Meet #TeamMoonsail
We take caffeine, puns and self-care seriously
Where does a compass point? North. And where does the Moonsail North team get our direction from? Our values. They’re right on our wall, and they matter because we can craft more compelling projects for our clients when we’re immersed in the right culture.
We have a distributed team, with staffers in Michigan and California. We work extremely hard, and we take caffeine, puns and self-care seriously. Moonsail North maximizes your impact by listening, working collaboratively, and honoring both the art and the science behind engaging stories.
Meet #TeamMoonsail
Core Creative Team
As a woman- and minority-owned small business, our agency believes that it’s the quality of what you produce that matters most. Our team members pair storytelling and strategy with a strong work ethic to help you communicate and grow. If you work with us, these are the team members who — day in and day out — invest the planning sessions and sweat equity needed to steer your project toward the shores of success.
Rose Tantraphol, M.S., APR
Rose is cofounder and CEO of Moonsail North. She also serves as an adjunct instructor at the Michigan State University College of Communication Arts and Sciences, where she teaches advertising and public relations courses and serves as the faculty adviser to MSU’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter. Storytelling is the thread that runs through Rose’s industry-hopping career — prior to launching Moonsail North, she worked in political communications, health care marketing, and agency-based public relations. Rose began her career immersed in the daily grind of journalism. Rose, who earned her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and her master’s degree at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, credits her birth city of New Orleans for her foodie ways. (As she explains in a 2014 Pure Michigan commercial “Eat, Play, Live” that ran on the Food Network, she thinks about dinner at lunch!) Rose serves on the boards of the Greater Lansing Food Bank and Michigan Saves. A not-so-secret secret? Rose wants to become a smashing salsa dancer one day.
Scott Swanson
Scott believes that a powerful story must always come first – and has seen firsthand how stories transcend medium in a career that’s stretched from journalism to health care marketing to politics. A passionate environmental advocate, Scott has helped place positive green news coverage in some of the largest publications in the country. Prior to cofounding Moonsail North, Scott spent much of his time getting clients results in the digital sphere, utilizing cost-effective marketing solutions such as Google Ads and Facebook advertising. A U.P. native and graduate of Northern Michigan University, his interests and hobbies include music production, meditation, and writing about climate change and the environment at his blog, The White Pine.
Sedora Tantraphol
Sedora specializes in building organizational capacity to promote community well-being. In addition to winning several awards for creatively directing branding and marketing projects for clients across a range of sectors, Sedora’s experience includes strategic planning, development, social media, advocacy, community organizing, policy analysis, program evaluation, and event planning. Sedora earned her Master of Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley and her bachelor’s degree in sociology from UC Irvine. She has served as a masters-level adjunct instructor at the University of Southern California. Prior to becoming a proud mama, she was a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and a board member of Asian Pacific Islander Forward Movement. A foodie, she’s always looking for that next tasty dish.
Nicole Bagwell
Nicole keeps the finances and HR matters in compliance for #TeamMoonsail. She blends systems accuracy and efficiency with creative concepts thanks to her educational training, which includes a Master of Science in Accounting and a bachelor’s degree in visual communications with an emphasis in photography. In her spare time, Nicole enjoys oil painting, embroidery, VR, and gaming. She also has a soft spot for her cat Minnie, and visits cat cafes with her husband everywhere they travel.
Elexi Dailey
Elexi enjoys mining hard data and crafting it into a story that is compelling, strategic, and artistic. A lifelong Spartan, Elexi earned both her master’s degree in global health and bachelor’s degree in advertising management from Michigan State University. She loves exploring the power of digital marketing to form meaningful connections, and aims to bring fresh visuals and language to every project she touches. When she’s not working on client projects, Elexi can be found gardening, hiking, testing out a new art medium, or giving belly rubs to her three-pound senior dog Milo.
Amariah Maurer
Amariah has a passion for uncovering meaningful insights through research to construct impactful campaign strategy and creative concepts. Her love for the industry sparked while earning a bachelor’s degree in advertising management and a minor in public relations at Michigan State University. After graduating, this passion grew exponentially, as she gained experience managing a variety of clients and campaign projects at an agency level. Amariah is on a mission to utilize her analytical and creative skill set to develop strategic messaging that will move audiences to action. In her free time, Amariah enjoys crafting, Cricuting, and home DIY projects. If she’s not crafting, you will likely find her watching HGTV or spoiling at least one of her many fur babies.
Neha Beniwal
Neha is an award-winning graphic designer who specializes in brand identity development and marketing collateral. With over 15 years of experience, she discovers new perspectives to create modern, unique and authentic visual representations of your brand that harmonize text and artistic concepts to create stunning interactive print and digital designs. Neha draws inspiration from the balance and vibrant colors found in nature and celebrated in her homeland of India, where she completed her Bachelor of Arts from Delhi University. She received an advanced diploma in advertising & graphic design from Wigan & Leigh College and a Bachelor of Fine and Applied Arts from The University of Akron. When she’s not working, you can find her enjoying the great outdoors and traveling.
Katie Franz
Katie is passionate about supporting local community efforts and amplifying the voices of all people and organizations. She developed her interest in government and media relations while studying both public relations and international relations at Michigan State University. A true Michigander, Katie loves when winter comes around because it means ski season. She also enjoys sewing, embroidery, and crochet.
Core Specialization Team
Paul King
Paul is an award-winning researcher and strategist who helps clients measure and influence public opinions and audience motivators. With over 25 years of experience in the research field providing data-driven insights, Paul’s background in public relations and media relations equips clients with value-added tools that deliver the right message to the right audience at the right time. Working across business, nonprofit and public affairs sectors, his ROI Insight market research specialties include B2B, B2C, nonprofit donor development, market indexing, brand research, market sizing, competitive market evaluation, and image marketing. Paul is a graduate of Michigan State University and is certified as an expert in questionnaire and methodological design by The Burke Institute for Market Research.
Matt Mitchell
Matt is an accomplished photographer whose images have been published in books and magazines such as ESPN and Sports Illustrated, in print collateral including posters and game-day programs, and over social media. A truly versatile visual storyteller, Matt specializes in editorial and commercial portraits, corporate headshots, and sports photography. Through Matthew Mitchell Photography, he captures a set of visually striking images by connecting with subjects and bringing an experienced eye from his decades of experience. Matt recharges his creative batteries by spending time with his family, exploring the great outdoors, and of course, drinking a morning cup of coffee.
Jenn Varno
Jenn focuses on brand strategy and marketing materials. An experienced professional graphic designer with decades of experience, she thoughtfully conceptualizes and executes product positioning, ad campaigns, and integrated looks across print and digital systems. Jenn received a bachelor’s degree in marketing communications and design from Fitchburg State University and a WordPress certificate from Whatcom Community College. When she’s not creatively directing projects, she enjoys spending time with her dog Murphy and cooking.