Peter Kim

President and Chief Creative Officer

A copywriter by trade, Peter has created meaningful connections between audiences and brands such as Anheuser-Busch, Altoids, Chrysler, and more. His work has been recognized by many of the industry's most prestigious organizations, including The Webbys, The American Advertising Federation, and The One Show. He also recently received the AAF silver medal for excellence and responsibility in areas of social concern. Peter’s experience and expertise are integral to MKR, as is his ability to lead the team toward the best results possible for our clients.

What is your favorite travel experience?

The one where I don't think about anything other than just living in the moment.

What is your guilty pleasure movie?

Pulp Fiction.

What other fun facts do you want people to know about you?

I once received a death threat from a sitting US Senator. It was during a creative presentation. (Yes, I sold the campaign.)

Tina Bethhauser

Chief Financial Officer

Tina brings nearly three decades of financial expertise and experience to MKR. Having led financial departments at TAI Diagnostics, WLCFS, and Hologic, she provides strategic management in areas ranging from accounting and finance to human resources and employee benefits. By assessing risks and identifying new opportunities, Tina ensures both the success of MKR and our clients. As a board member for the Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative, she works with the Veterans Administration, the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, and other nonprofit organizations to assist at-risk veterans.

What is your favorite travel experience?

Italian Riviera. The views, the food, and the experience!

What’s the hidden gem in your city you want everyone to know about?

Miller Brewery Beer Caves.

What superpower do you wish you had?

Grant wishes. Why not make people happy if you can do so?

Maria J. Guirados

Creative Director

What hobbies do you enjoy?

Metalsmithing for jewelry-making, t-shirt design (for my kids), and crafting.

What is your favorite ad campaign?

Mac vs. PC. This is the first tastefully executed direct-comparison ad campaign I have seen. They created 66 ads under this campaign!

What superpower do you wish you had?

I would love to time travel and relive moments in my life firsthand, and see into the future!

Michael Griffith

Creative Director

What hobbies do you enjoy?

Lifting things up and putting them down. Cooking. Cycling. Gaming.

What is your favorite travel experience?

I once spent a month traveling through Europe. But it was the ten days I spent in Italy. Hiking the coastline. The Renaissance Art. The Tuscan hills. The farmhouse gelato. It was such a dream.

Who is your favorite fictional character?

Batman, of course. Because he's Batman.

Julie Rasmussen

VP Media

What is your favorite travel experience?

I went to London and Barcelona, and then on a Mediterranean cruise. It was my favorite because my adult children were with me.

What is your guilty pleasure movie?

Clueless. Classic feel-good movie. It’s so cute.

Describe your ‘death row meal.’

Lasagna and garlic bread. Why? Because it's the best comfort food ever.

Maggie Branson

Group Account Director

What is your favorite travel experience?

Ireland in 1997. I experienced my first trip out of the country with about 30 family members, including my beloved grandma and grandpa, cousins, aunts, and uncles. We traveled around Ireland and visited our family there.

What’s the hidden gem in your city you want everyone to know about?

The Golden Ace Inn — is one of the oldest family-owned pubs in the United States and the oldest Irish pub in Indianapolis. It was voted a top 10 Saint Patrick's Day party worldwide!

What superpower do you wish you had?

Invisibility, then I could be a fly on the wall and know everything.

Bridgette Wells

Director of Business Administration

What do you like to geek out about?

Sharks, Hawaiian history/culture, studying ancestry, tide pools, Neanderthals

What is your guilty pleasure movie?

Anything from the Fast and Furious franchise.

What’s the hidden gem in your city you want everyone to know about?

It's not really hidden, but Lakeshore State Park is quite a gem. It's a beautiful spot on the lakefront with habitat for so many animals, yet it's right next to downtown. And just north of the city is my favorite spot, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center.

Graham Chaney

Associate Creative Director Copy

What is your favorite travel experience?

During our honeymoon in France, my wife and I had the privilege of dining at Le Cinq, a three-Michelin-star restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris. I doubt I'll ever eat that good again.

Describe your ‘death row meal.’

Hook's Fifteen-Year Cheddar. Caesar salad from Goodkind in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Kebab with Sauce Algérienne and fries from Le Cheese Nan in Grenoble, France. A bottle of Chenin blanc. Lemon Chiffon ice cream from Mitchell's in San Francisco. A glass of sauternes, an espresso, and perhaps a menthol cigarette since I'm going to die anyway.

What’s the hidden gem in your city you want everyone to know about?

Blue Star Café on Farwell. Great East African food. Get the goat platter.

Gretchen Kollman

Office Manager

What hobbies do you enjoy?

