Meet Your Team

Since graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design and Pre-Health Studies, Alex has been honing her craft both agency-side and in the freelance jungle. With a keen eye for branding, she brings a versatile skill set to the team spanning the identity, digital, and print disciplines. Alex enjoys art and design particularly because of its effectiveness in communicating without words. Her other creative interests include photography, illustration, and visual storytelling.

Most of her friends describe her as bubbly and energetic, but she largely prefers alone time to make pillow forts and read comics late into the night. During her off-hours, she likes trying out new eateries, traveling with family, playing video games, and hiking with her two pit bull rescues.

With 15 Years experience, Brandon has broad and deep expertise across B2B, B2C, and C2C areas of SEO Marketing, having worked with some of the largest brands. His expertise in Semantic SEO and Technical SEO have guided brands through site migrations and redesigns, standing up new brands/verticals with go to market strategies, and building growth strategies. He has a strong relationship with many tool providers and vendors, often joining and advising product roadmaps to ensure clients receive the best data for their decision making.

Cat is an experienced copywriter who harnesses her experience and expertise to write about key topics and leave a lasting impact on the target audience and content objectives.

With over seven years of professional writing experience for top-tier marketing agencies and world-changing companies, Cat is a seasoned writer with a knack for crafting engaging and influential content that always hits the mark.

But Cat's journey doesn't end with writing alone. With more than a decade of successful tenure in the Customer Care Management field, she has honed a unique blend of creativity and customer success management expertise. This balance allows Cat to seamlessly marry creative innovation with a profound understanding of the customer journey, from its inception to completion, to create the ultimate customer experience. 

Beyond her professional endeavors, Cat takes pride in her role as a published children's book author. Her first book, titled "You're Beautiful as Both," is a heartwarming celebration of diversity from the perspective of a mixed-race person, delivering a powerful message that encourages children to embrace the beauty found in differences.

Cat is a visionary with an unwavering dedication to excellence, a wealth of experience, and a passion for making a positive impact. She is poised to continue shaping impactful narratives and contributing to a more inclusive world through her writing. 

In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her three children and sweet yorkipoo, exercising, discovering new places off the beaten path, and curling up with a good read. She believes in being present, fun, open-minded, and always true to who she is. She is creative to her core and fearlessly living out her dreams.

As Healthcare Success’ Senior Media Buyer, Charlie DeNatale has overseen and executed traditional media plans for over 75 healthcare clients. With over 35 years of experience, Charlie has purchased advertising in virtually every city and town in the US (200 DMAs). Charlie prides himself on his adept media strategy, research, planning, buying, and implementation of both direct response and branded media campaigns.

Originally from New York City, Charlie joined the Healthcare Success team in 2010. Before Healthcare Success, Charlie served as VP/Advertising for several in-house media corporations and worked as Media Director for New York-based advertising agencies Christopher Thomas Associates and Lobo & Petrocine. Beyond healthcare, Charlie has led hundreds of media campaigns for higher education, finance, and sports.

A graduate of Upsala College, his career has also included public speaking, radio broadcasting, and sports reporting for national sports networks and news outlets. Charlie currently resides in San Diego, California.

For more than 30 years, Darlene has worked with healthcare clients across nearly every therapeutic category and has launched an impressive roster of brands in the pharmaceutical, biotech, diagnostic and device spaces. She has held executive positions at some of the top global healthcare agencies in the pharma industry, including Ogilvy and McCann. She has received the SmartCEO Brava Award, Medical Marketing & Media Hall of Femme Award, Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association Rising Star Award and the prestigious PharmaVoice 100 award, which celebrates the top 100 most inspiring people in the life-sciences industry.

David is a data-driven paid media strategist with deep expertise across healthcare, financial services, and enterprise-level performance marketing. With nearly a decade of experience managing multimillion-dollar portfolios across Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Performance Max, YouTube, Display, and AI-powered optimization frameworks, he brings a rigorous, analytics-first approach to every client engagement.

