Our Team

Formed by a team of seasoned, client-side and agency professionals with significant experience in new product launches, market communications, social branding, integrated communications planning, digital PR/ investor relations, and corporate development, we understand how to drive programs to a business conclusion. (Yeah – we know – these are long bio’s. But hey – our depth of experience is a big part of why we know how to do pull off this stuff.)

Judy Shapiro, CEO and Founder

Judy Shapiro's career has always been characterized by her relentless pursuit of creating marketing momentum. In her early work as a VP at NWAyer Advertising, she took on integrating direct response with in-store promotions, not a typical practice in its day. Or when at AT&T, she was brought on to jump start their consumer products division launching many new AT&T technologies. She was tapped to lead the prestigious Lucent Technologies brand launch as Corporate Brand Director, where she literally rewrote the corporate branding book, winning coveted APQC and AMA awards branding awards.

Judy continued to bring new thinking to every subsequent role; at CA, she created from the ground up their lead generation and management system to unify direct marketing, she became the lead marketing expert for Bell Labs New Ventures Group helping launch 8 ventures. Her most recent work at Paltalk and Comodo, let her turn her attention on creating new ways to leverage integrated content, community, creative passion and communications to generate business results.

With her unique perspective that combines technological marketing depth, branding expertise and operational practically, she is regular contributor to Ad Age, Huffington Post, CNN, USAToday, Social Media Today and Crain’s. Judy also offers an SME (Subject Matter Expert) voice at leading marketing conference such as ad:tech, DigitalHollywood and IgniteNYC. Finally, Judy loves to mentor technology startups (a throw back to her Bell Labs days) and as a graduate of City University of NY, she is a die-hard New Yorker living in Manhattan (just ask her where the best place is to get Pizza or bagels—you won’t be sorry).

Louis Libin, CTO

Louis Libin comes to engageSimply with one of the broadest set of competencies in large scale entertainment content delivery solutions. His decades of experience have allowed Louis to delve deeply into the business model of content production encompassing technological distribution of assets to the “three screens” - TV, PC and mobile. Most recently, Louis is architecting engageSimply’s “six screen” strategy (as outlined in this Ad Age article: Time to get ready for six screens") constantly pushing the envelope in leveraging wireless technology as it intersects with content and media distribution management (he is a patent holder on 3 mobile video devices concepts).

Louis started his career in wireless while at L3 developing radar warning systems using digital and RF systems. This experience led Louis into his focused passion of mobile technologies and information distribution eventually rising to CTO for NBC. During his tenure there, Louis was responsible for leading NBC’s entry into satellite, wireless & HDTV. Louis’ subsequent roles, including CompuDawn which delivered mission critical mobile audio/video dispatch systems (acquired by Turner) and OnSat Network, a novel private satellite/internet company, expanded Louis’ expertise into managing the complexities of mobile distribution systems. With Louis’ depth in all things mobile, he is a recognized expert for many leading media and entertainment companies including ABC, NBC, CBS, HBO, Turner Music, BBC, ESPN, CNN and AOL. Louis also played a key role in the management and distribution of many leading sports and entertainment properties such as; Olympics (Seoul 1988, Sydney 2000, Atlanta 1996, Salt Lake City 2002, and Vancouver 2010), NFL, MLB, US Open, Goodwill Games, Antarctica 2009, Planet Earth (Episode: Ice Worlds), Big Brother and numerous live events such as Garth Brooks (HBO), Bob Dylan, Crosby Stills and Nash, The Dave Matthews Band (AOL). Louis also managed the content distribution for 12 U.S. Political Conventions, and 5 Presidential Inaugurations, as the Political Conventions Communications Committee Chair.

Louis’ professional and organizational credentials include: NAB - National Assoc of Broadcasters; SMPTE - Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineer; SBE - Society of Broadcast Engineer, among others. He is a sought after expert often tapped by government agencies, (e.g. US State Department, NASA, UN) for his perspective on wireless and interactive data systems. Louis was trained at MIT in Optical Electronics and High Speed Videography and Pratt Institute in Electrical Engineering. Louis devotes a significant amount of his time in bringing communications technologies to under-developed communities for UNESCO and rural communities in Honduras, El Salvador & Nicaragua. Louis resides on Long Island (NY) with his wife and children.

Gay Walley, Head of Creative Services

As the content creative lead for engageSimply, Gay brings wealth of perspective reflecting her 20+ years of experience that spans media, marketing and strategy. As an award winning marketer and publisher, she drills down into the heart of the message to ensure it communicates relevancy directly and simply. Her years at Saatchi and Saatchi, Ogilvy Direct and Lintas Advertising working on such premier advertisers as IBM, Glenlivit, AT&T, American Express, Xerox and Avon, honed her ability to push until she hits on that core, compelling nugget that makes marketing sing.