I like gardening, playing board games and cards, hiking, seeing live bands, and talking to my two cats.

What do you like to geek out about?

I enjoy gardening and have incorporated flowers and plants that pollinators love in my yard. It's a bonus if they are native, drought-resistant, and don't require division.

What superpower do you wish you had?

Around the office I'm frequently referred to as "Super G." Having the power of flight would be on brand.

Alexa Hornak

Account Director

What hobbies do you enjoy?

I love trying new restaurants, gardening, cooking, spending time outside, decorating my home, and traveling.

What do you like to geek out about?

Reality TV. Anything on Bravo. Real Housewives, specifically.

Describe your ‘death row meal.’

Chips and queso is my go-to meal when I am happy or sad, so why not have them as my last meal?

Eddie Metzger

Director of Data Insights

What do you like to geek out about?

Computer networking. I love learning about how information is processed and communicated worldwide — from fiber internet innovations to the next generation of Wi-Fi. The impact of AI on this and other technologies is also fascinating.

What is your favorite ad campaign?

"Did You Mean MailChimp?" After MailChimp was mispronounced on a famous podcast, Droga5 leaned into our natural curiosity. Creating random campaigns like "KaleLimp," "MailShrimp," or "JailBlimp" generated tons of buzz. Still, when people searched for the topic online, search engines corrected them and directed them to the right place: Did you mean MailChimp?

What’s the hidden gem in your city you want everyone to know about?

Fountain Square Clay Center offers regular pottery classes, including wheel throwing, for all kinds of different levels.

Ryan Kenny

Growth and Innovation Strategist

What hobbies do you enjoy?

I enjoy Dungeons and Dragons, aquarium keeping, and crafting good cocktails.

Describe your ‘death row meal.’

Mac and Cheese. It’s the ultimate comfort food; there's no hidden answer.

If you were a color, what would you be?

PMS 19-4052, Pantone color of the year in 2020.

Claire Shih

Digital Media Specialist

What hobbies do you enjoy?

When I'm not working, I’m either on the tennis court channeling my inner Serena Williams or getting creative with a paintbrush. Tennis and painting keep me busy and inspired!

What is your favorite travel experience?

I love traveling, and my favorite city has to be Amsterdam! The environment is vibrant, the people are friendly, and the food is fantastic. Something about biking along the canals and exploring the city's unique charm keeps me wanting to return.

What brings you joy?

Sunshine and the ocean. There's nothing like the feeling of the sun on my face and the sound of waves crashing — it instantly brings me peace and happiness.

Sam Hanover

Director of Production

Who is your favorite fictional character?

James Bond. I grew up watching all of the James Bond movies, especially the Sean Connery and Roger Moore era.

What is your favorite ad campaign?

At MKR, "This Is May" has been my favorite campaign. It was truly unique how three words could resonate with an entire fan base and city. Those words still live on five years after the original campaign.

What brings you joy?

As a dad of two young children — getting a full night of sleep.

Stephanie Winter

Media Director

What do you like to geek out about?

True crime documentaries, books, and podcasts.

What’s the hidden gem in your city you want everyone to know about?

7 Bridges. It is a beautiful hike along Lake Michigan, and rumor is it is haunted, so don't go at night!

What superpower do you wish you had?

To fly! Then, I could travel anywhere quickly and often.

Leslie Raatz

VP Growth Intelligence and Digital Strategy

What do you like to geek out about?

Antiques. Particularly 1800s Victorian furniture.

Describe your ‘death row meal.’

A cheeseburger and fries. I could eat that every day.

What hobbies do you enjoy?

DIY projects, thrifting/antique shopping, walking my dog, and spending time with family

Matt Mesa

Copywriter

What is your favorite travel experience?

When I went to Italy, an old woman came up to me speaking Italian. When she realized I only spoke English, she said "Ohhhh, American. It's okay, no one's perfect." I think about her a lot.

What is your favorite ad campaign?

"You're Not You When You're Hungry" by Snickers, because I, too, become the best version of myself when handed a sweet treat.

What do you like to geek out about?

Music. I'm always on the hunt for new bops, falling in love with older songs, and putting together playlists.

Lily Michal

Account Director

What is your favorite travel experience?

When I studied abroad in Milan, Italy, I took a sociology class that completely changed the way I travel and visit new places. The professor said if we only take one thing away from her class, she wanted it to be the value of getting lost on purpose.

What is your favorite ad campaign?

Coca-Cola's "Share the Derby" 2013/2014 spin-off of their "Share a Coke" campaign.

What other fun facts do you want people to know about you?

I learned to read and write in Spanish before English, but I am no longer fluent.

