Leadership

The experience to tackle hard problems
and the insight to see challenges from a fresh perspective.

General Manager

Brian Byer

Brian is the General Manager for Antarctica. He joined Antarctica in 2013, bringing over 20 years of operations, technology, marketing, management and business analysis expertise. Brian manages all agency activities relating to the production Content & Commerce websites and facilitates the growth of our technology partnerships. The production teams Brian leads are as diverse as the needs of BFM’s clients and he thrives on ensuring our clients are consistently delighted by the work our agency produces.

Brian received his degree in Economics from the University of Colorado, Boulder. Brian is a frequent contributor to the press, including: CMSwire, MarketingProfs, Martech Advisor and Entrepreneur.

When not at work, Brian can be seen striking fear into his opponents on the tennis courts of Long Island.

Business Development

The team ready and waiting to talk about new opportunities and ideas.

Jeff Aaron

Director, Business Development

Jeff Aaron

Jeff prides himself on his ability to learn about each of his client's current businesses on a fundamental level, then working alongside clients to explore business goals and formulate a plan of action for a successful project. His bottom-line: Bring a controlled passion to your project with a keen eye on your bottom-line.

With over fifteen years in the digital space, Jeff brings a plethora of knowledge, experience, and business acumen to every project he is involved with. He prides himself on facilitating inspired collaboration that yields tangible long-term results. And when he’s not working with clients or contributing his thoughts on the technology, marketing, and digital landscape, you can find him in New Jersey likely taking a his adorable pug Maggie for a stroll in a park.

Destruction leads to a very rough road, but it also breeds creation.

– Red Hot Chili Peppers

Matt Smith

Business Development Manager

Matt Smith

Matt prides himself on his ability to learn about each of his client's current businesses on a fundamental level, then working alongside clients to explore business goals and formulate a plan of action for a successful project. His bottom-line: Bring a controlled passion to your project with a keen eye on your bottom-line.

With over seven years in the digital space, and fifteen years in interactive marketing, Matthew has successfully implemented and executed project plans for numerous brands from mid-size companies to large organizations such as The European Union, AOL, Walmart, Boeing, Ford, and J&J.

World will travel, oh so quickly
Travel first and lean towards this time

- New Order

Alexa DeAssis

Business Development Associate

Alexa DeAssis

Rachel Utz

Business Development Associate

Rachel Utz

Client Partners

They lead our wonderful accounts teams, but as the name suggests,
Client Partners are also relationship builders and client advocates.

Sebastian Lyner

VP, Client Partner

Sebastian Lyner

Seb has almost two decades of experience in digital, integrated and above-the-line, marketing, across clients in many verticals, including Automotive, B2B, FS, Healthcare, Real Estate, Retail, Sports, Entertainment, Technology, Beverage and Travel. Seb is an enthusiastic marketer with an entrepreneurial outlook having started two agencies and worked in a number of agency and consultancy roles.

Seb heads up BFM's Client Engagement team. He's responsible for agency revenue and ensuring clients get the best strategy and execution available across website builds and digital marketing, through a focus on innovation and partnership.

Don't be fancy, just get dancy.

- Pink

Jenn McCoy

Client Partner

Jenn McCoy

Jenn has over 15 years of experience in digital project management and marketing across multiple sectors. Her clients have included brands in the B2C and B2B e-commerce space and industries such as Beauty, Hospitality, Logistics, Healthcare, Technology and Education.

As a Client Partner with Antarctica, Jenn leads key client relationships, guides strategy and execution. She manages a team of Account Directors ensuring a focus on results.

And go-cart Mozart
Was checkin' out the weather chart
See if it was safe outside
And little early-pearly
Came by in his curly-wurly
And asked me if I needed a ride

- as interpreted by Manfred Mann's Earth Band

Department Heads

The people who ensure we deliver exceptional work for our valued clients.

Tatyana Khamdamova

Head of Design

Tatyana Khamdamova

Tatyana is a creative professional with over a decade of experience in art direction and interactive design. She manages the design and information architect teams at Antarctica. She has lead the planning and design on some of the most challenging projects, which have gone to win numerous awards.

Tatyana approaches all projects with enthusiasm and a strong desire to create fresh, insightful and relevant ideas. She has the technical understanding of how the frontend design should work with a backend custom content management system. Tatyana is a big fan of making the work the best it can be and leads her team by example.

Everything is awesome, everything is cool when you’re part of a team.
Everything is awesome, when you're living out a dream.