Ms. Walley’s experience also included working at many leading companies including DuPont, Computer Associates, Lotus Development Corp, Filenet and Fidelity. At these companies, Gay was able to lift the communications to new levels of responsiveness and performance resulting in award winning campaigns recognized by the DMA and PromotionWorld.

Ms. Walley attended Harvard University and The New School University in New York, New York. She is also a renowned author with published articles in Trillion Investment Magazine, Fidelity Investment Magazine, and many other corporate magazines. Ms. Walley acclaimed novel, STRINGS ATTACHED, was a finalist for The Pirate's Alley/Faulkner Award and the Capricorn Award and she released a new book in June 2007, called THE EROTIC FIRE OF THE UNATTAINABLE.

Jerry Cahn, Managing Director

Jerry Cahn, Ph.D., J.D., is a business strategist who, uniquely, is trained as a psychologist and attorney, with an expertise in marketing, sales and management systems, leader development and negotiation skills.

A maverick in business planning, Jerry took over a near bankrupt public health-care company and turned it around with the stock increasing 10-fold in 18 months. Then, he saw a need to provide advanced communications graphics support for clients, so he co-founded Brilliant Image, a leading computer graphics firm building it so that it supported over 5000 companies.

Jerry, as an industry thought leader, has served as president of the International Association of Presentation Professionals (IAPP), devotes his time to teaching at CUNY, (he teaches Business Strategy, Leadership Skills and Entrepreneurial Communications) and is chair to Vistage New York, a peer advisory BrainTrust.

David Hoffman, Chief Video Strategist and Storyteller

David's career spans four decades as a film producer and corporate strategic communicator. He cut his eyeteeth working directly with senior management developing advertising and marketing campaigns under the tutelage of the famous communications guru Herb Schmertz at Mobil. He then went on to work with senior management on similar projects for United Technologies, AT&T, Sony, and Aetna, among other corporate giants. David worked directly with media man Tony Schwartz who created Guerrilla Media on political campaigns, corporate branding, positioning, key messaging, and design.

In 1992, AT&T sent David to the West Coast to launch its "start ups," the first one being the now infamous General Magic. It was there that David focused on using video as the cornerstone of his marketing philosophy to create engagement between companies and their audiences. He created stories for companies and key executives that launched products and services for more than 30 startups.

David is recognized as an expert by Amazon.com's, Google (pre YouTube purchase) and today is a leading consultant to YouTube, General Electric and Verizon Wireless (creating a new engagement model using the YouTube channel and user generated videos).

A library of David’s latest work

Joy E. DiBenedetto, Managing Director & CEO of HUM News

As a 20 year news veteran, Joy is an award winning journalist with 10+ years at CNN and Turner Broadcasting where she had a variety of duties; handling M&A research; Global VP domestic and international booking, production, journalism assignments. Her responsibilities included managing a worldwide staff, strategy, hiring, budgeting; editorial direction for 10 years.

Previously a CARE NGO press officer, NYC senior citizen caseworker, travel agent, bookseller; she has spoken at the United Nations and is a proud Marshall fellow, who involves herself with passion causes from getting plastic out of our lives (Greenplate); to the Fugees Family; to disaster preparedness. For ten years she sat on the board of the Atlanta Press Club. DiBenedetto is a world trekker who often roller skates and bicycles to work, and who has survived Dengue Fever.

Dag Holmboe, Head of Analytics and Measurement

Dag Holmboe adds his expertise in the area of social media analytics where, as CEO of Klurig Analytics, he created a set of tools and methodologies to measure and optimize integrated social and digital media activities. Fundamental to his approach is the creation of a Social and digital Media ROI application that helps media marketers to estimate, model and optimize their marketing campaigns. The ROI application is based on 18 return channels that in aggregate form becomes the total social and digital media return as measured in dollars.

Dag began his career as a software developer for various companies building hospitality systems, financial research data, biotech and consumer goods products on UNIX, Linux, and Windows using C, C++ and Java. He then became VP of Technical Services managing the commercial delivery of a VPN management product advancing to SVP of Commercial Operations managing all post-sales functions including delivery and configuration of secure VoIP to business and residential customers via direct and reseller channels. His scope continued to expand to encompass roles as COO, head of R&D and Operations working at Nuovomedia, an online media company.

Dag enjoys the spirit of competition and has won two US nationals in sailing boat racing and one Swedish national in one of the Frisbee competitions.