Justin Pyles

Senior Designer

What hobbies do you enjoy?

Sports photography, video games with friends, riding my bike, playing with my frenchie.

Who is your favorite fictional character?

Luffy from One Piece. He has infectious optimism and unwavering loyalty to his friends.

What other fun facts do you want people to know about you?

In 2nd grade, I was our class's bubble gum bubble-blowing champion.

Trevor Jarrett

Digital Developer

What hobbies do you enjoy?

Board games and tabletop games. If I'm not working, I'm playing. If I'm not playing, I'm painting game pieces. I also enjoy 3D printing. Mainly 3D printing things to paint, but I also enjoy doing "functional" prints.

What is your favorite travel experience?

Some friends and I went to see a band in Cleveland, Ohio. We decided to kill time at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and ended up running into the band we were there to see. We ended up eating lunch with them and touring a few exhibits.

Who is your favorite fictional character?

Hank Hill from King of the Hill. He is the epitome of being an adult. He also sells propane and propane accessories.

Cole Chafin

Marketing Data Analyst

What is your favorite ad campaign?

The NBA released a block of Christmas commercials in the early 2010s promoting their Christmas Day games as well as the Christmas Jersey's. As an impressionable teen, it was incredible to see the league's biggest stars working together to recreate popular Christmas jingles. The commercials are unique because the jingles were created through noises that you would hear in an actual basketball game; i.e shoes squeaking, the ball going through the net, and the ball bouncing off the hardwood. Through these commercials, I realized my passion was creating these creative campaigns to spotlight incredible brands.

If you were a color, what would you be?

Lavender, the color of Samuel L. Jackson's lightsaber and it goes with my eyes.

What brings you joy?

I consider myself an optimist so I can typically find joy in just about anything! But as someone who loves a shared experience, I can more easily find joy when surrounded with friends and family.

Cami Prather

Account Coordinator

What do you like to geek out about?

Dancing with the Stars - I love the show and keeping up with the pro dancers all year round! I have actually met a few of them in person. I also love musicals - I geek out about the musical scores and actors/actresses (I did theatre in high school)!

Describe your ‘death row meal.’

For my appetizer, I'll start with Harry & Izzy's bread and shrimp cocktail. Then, I'll have a big bowl of spaghetti topped with a crumbly meatball that I can mix in to create a meat sauce (very specific, I know!). For dessert, I'll enjoy a bowl of Graeter's ice cream with one scoop of Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and one scoop of Cookie Dough Chocolate Chip.

If you were a color, what would you be?

Coral – It reminds me of a sunset, which I love. It ties in bright colors while maintaining a sense of peace!

Shelby Zellmer

Social Media Manager

What is your favorite travel experience?

I have quite a few great travel moments, but visiting Hawaii is standing out in my mind. The natural beauty of the islands is incredible. And it's fascinating that almost everything, besides some of the vegetation, was brought there.

What do you like to geek out about?

Recently it has been sourdough. I love how much science goes into how it is created and how small changes can make a big impact.

Who is your favorite fictional character?

Lorelai Gilmore - I have been a huge fan of the series since I was in 4th grade and stumbled upon one of seasons on a DVD set. Lorelai has a great personality, quick wit, funny and independent. She never claims to be perfect and is very relatable.

Bailey Priest

Account Executive

What hobbies do you enjoy?

Working at my yoga studio, spending time outdoors with friends/family, concerts or events around Indy, reading, sports games

What superpower do you wish you had?

I would teleport in a heartbeat. I am always missing my friends that live across the country or getting FOMO from cool concerts/events that are far away and wish I could teleport to make things faster! I am also just generally a busy person so feel like I could be so much more efficient if I could teleport.

What brings you joy?

Decorating my house/porch for the season! I just put pumpkins, mums and Halloween decor out and it brought me so much joy. Same for Christmas and other holidays. I also LOVE decorating for the Indy 500!

Juliana Haskins

Account Executive

What hobbies do you enjoy?

Playing board games, putting together puzzles or DIY book nooks/villages, snowboarding/skateboarding, spending time outdoors in general, watching the latest movies/tv series, kayaking/paddleboarding, trying different boba spots

What is your favorite travel experience?

Visiting Iceland! It was a unreal driving around almost the entire country, experiencing the long daylight hours, trying new foods, tent camping, and enjoying the most remote sights/waterfalls

What is your favorite ad campaign?

Burger King's "Food Coma" campaign from 2019 has always stuck with me for some reason. It features real photos of people sleeping in Burger King locations after eating a meal from their "King's Collection." I've always loved campaigns that are brutally honest and genuine so I love the realism behind this one.