1. Grant & Heidi Mielke
FOUNDERS
After nearly 10 years in Network Engineering at Mapletronics and
freelancing on the side, Grant started Vala Marketing with his wife,
Heidi, in 2016. Together they have served over 200 clients
throughout the Midwest. Their passion lies in development and
growth. Recently in Downtown Elkhart they have helped create,
brand, and successfully market many new festivals and events, such
as Hall of Heroes Comic Con. They also sit on several Elkhart
Festival committees and are deeply involved in business
development and community efforts across the region. Their
strengths are best utilized in the long-term strategic planning and
growth of a brand. They also have two awesome kids, Desmond and
Cambria.
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2. Jake Neece
CREATIVE DIRECTOR & PARTNER
Jake has over 10 years of design experience in multiple disciplines.
From print, to illustration, to digital, to motion - there is almost
nothing one could throw at Jake that would leave him stumped. He
graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in
Integrated New Media with a concentration in graphic design,
putting himself through college by working at Whole Foods as a
designer, and helping to open new stores all over the Midwest
during their largest growth period on record. Jake’s strength lies in
his ability to solve business problems through creative strategy and
design. For him, it’s about more than aesthetic; it’s about solving a
problem. When he’s not designing, he’s honing his skills in other
artistic ways, such as drawing, and spends time with his wife, Katie,
and his hounds, Penelope and Gracie.
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3. Ashley Siery
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & PARTNER
Ashley has a command of the written word that is truly stunning.
With a Masters Degree in English, over a decade of experience in
creative writing, and nearly five years writing professionally, her
strength lies in her ability to weave creative, engaging, and
beautifully written copy for Vala’s websites, blogs, and social media.
In her spare time she coordinates and plans poetry slams locally,
and is an avid cook and craft beer enthusiast.
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4. Erin Ruebbelke
DIRECTOR OF SALES & ACCOUNTS
Erin studied for her Masters in Public Administration at the University
of Illinois in Springfield. Prior to Vala, she was in sales and marketing
for seven years with Sinclair Broadcast Group. Erin has a knack for
sniffing out the needs of Vala’s clients, advocating for them, and
collaborating with the creative team to create intuitive advertising
solutions. Erin and her husband Andy have two children Lukas, and
Elizabeth who both attend St. Pius. When she is not working or with
her family she enjoys playing tennis with her team at South Bend
Racquet Club. Erin is originally from Illinois, and relocated to the South
Bend area almost four years ago.
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5. Vito Spano
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Vito is a small business owner and musician, garnering a network of
artists and creatives across all innovative spaces that business in
Michiana takes place in. His success in comes from his personal skills;
he's eager learn and a great listener. Vito also deeply appreciates
statistics and a good numbers crunch, which keeps him driven and
focused on his goals and the goals of his clients.
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6. Jordan Hernandez
ART DIRECTOR
Jordan graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a minor in Art
History from Central Michigan University. He has been focused on
design for nearly a decade, and working as a graphic designer
professionally since 2014. Jordan’s strengths lie in his ability to
incorporate fine art into his work; blending elegant, often hand-
drawn design with modern digital solutions.
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7. Tony Zacarias
DESIGNER
Tony majored in graphic design at Ivy Tech in South Bend, Indiana.
He has a unique background with branding, allowing him a wide
range of experience spanning from small business brands to
branding for large corporations. Tony has over 13 years experience
in the design industry. As a freelancer, Tony worked with major
power brands, international musicians, and local businesses.His
logos have also been featured in the pages of a published book used
for logo inspiration. Tony lives in Goshen, Indiana with his wife
Laura and two daughters, Natalie and Ella.
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8. Gretchen Boley
DESIGNER
Gretchen majored in graphic design and minored in advertising at
Ferris State University. She’s passionate about people and all things
art. With a desire to solve problems and create, she finds the sweet
spot where the two meet — making an aesthetically pleasing and
purposeful design. When she’s not crafting on the computer, she’s
crafting in the kitchen or on a canvas. You can catch her throwing
axes on league nights, at an Incubus concert, or saving fur babies
from the streets.
