The US Agency Awards are judged by an esteemed panel of experts working brand side.
The judging is a rigorous two-step process that involves pre-scoring to determine the shortlist and a judge panel session that will establish an overall winner and in some cases a silver award.
Alan Preece | Senior Consultant in Education and Recruitment |
Alan Preece, MSc (Psych), MCIPR, is a consultant in operational management, marketing and student recruitment who has over thirty years’ experience as a Group board director, CEO, COO and Global Marketing Director in international education. He has run university partnerships, international pathways, K-12 operations and language schools as well as leading international marketing and student recruitment at two global top 200 universities. During his early career in the retailing and utility sectors he devised award winning programs of communication and led advocacy campaigns resulting in changes to legislation. He was a founder member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Education and Skills Group, was rated one of 2023’s top 50 “voices” in North America by The PIE magazine, and authors an education blog at viewfromabridge.org.
Ash Nallawalla | SEO Consultant and Author |
Ash Nallawalla is an Australian SEO consultant and the author of three SEO books (the first, "Accidental SEO Manager," is in its Second Edition). He has worked for major household brands and multinational, multilingual websites. He specialised in Finance, ecommerce, banking, and High-tech industries. He is a regular conference speaker and podcast guest. He is the Local Search forum moderator on Webmasterworld. His consulting firm is CRM911 Digital.
Bill Hartzer | SEO Consultant |
Bill Hartzer is an independent SEO Consultant. He relies on his 20 years of direct SEO experience to provide technical SEO audits of websites, as well as technical link audits and link cleanups of websites. Mr. Hartzer is known worldwide for his research on the topic of search engine optimization and the New gTLD domain names, as well as Dot Brand domain names. He provides research and marketing of white papers and case studies related to the New gTLDs, as well as consulting related to domain migrations.
Chris Lehault | Consumer Engagement Manager | Campbell's
Chris Lehault is a hybrid creative/marketing leader who believes that brands succeed when both work together. Currently, he is the VP of Marketing at Other Half Brewing, where he oversees the marketing function, in-house design studio, and the brand's direct-to-consumer eCommerce platform. His previous roles include serving as the Global Director of Brand Experience at ZX Ventures, the accelerator arm of Anheuser Busch InBev, as well as stints as a creative director at FCB, Sapient Razorfish, and Wunderman. Off the clock, he enjoys doing the most suburban of things with his wife and two kids across the river in New Jersey.
David Yehaskel | Seasoned SEO Consultant & AI Content Strategist |
David Yehaskel, an SEO pioneer since 1997, has served as an in-house specialist, agency leader, and independent consultant, impacting major brands like Dell Technologies, Halliburton, and Yamaha. His innovations at Demand Media, where he was crucial to their 2011 IPO, led to multiple patents in automated content generation and keyword analysis (and Google's Panda algorithm). David's expertise spans traditional SEO, SEO-driven product development, and AI-powered content strategies, consistently driving significant traffic growth for websites with millions of pages. He thrives on blending strategic insight with technical expertise to push the boundaries of search optimization in today's competitive digital landscape.
Gianluca Fiorelli | SEO & Web Marketing Strategist |
Gianluca Fiorelli started working as an SEO in 2004, after previously having worked in the Italian TV and Audiovisual industry. Amongst the best known International and Strategic SEO consultants, Gianluca helps and helped brands like Iberostar.com, Glassdoor, Outsystems, ActivTrades, Magoosh, Go Overseas and many others to reach the sought success in organic search. Gianluca, who is also the founder of The Inbounder digital marketing conference, spoke at international events like Mozcon, BrightonSEO, SMX, and PubCon. You can find Gianluca on Twitter as gfiorelli1 (https://twitter.com/gfiorelli1) or contacting him at https://www.iloveseo.net.