– Tegan And Sara

Bryn Dodson

Director of Content

Bryn Dodson

Bryn Dodson helps clients tell compelling stories in digital. Responsible for content strategy, content marketing, and digital advertising at Antarctica, he guides the creation of a wide range of B2B and B2C content, from hard-hitting whitepapers to engaging video.

At BFM, he has worked with clients including SONY, Workfront, Allstate Insurance, and Service King, scripting a radio ad that won Service King the 2016 Westwood One Super Bowl Sound Awards. He has a master’s degree in creative writing from NYU.

What a time to be alive.

-Drake, Future

John Marcinuk

Group Director of Marketing

John Marcinuk

A digital marketer with over 16 years of experience, John manages the integrated marketing team at Antarctica. His expertise across all channels of marketing allows the team to operate strategically across disciplines to deliver measurable results for our clients.

As a thought-leader in digital marketing, John has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and Advertising Week. He and his team's strategies have been successfully leveraged for major brands including Microsoft, Bowlero, Sony, Prizeo, and Service King.

You can't change the world, but you can change the facts.
And when you change the facts, you change points of view.
If you change points of view, you may change a vote.
And when you change a vote, you may change the world.

– Depeche Mode

Dan Drapeau

Head of Technology

Dan Drapeau

As Head of Technology, Dan is responsible for establishing Antarctica as a market leader in current and next generation technologies, expanding technical architecture capabilities and expertise of the agency, overseeing web development teams, and engaging with clients and prospective clients. He is focused on championing adoption of next generation technologies across the agency and transforming tools, talent, and partnerships.

Dan specializes in the content and digital commerce arena and is well versed in machine learning. He has over a decade of experience defining solution architecture, software development of leading B2B and B2C commerce platforms and web CMS platforms and advising complex global organizations on digital platform direction and strategy. He has experience managing and delivering complex software implementations for Fortune 500 clients across a diverse set of industries. Outside of work, Dan is an accomplished distance runner and enjoys dining out and exploring NYC.

“I am the game, you don’t want to play me.” – Motorhead

Gavin Silver

Director of Project Management

Gavin Silver

Gavin evaluates the acquisition and application of technology for both internal and client facing efforts at Antarctica. With his extensive experience across many different technology related fields, ranging from financial software engineering to technical e-commerce project management, Gavin is able to architect technology solutions for complex projects at a rapid pace.

Gavin helps the company's growth strategy by balancing a collection of considerations including revenue mix, strategic account pursuit and defining processes for niche market, technology and project specializations. Gavin enjoys travelling, drinking Scotch that is older than him and articulating complex technologies on coffee napkins.

Stay true like a wolf wearing wolf pants.

– Aesop Rock

James McCrae

Advisory and Brand Lab Director

James McCrae

James McCrae is an experienced brand consultant, digital thought leader, and author. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies, startups, and nonprofits to define and actualize their vision, mission, and message. At BFM, James helps brands move from now to next through strategic positioning and creative execution. As technology continues to evolve, he helps brands adapt to the next wave of customer engagement.

I try my best
To be just like I am
But everybody wants you
To be just like them.

- Bob Dylan

Operations

The people who make it possible for us to do what we do.

Ralph Marino

Senior Director, Finance & Accounting

Ralph Marino

With over twenty years of experience in business-to-business service companies, Ralph understands the specialized financial needs of an enterprise whose product is the talent and expertise of its employees. Hailing from mid-sized business units of publicly held organizations, he has the proven ability to run an entrepreneurial firm with a big company character.

Ralph has an MBA in finance from Stern, NYU. He is also a CPA.

Curtain up! Light the lights!
You got nothing to hit but the heights!
You'll be swell. You'll be great.
I can tell. Just you wait.
That lucky star I talk about is you!
Honey, everything's coming up roses for me and for you!

– Stephen Sondheim

Samantha Lambert

Director of Human Resources

Samantha Lambert

Samantha leads all core HR functions and is an advisor and coach to team members across all departments, teams and levels. She joined BFM in 2011 building the Human Resources department from the ground up. Sam started her career in Public Relations after receiving her degree in Mass Communications from Iona College (Go Gaels!). She has an eye for talent (and potential) recruiting in various industries (IT, PR, Travel, hospitality, Non-Profit, and TV) before settling down at BFM. As a recognized advocate for Social Justice from SEUI 32BJ Labor Union, Sam is a diplomatic decision maker who goes above and beyond to serve the team and lead by example. Sam loves music (all genres) and attending live shows in her spare time.

We've come a long long way together
Through the hard times and the good
I have to celebrate you baby
I have to praise you like I should

- Fatboy Slim