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9. Lizzie Johns
DESIGNER
Lizzie has always loved art and being creative. She grew up in the
Chicago suburbs and went to Lake Forest College where she
majored in studio art and minored in graphic design. After college,
she attended Chicago Portfolio School for design. She enjoys
trying and learning new things, whether it’s learning a new
program, rock climbing, or finding the best bubble tea in the
northwest suburbs. She is happiest when designing or petting a
floofy doggo.
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10. Cori Miller-Nye
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Cori is a graduate of Concord High School in Elkhart where she
excelled in creative writing and journalism. Her passion lies in
creating fun, creative, and engaging content to keep our clients’
online following tuned in and excited. She has managed over 30
social media accounts across various platforms, increasing brand
awareness and loyalty for Michiana household names such as Rise’n
Roll Bakery and Navarre Hospitality Group. In her free time he
enjoys reading, writing, video games, and going on adventures with
her two children, Lucius and Tegan.
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11. Justine Backus
ACCOUNT MANAGER
After completing their Master’s of Liberal Studies at Indiana
University, Justine worked for 7+ years in technology. Pivoting to
follow their passions for helping businesses grow and writing, they
took on being an account manager with Vala Marketing. The joy
Justine gets from engaging audiences and creative writing is only
matched by their love of reading while curled up with two mini
dachshunds named Scooter and Tanqueray. In their spare time,
Justine explores indie bookstores in new cities, attempts to find and
experience bizarre art, and tastes any vegan food that crosses their
path!
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12. Ethan Johnson
ACCOUNT MANAGER
Ethan has a passion for all things marketing. He grew up around the
South Bend area and studied Marketing at IU South Bend. Before
joining the Vala team, Ethan grew his marketing skillset by creating
and managing marketing strategies with businesses small and large.
When he isn't working, he enjoys traveling, hiking, making music,
and obsessively checking his stock portfolio.
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13. Rachel Perkins
PHOTOGRAPHER
Rachel grew up in Elkhart and studied photography at Taylor
University. She loves using a camera to explore the world and to
capture the interesting people, places, and things she encounters. In
her free time she enjoys traveling, reading, hiking, watching movies
with her husband, trying new foods, and cuddling with her cat,
Waffles.
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14. Ryan Shields
DIRECTOR OF VIDEOGRAPHY
Ryan was once 👊🏾 by Muhammed Ali! It’s true, though he was 8
and Mr. Ali gave the kind of jab that says, “there you go, sport.”
Ryan’s work on projects have taken him all over the US, Malawi,
Zimbabwe, and Canada. He studied aesthetic and digital content
creation at Italy’s Santa Reparata International School of Art and
loves to read, play in his band, and ride mountain bikes.
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15. David Perkins
VIDEO PRODUCER
David grew up in Wisconsin, and spent much of his childhood with a
camera in hand, filming his friends’ backyard adventures. He
studied film production at Full Sail University, Taylor University and
the Global Cinematography Institute in Los Angeles. His favorite
part of filmmaking is taking a good story and making it shine
through stunning visuals and purposeful storytelling. In his spare
time, you can find him eating cheese with a whiskey in hand, going
on travel adventures with his wife, nerding out over the latest
camera gear, and watching British crime dramas.
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16. Jon Mayer
VIDEO PRODUCER
When Jon was young and watching behind-the-scenes features on
his favorite movies, he thought, “I could probably do that,” and has
been involved in filmmaking ever since. He studied film production
at Huntington University and has worked on all sorts of commercial
and narrative videos. In his free time, he enjoys performing onstage,
shooting photos and videos on actual celluloid film (Yes, it's still a
thing!), and playing around with vintage tech.
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17. Madison Gridley
DIRECTOR OF INTERNAL MARKETING
Madison is a highly innovative digital artist and marketing
specialist. She graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a
degree in Cinema Arts and Sciences. After creating marketing
assets for years, she found her passion for creating high level
marketing plans. Madison joined Vala Marketing and was
welcomed into a company that allows her to run marketing
campaigns while staying engaged in the creative world.
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