Grant Simmons | Marketing Consultant | Simmonet Marketing, LLC
Grant is a Senior SEO Strategist with over 30 years in marketing with an emphasis on digital channels and focus on collaborative SEO consulting, analytics, content, and performance-based successes for Fortune 500 enterprises, local, multi-location, national, and international companies and organizations. Grant’s experience spans real estate, healthcare, addiction, e-commerce, senior care, technology, travel, and employment verticals, often sharing his experience and insights in vertical-industry podcasts, webinars, and publications, and as a speaker at SEO & marketing conferences worldwide, including; Pubcon, LRTCon, Chiang Mai SEO, Brighton SEO. SMX, and more.
Humby Chu | Growth Marketer | Home Organizers, Inc
With over 15 years of experience in growth and performance marketing, Humby Chu currently serves as the Director of Growth Marketing at Home Organizers, Inc. He previously led a digital marketing team at Amazon, focusing on paid search, paid social, programmatic advertising, organic social, and SEO. At The Walt Disney Company, he specialized in acquisition and engagement marketing. Early in his career, he was one of the first employees at BigCommerce, playing a key role in the early days of the ecommerce industry. His expertise spans growth strategies, brand strategy, and competitive strategies.
Jaime Hill | Ecommerce Director | ex Oak Furnitureland, Hurtigruten & Monsoon Accessorize
Jaime has over two decades of experience as a Marketing & Ecommerce professional with a successful track record leading teams and developing strategy to transform organisations’ digital capability and channels to market. She has had success in roles at brands including Avis, Barclays, Dairy Crest and Oak Furnitureland, and across a wide range of B2B and B2C vertical markets. Most recently, Jaime was Interim Head of Ecommerce & Trading at Monsoon. A graduate of the Institute of Digital Marketing and qualified Executive Business Coach, Jaime's professional passion is for making life easier for the customer at every touch point.
Janna Pugh | SEO Specialist | Five9
Janna Pugh is a SEO Specialist with a history of agency and in-house work. She has recently been nationally recognized as the Industry Rising Star in Conductor's 2022 C2 Summit and regularly speaks with college classes about the essentials of organic marketing. With her passion for SEO, she knows firsthand how to make the smallest and largest websites succeed organically. Her areas of focus specialize in enterprise SEO, with scalability and automation for both small and large SEO teams. Her varied approach to SEO combines on-site content with off-site brand management. In her free time, she loves trying out new recipes and reading mystery novels.
Lucas Rogala | |
During his 13-year adventure in the SEO industry, he learned all the "shades" of activities carried out for clients. Knowledge of how to work in-house and in an agency allows him to provide high-quality and non-standard tactics for clients. Currently, he is developing his boutique SEO and Content agency, VerticalSEO, and is responsible for technical SEO for Warner Bros. Discovery in Poland. In the past, he planned and implemented SEO activities for the largest brands in Poland, and also supported them in their activities abroad. He prefers content SEO for breakfast, technical SEO for lunch, and linkbuilding for dinner. This allows him to maintain a good work-life fit. ;)
Lukas Adamec has been working within Paid Digital for 11+ years, during which he transitioned from an employee to a freelancer & CEO of Abadam Marketing. In the last 5 years Lukas has focused on Consultancy - working with established agencies to deliver client growth. His focus is particularly on international paid opportunities, from Google to Yandex, from Naver to Baidu, from Yahoo JP to Seznam. Lukas is a firm believer in knowledge sharing and enjoys discussing experiences with established online marketers as well as providing training to new colleagues. During his time off, Lukas recharges his energy by being disconnected from online influences and instead spends his time on wildlife photography.
Richard Gregory | Co-founder | AgencyNXD
Richard is co-founder of AgencyNXD as well as an advisor and NXD to multiple tech firms and agencies, including Adzooma, Fluid Digitial and Ruler Analytics. Heralding from “Silicon Ramsbottom” he is an ardent supporter of the digital and tech industry in the North of England. Previously, Richard was the managing director of digital agency Latitude, director of Tech North and co-founder of SAScon.