Lester G. Spellman, Head of Network and Sales Operations

As a seasoned sales, marketing and operations executive, Lester Spellman has created and managed projects for a wide range of entertainment, media distribution, web based, technology, retail and professional service enterprises. Mr. Spellman, a graduate of Columbia University Graduate School of Business (and recipient of a CBS, Inc. Scholarship with an MBA in marketing), he has established a record of performance producing, marketing at leading entertainment and media companies including CBS Television Network, Columbia Records, CBS Radio, Reeves Communications, Telecommunications, Inc, Lenfest Corporation, Varied Directions Films, and other retail, web-based and technology product and service firms.

Lester’s background includes managing $30 million+ in entertainment and media programs for various cable companies where he built sales teams and increased revenues 18-20% annually. He also maintained responsibilities for production of local news, sports and entertainment programs.

Mr. Spellman’s other interests include the introduction of HANDTRUX® Toys, an American-based toy company and he develops entertainment properties for sports and media companies.

Stephanie Pische, Director, New Media Strategies

Over 20 years sales and marketing experience in start-up technology in traditional and new media, CPG and Fortune 500 clients including most recently social TV, new media and mobile marketing. After spending several years in the newspaper industry, she spent eight years working in Silicon Valley with several start-up technology companies, leading teams to develop retail and network infrastructure technology (SaaS) platforms while building brand experiences that provided quantifiable results to the bottom line. She has led over 35 product launches including new media and mobile products with various world-wide responsibility for sales, marketing and support.

On the Internet since 1994, she has adapted new tools and technologies to stay on Internet time including creating communities and building connections with traditional, new media, mobile and social media tools such as Twitter, and widgets. Has received the Presidents Club award for sales, Under the Radar Audience Choice Award, Top 50 Tweeples 2009, Mom's Choice Award 2009, founder/president of a NY NAFE chapter, founder/president itSMF Portland chapter, past industry speaker: WITI, Silicon Valley Marketing Group, Int'l Newspaper conferences, as well as contributor to MediaPost online and other industry related publications.

Ben Heller, Chief Technology Strategist

A graduate of Phillips Academy Andover and Columbia University, Ben leapt into the water of entrepreneurship while still a growing student. Years later, he now runs Spruce Solutions LLC, a boutique web development and IT consulting firm, specializing in cultivating digital brand identities. His team at Spruce works on creative and enterprise level projects with clients ranging from individuals and small business to global corporations. Together they work to design, establish, and grow each client's presence on the web. He recently co-founded Cureatr Inc., a technology startup in the healthcare sector, providing physician-ready solutions for HIPPA certified mobile group messaging. With expertise in frontend design, backend coding, iOS development, and SEO, Ben's solid experience and abundant enthusiasm make him well equipped to drive technological innovation at engageSimply.

Board of Partners

Greg Swanson, CEO of Itz Publishing

A 30-year veteran of the publishing industry, Mr. Swanson is a principal of ITZ Publishing, an online consulting company providing sales training and web design services to major media companies to help them drive revenue. ITZ Publishing, based in Portland, Ore., provides a leading voice nationwide in Internet revenue development for media companies.

Prior to starting ITZ, Greg spent seven years as director of interactive media sales for Lee Enterprises, and added the role of CEO of Wired Partners (a division of Lee enterprises) during his last two years at Lee. His primary contribution to Lee's online effort was in the area of coaching print sales people how to cross-sell online advertising. ITZ focuses on benchmarking studies and programs to help publishers maximize online revenue opportunities.

Frank Graziano, Managing Partner of Monmouth Venture Partners

Frank Graziano brings a unique blend of financial, operating and strategic transaction experience reflecting a wide range of sectors. Frank held senior leadership roles at Easylink, Nikko Securities and Comodo in addition to his 10+ years experience within the VC sector. He has spent over 20 years as a business owner, investment and merchant banker, completing numerous mergers, acquisitions and debt and equity financings as both a principal and agent. Frank's specialty is a proven ability to launch and ramp new products to create entirely new lines of business, or to revitalize existing operations.

Matt Goddard, Founder and CEO of R2i

Matt Goddard leads R2i's strategic direction while providing valuable support to client digital marketing projects. Prior to his work with R2i, Matt was co-founder of Impreza, a leading digital marketing and technology firm. After the acquisition of Impreza by Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI), Matt began Round 2 Communications (R2).

Building on his expertise with traditional creative services, brand strategy, and online communications, R2i was created to incorporate next-generation Web 2.0 methods and technologies to engage an increasingly media-dispersed population. Matt is also responsible for R2i ventures, a division of R2i that makes equity investments in start-up companies launching unique and innovative technologies.