— Ryan Frankel, Founder/PresidentIt doesn’t matter if you give us a million-dollar budget or a gumball and a paperclip, we’re going to maximize your resources.
Frankel didn’t start out like most other shops. We aren’t owned by a holding company. Mr. Frankel didn’t pass the agency down to today’s Frankel. We don’t have a Madison Avenue address. In fact, our founder started Frankel nearly 20 years ago with a lifetime of business experience but none inside a traditional ad agency.
And before household-name-clients like Mack Trucks and the University of Florida, our first client was a hair salon with a $500 budget that needed us to change their business overnight. We did it.
So, it’s in our DNA to work better, smarter and differently than everyone else.
what the F: is Frankel?
- strategy
- branding
- digital
+
- advocacy
- marketing
- production
Getting to know your business inside and out. Moving quickly. Leading with strategy and creativity. And delivering good value that fuels your business. That’s Frankel.
Of course, we can design a logo, write a press release, build a website, launch a digital campaign, or rebrand your organization. A lot of others can too. These things are the commodities of today’s agencies.
What we do extremely well, is identify whether the thing you called us about – you know… the logo, press release, website, digital campaign, rebrand – is really going to be the thing that moves your business forward.
Our real selling point, why we have been wildly successful for our clients for nearly 20 years, is that our entire team has a deep and diverse skill set in marketing, digital, media, communications and design – as well as business strategy – so our clients can have faith they will get a business solution rather than just an ad campaign.
Leadership
Frankel has a unique diversity of talent, here is the group that leads our more than 35 in-house experts.
We like to think of them as Swiss Army Knives or our Seal Team Six (the non-violent kind) who can handle anything and guide their teams to success for our clients. Of course, their job is a little easier because they’re quarterbacking a roster of talented experts who’ve worked together to grow some of the world’s most recognizable brands.
Ryan Frankel
President
Ryan Frankel
President
With an endless imagination, inherent skill for marketing and an intense passion for each client’s success, Ryan’s the big-picture guy with an emphasis on creating big ideas to grow great brands. In 2005, Ryan founded Frankel to give amazing minds a place to impact amazing brands. Ryan lives and breathes creativity and brand development. Using a lifetime of business experience to create campaigns, strategies and communications for a wide range of organizations including Mack Trucks, Nextran Corporation, Allied Specialty Vehicles, E-ONE, Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), University of Florida, Florida State University, Florida Gateway College and many others.
A little more: Owns more toys than FAO Schwarz.
Ashleigh Flanders, PhD
Vice President & Partner
Ashleigh Flanders, PhD
Vice President & Partner
A true Floridian (ninth-generation to be exact), Ashleigh is a proud University of Florida graduate who also holds a PhD from the University of London. She brings to the FMG team nine years of marketing and advertising management experience, with six years in the agency world. Ashleigh excels at building and maintaining a strong rapport with clients and has extensive strategic planning experience across sectors. Her work creating and executing fully-integrated campaigns designed to build memorable brands and deliver a strong return on investment has been acknowledged with multiple FPRA Image and ADDY awards. As an added perk, previous experience as a medical grant writer and event planner afford Ashleigh excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail. She has developed and implemented marketing initiatives for the Charles Dickens Museum and worked with notable global clients including Kellogg’s, John Frieda, Facebook, Samsung, Castrol, and Glenfiddich. Ashleigh’s diverse professional experience, coupled with her strong academic background, provides a dynamic skillset.
A little more: Ashleigh is a published poet.
Catherine DiVeta, MBA, PMP
Vice President of Innovation and Operations
Catherine DiVeta, MBA, PMP
Vice President of Innovation and Operations
Catherine received her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations from the University of Florida and earned an MBA with honors from Rollins College with concentrations in marketing and leadership. After receiving her master’s, Catherine went to work for an Orlando-based agency serving as an account executive turned project manager. She has developed and implemented marketing strategies, conducted research and managed projects of all scopes for notable clients including Planet Fitness, Seacoast Bank and the University of Florida. Catherine’s diverse professional experience and strong communication and organizational skills provide the Frankel team with unique perspectives and innovative thinking to keep projects on time and on budget.