Melinda Stuart | Enterprise Go-to-Market, Data Analytics and Experience | Optus
Melinda is an accomplished marketer with extensive experience in both agency and client-side roles. Over the past decade, she has transitioned to the client side, bringing a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. As an advisor to numerous startups, particularly within the technology space, playing a pivotal role in guiding their growth and success. With a strong track record in global and APAC markets, she has successfully shaped go-to-market strategies across various new territories and verticals. Melinda is passionate about collaborating with driven entrepreneurs, helping them bring their visions to life.
Meriem Nacer | Performance Marketing Consultant |
Meriem Nacer is the founder of 4M Digital Consulting Ltd, where she applies 13+ years’ paid media agency experience to provide cutting-edge PPC, Display, YouTube, and Paid Social advertising strategies. A Google Ads and Microsoft Ads specialist, Meriem's expertise extends from strategic consultancy and audits to hands-on management and training for global brands and retailers. Her budget management skills are exemplary, having handled weekly budgets from £500 to £3M, amounting to over £150M annually. Meriem's work encompasses a diverse range of sectors, including retail, cosmetics, luxury, travel and finance, making her a versatile and sought-after digital marketing consultant. She is also a published author and certified PTLLS-accredited trainer, recognised for her contributions to digital marketing knowledge and education.
Michael Emiliani | Paid Marketing Manager | Thrasio
Mike is a seasoned digital marketing expert with a decade of experience in PPC and digital media. His passion lies in developing and growing businesses through comprehensive, integrated digital media campaigns. His ability to draw on knowledge and experiences from a wide range of challenges from his time in-house, agency-side and as a consultant has given him a unique depth and breadth to solving complex problems in PPC and broadly digital marketing. Mike has shared insights as a contributing writer and speaker at events. His extensive knowledge has also earned her the distinction of being a featured subject matter expert at Endicott College in Massachusetts, a contributor to industry blogs and recipient of the 2018 Interactive Marketing Award.
Rachel Jacobs | Founder | Ecommerce Partnerships
Rachel Jacobs Founder of Ecommerce Agency Growth Leading authority in preparing ecommerce agencies for exit. Dedicated to enabling agency owners to get out of the day-to-day of running their agency. Specialised in implementing best practice operations, systems, and processes to scale ecommerce agencies profitably and efficiently. From building scalable retainer models to coaching high-performing leadership teams, I work with ecommerce agencies to simplify the next steps in scaling their ecommerce agency.
Simon To | Digital Director & Consultant | website3.com
Simon To is the Digital Director & Consultant at Website3.com, Simon goes above and beyond delivering performance marketing solutions for clients. Simon has over 12+ years of practical experience and 200+ clients under his belt. Website3.com is a new generation of digital media & marketing, supporting clients with the new wave of generative AI in marketing and automation. Website3 provides hands on digital consultancy for all your marketing needs. Website3 Paid Media Services include: Google . PPC . Shopping . Search . Bing . Social Media . Facebook . Instagram . YouTube . CTV . Display . Programmatic . Native . Analytics . Strategy . Planning . Delivery
Sophia 'Puff' Story | Co-Founder | 3 Sided Cube Inc
Puff Story is Co-Founder of 3 Sided Cube Inc, responsible for the client relationships and impact of projects. Named as one of the top 100 most influential business developers in the UK, Puff is known for her contagious laughter, love of neon colours and an unrelenting passion to help organisations such as the American Red Cross, World Resources Institute and numerous UN agencies to make a real difference. Puff has vast amounts of practical experience in a variety of industries but has a love for using tech for good in the NGO, charity and third sector.
Sunny Bal | Digital Marketing and Social Media | ARUP
Sunny Bal is a dynamic Digital Marketing and Social Media Strategist with a knack for driving global campaigns that captivate audiences and boost brand visibility. With rich experience from roles at Arup and HDR, Sunny excels in crafting innovative content strategies and leading high-performing teams to success. A proud alumnus of California State University, Fresno, Sunny holds a BSc in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing. Known for blending creativity with data-driven insights, Sunny's work has garnered significant recognition in the industry. When not strategizing the next big campaign, Sunny enjoys mentoring children through Solidarity Sports, sharing both patience and positivity.
