor and former Marketing Principal at Databricks and Prophecy
A 17-year digital marketing veteran and founder of Blackbird, Jay originally started working in digital advertising in 2007. Jay has managed media across multiple disciplines including paid search, paid social, and programmatic display. He has spoken at SMX search conferences on the topics of bidding methodology, advanced remarketing strategies, and comparative shopping. Additionally, Jay has been a guest lecturer at Wharton’s Venture Initiation MBA program on digital marketing best practices for early-stage startups. He was one of three national winners of iMedia’s Rising Star Award, nominated for his “demonstrated track record of defining, recommending, selling through, and delivering transformative marketing programs that drive extraordinary results.”
Jack has been running enterprise-scale accounts since the start of his digital marketing career, and has been with Blackbird since 2017. Jack specializes in B2B businesses, and focuses on providing the best possible client service across the board. Jack graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in History with a special focus on the Pacifist movement in the early 20th century. Prior to his entry into digital marketing, he worked in software sales. In his free time, Jack likes to swim, read, and cook.
Ben joins Blackbird PPC as VP of Analytics after successfully managing Adobe's Product Analytics group in the Adobe Advertising Cloud. Ben is a seasoned digital marketing strategist with experience in Europe and the US, and was listed as one of the best eCommerce PPC Experts by PPC Hero in 2014. Ben has spoken multiple times at SMX and Adobe Summit on the topics of bidding, and artificial intelligence in advertising. He provides data-driven and actionable insights on strategies to optimize search, social, and display initiatives.
Thomas joins Blackbird PPC having been involved with a few Bay Area startups that provide digital marketing software solutions and services. Thomas has experience working with companies of all sizes and helping them with their strategies for conversion rate optimization, SEM, social, and mobile marketing. Thomas graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in Marketing, and in his free time likes to travel, eat, continue to learn how to cook, and cheer on the SF Giants and 49ers.
Flynn O’Brien has been a part of the Blackbird family for over 5 years. Bringing his background in art & design to the world of digital marketing, he merges his creative and analytic mindset to thoughtfully nurture growth with his clients and team. When he’s not in the office, Flynn can be found swimming and hiking around Sonoma county with his two kids.
Sandy joined Blackbird after graduating from UCLA a year early with a degree in Economics. She is interested in the economics and psychology behind consumer behavior, and how we can use data to understand those patterns and decisions. After experiencing the organic side of marketing, Sandy is excited to continue her marketing career in paid media at Blackbird. During her free time, Sandy loves to cook new recipes, go to the gym, or find new trails to hike.
Ethan joins Blackbird with a degree in Economics from the University of California, San Diego and has a wide background in analytics and econometrics. He enjoys using his skills and investigative personality to uncover the story behind the numbers. Ethan is a huge Chicago Bears fan and enjoys reading about economics, playing guitar, and working out.
Bayani is a multifaceted professional with a strong foundation in cognitive science and computational modeling, graduating from UC Berkeley. With a background in finance and analytics, he seamlessly bridges the gap between data-driven insights and innovative digital marketing strategies. Embarking on his second stint with Blackbird, Bayani brings a wealth of experience and a unique perspective to the team. Beyond his work, he's an avid water polo player and a patient parent of four.
Macy is a UC Berkeley alumna with a degree in Media Studies and minor in Political Economy. With experience in campaign management, content production, and data-driven analysis, Macy excels in crafting compelling narratives and strategies that engage audiences and deliver measurable results. Outside her professional pursuits, Macy enjoys baking, traveling, and playing Pickleball with friends.
Rishita graduated from UC Davis with a major in Managerial Economics and minors in Communications and Accounting. With strong experience in organic and strategic marketing, she values creativity and a data-driven approach. When she’s not working, Rishita spends her free time hiking in the Bay Area, sketching, or reading.
Rachel graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Economics. Her professional journey has been dedicated to the dynamic intersection of marketing and media, where she excels in crafting impactful social media campaigns, creating engaging content, and conducting precise market research analysis. Outside of her professional pursuits, Rachel’s interests include video production, culinary exploration, and a passion for traveling.
Brendan joins Blackbird with a marketing degree from Santa Clara University. Brendan combines his skills in content production and web design to create compelling content and perform in-depth data analysis. With a strong background in paid media, he has successfully managed and optimized campaigns across various digital platforms. When Brendan’s not working he enjoys traveling, reading fantasy books, and is a huge Arsenal supporter.
Allison graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in Experience Industry Management and a minor in Media Arts, Society, and Technology. Her expertise in the intersection between media and society allows her to create effective campaigns and engaging content while combining creativity with a data-driven approach to conduct detailed market research. In her free time, Allison enjoys painting, playing tennis, and going hiking.
Hillary Read is a branding, marketing, and content expert with more than a decade of experience in the agency world. She founded 3Q Digital's in-house marketing team in 2011 and helped grow the agency from 30 to 300 in her 9+ years there; she has also held consulting roles at a number of startups and SMBs, helping companies develop authentic brand identities to stand out from their competition. Hillary has a B.A. from Harvard.