A little more: Cat runs on coffee, chaos (thanks to her two boys), and Peloton rides that start before most alarms.
Walton Dale
Creative Director
Walton Dale
Creative Director
Born at an early age, Walton is a true Gainesville native and UF alum. After spending time in Atlanta, L.A. and New York at agencies and in-house as a designer and art director, Walton returned to Gainesville and began working with and leading teams for international brands such as the University of Florida, UCLA, Under Armour and more within the higher ed and lifestyle industries. In 2019 Walton joined with Frankel to lead the creative department. Walton understands that organizations are just as unique as people, and their brands must reflect that. Beginning with a fundamental understanding of what makes a business special, then leveraging that truth into compelling visual storytelling, Walton brings brands, both big and small, to market with authentic and relevant creative solutions.
A little more: Walton once juggled a soccer ball 4,792 times.
Lillian Caloiaro Vargas, M.Ed.
People Operations Manager
Lillian Caloiaro Vargas, M.Ed.
People Operations Manager
Lillian earned her bachelor’s degree in Education and a minor in Marketing from Stetson University and a master’s degree in Language Education from Rutgers University. Over the last 10 years, she has built a career at the intersection of People Operations and Talent Acquisition, with experience spanning early‑stage tech and creative agencies. Before joining Frankel, Lillian led Talent Acquisition at tech start-ups, where she designed inclusive hiring practices and helped scale teams in fast‑growing, mission‑driven environments. At Frankel, Lillian leads People Operations and Talent Acquisition, building and nurturing the foundation of the agency’s culture. With a strategic focus on equity and belonging, she has championed internal mobility and helps shape a workplace that reflects Frankel’s values of collaboration, creativity, and care. Her systems‑minded approach keeps people programs organized, data‑informed, and aligned with the agency’s growth.
A little more: Lillian runs on strong cafe con leche, color‑coded calendars, and the kind of karaoke nights that somehow turn into team‑building.
Bri Weimer
Director of Digital Marketing
Bri Weimer
Director of Digital Marketing
After earning her degree in Public Relations and Business Administration from the University of Florida, Bri began her career in agency marketing, quickly finding her stride at the intersection of digital strategy and creative storytelling. Over the past decade, she’s built a reputation for crafting thoughtful, results-driven campaigns. Before joining Frankel, Bri spent over a decade at small advertising agencies where she managed multimillion-dollar media budgets, guided full-funnel campaigns, and oversaw analytics and owned digital strategy for a diverse roster of clients.
A little more: She’s chased stories everywhere from South Africa to Singapore—and has been known to wrangle an alligator along the way.
Jason Cohen, PhD
Director of Research + Insights
Jason Cohen, PhD
Director of Research + Insights
A recovering academic and life-long researcher with two books to his name, Jason brings twenty-plus years of insight and market intelligence to guide clients through high-stakes branding and reputational challenges. Prior to joining Frankel, Jason served as Senior Research Advisor at Hanover Research, where he led data-driven initiatives for more than 100 colleges and universities. His career reflects a rare combination of academic rigor, cross-functional leadership, and operational excellence. At Frankel, Jason leads research engagements with a deep understanding of client culture and a clear focus on results that matter.
A little more: Once, while playing hockey with Wayne Gretzky, Jason bodychecked Marty McSorley as hard as he could. Marty laughed.
Fox Troilo, PhD
Head of Client Partnerships
Fox Troilo, PhD
Head of Client Partnerships
With over 20+ years working in higher education globally, Fox drives client partnership success and satisfaction at Frankel. With an approach that combines empathy, data-driven methodologies, and industry experience, Fox helps institutions create clear pathways to make their operational goals a reality. Before Frankel, Fox was the Managing Director of the Higher Education Research Advisory team at Hanover Research where he led and consulted on research initiatives for over 150 partner institutions. Fox also serves as a Professor within the QUEST Honors Program at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. He's involved on the board to advise on curriculum development, student success, and alumni engagement.
Fox is an avid movie lover and has served as a film journalist and critic for over 20+ years.