With an unusual path, my career in digital marketing began in 2018, 2 years after completing my Degree in Philosophy. After a course in digital marketing with an internship, I ended up working at the agency where I interned. With 5 years of experience and dozens of clients, I worked as a PPC manager and content manager. 3 years on I decided to focus exclusively on paid campaigns. Throughout this time I developed experience in lead gen in the B2B market and later in brand development, traffic increase, and purchase generation in the B2C market. I am currently responsible for the PPC department at MintySquare, where I develop marketing strategies for several fashion brands and campaigns that aim to increase brand awareness and generate purchases.
Veronica Ruiz | |
Veronica is a seasoned digital marketer with almost 11 years of experience. Named one of the 10 Optmyzr Digital Marketing Sheroes of 2023, she has worked for a mix of big names, SMEs, startups, and agencies across the UK and the US, covering broad areas such as content, PR, SEO, and affiliates. For the last 8 years, she has specialized in Paid Media, working towards the perfect balance between analysis and creativity that can help brands grow and expand internationally.
Veronika Höller | Global SEO Lead | CompuGroup
Veronika is a Global SEO Lead and has worked in SEO and PPC marketing for over 14 years. She started as a copywriter and PPC Manager in a little Ads Agency. She has continuously developed herself further into the direction of SEO. Over the years, she has worked as a digital marketing manager in agencies and international companies, including CompuGroup where she is now. International SEO and PPC Strategies are Top of her priority list. She views SEO as a whole puzzle and not just individual sub-areas, hence why she trained herself in all areas – content, technology, PPC, SMM and UX. Today she spreads her knowledge as a speaker on the stages of international digital marketing conferences such as BrightonSEO, SMX advanced, International Search Summit etc. For her all digital marketing channels have to be united to get the best of your website.
Yevgeniy Samoilenko | Head of Research & Development | Freedom Holding Corp
Yevgeniy Samoilenko is a seasoned fintech professional with over two decades of experience in software development across a wide range of products, focusing on fintech. He possesses extensive knowledge of software development technologies and agile transformation, making him an expert in the field. Yevgeniy has authored over a hundred unique products registered with the European Copyright Office. He is an active member of numerous professional communities and serves as a judge for various prestigious global competitions. Yevgeniy's contributions to the fintech industry have earned him many awards and recognitions from leading financial institutions, world-renowned IT organizations, and even heads of state.
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We wanted our agency to be recognized on the whole, not just for the singular work we have completed for each client. The well-recognized “Don’t Panic” awards, which The US Agency Awards are a part of, fills that gap perfectly. Groove Commerce
Our team is honored to be on the shortlist for Best PPC Campaign in the 2022 US Agency Awards. To be an award finalist for our paid media work with CenturyLink is the icing on the cake. Mad Fish Digital
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Often the award win warrants a press release, but if not, certainly newsletter, website and email mentions help to elevate the agency profile and it’s great information to include in the agency boilerplate SSDM
"We are incredibly grateful to the Don’t Panic Events team for recognizing our efforts to implement AI in small business marketing. This acknowledgment validates our mission to improve efficiency and sustainability for the businesses we serve. We eagerly look forward to participating in future competitions hosted by Don’t Panic Events. These opportunities fuel our passion and inspire us to continue solving our clients’ problems with creativity and determination." YBM
"We are incredibly grateful to the Don’t Panic Events team for recognizing our efforts to implement AI in small business marketing. This acknowledgment validates our mission to improve efficiency and sustainability for the businesses we serve. We eagerly look forward to participating in future competitions hosted by Don’t Panic Events. These opportunities fuel our passion and inspire us to continue solving our clients’ problems with creativity and determination."