He has led paid media strategy for major healthcare systems, pharmaceutical brands, and national organizations, overseeing complex campaigns across orthopedics, cardiology, primary care, DTC medical products, and enterprise POS solutions. His work spans full-funnel media planning, cross-channel forecasting, advanced segmentation, offline conversion modeling, and integrated reporting. David is known for turning messy data into clear direction, building scalable account structures, and driving measurable growth in highly regulated, competitive environments.

With a foundation in data analytics and a strong focus on automation, David has developed AI-assisted reporting workflows, performance dashboards, and media optimization SOPs that help teams move faster and make more informed decisions. He collaborates closely with directors, internal teams, and client stakeholders to align business goals with actionable media strategy.

Today, David leads paid media efforts across the agency’s healthcare portfolio, guiding clients through evolving advertising policies and fast-moving market conditions. His approach is simple: deliver efficient, scalable growth while making the complex feel refreshingly straightforward.

Ed Grieser is a strategic marketing leader with over a decade of experience driving growth through performance marketing, client strategy, and conversion rate optimization. At Healthcare Success, he leads cross-functional efforts to turn complex marketing challenges into clear, results-driven solutions, helping healthcare brands scale with confidence.

Ed blends strategic insight with executional rigor to help clients cut through the noise and capture demand across paid media, web, and CRM. With a deep understanding of how paid media, CRO, and full-funnel strategy intersect, he’s known for translating complex goals into actionable plans, aligning teams, and pushing beyond vanity metrics to focus on what truly moves the needle.

When he’s not optimizing funnels or fine-tuning campaign performance, he’s spending time with his wife and twin daughters, catching live music, or escaping to the great outdoors for a much-needed recharge.

Gabby Villegas is an account supervisor at Healthcare Success. Gabby has over three years of digital marketing experience, particularly in the areas of paid search, social, and email marketing in an agency setting. She has worked with many clients to generate successful campaigns, increase website visitors and overall revenue while helping guide and teach clients in all aspects of digital marketing. Gabby graduated with a B.A. in Communication, with an emphasis on Societal Communication from Point Loma Nazarene University. When she is not working, she is reading one of the hundreds of books on her shelves or perusing TikTok to find the next food hotspot.

Hailey is passionate about multi-channel marketing and cultivating strong client relationships. She strives to execute her client's goals while helping them develop a deeper understanding of digital marketing.

With four years of agency experience, she has led strategy for and worked in various online advertising programs. These platforms include Google Ads (Paid Search, Display, YouTube, and the Google Ad Grant for Nonprofits), Meta (Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, or Meta Audience Network), LinkedIn, TikTok, and Bing. She has prior experience managing multi-million dollar paid social campaigns for a Fortune 500 company and has extensive experience running campaigns for nonprofits. Hailey also has a background in SEO, CRO, and conversion design, among other services.

In her free time, Hailey enjoys baking, taking care of her plants, and anything DIY. As a San Diego resident, she loves getting out to the beach, hiking, and skiing.

A healthcare digital marketer for more than six years, Jacob began his career as a Strategist on the Internet Brands/WebMD team. Jacob later transitioned into the digital agency world, and today he leads relationships for many of Healthcare Success’ new clients. Jacob helps all sizes of organizations, and his most recent clients range from a single location addiction treatment center to a 65 location senior living community. Jacob prides himself on his ability to assess his clients’ needs, and then guide them to the optimal digital marketing strategy for their business.

Jeff brings more than 20 years experience as a CFO to Healthcare Success in his role as strategic partner and trusted advisor to the CEO. Jeff is a process expert, a proven leader in performance management and has extensive experience in financial reporting & modeling, audit & compliance and M&A. Jeff’s previous career stops include National Medical Enterprises (Tenet Healthcare), Centex Homes (Pulte Group) and Birtcher Real Estate Ltd. (Mitsui & Co. Ltd.). He is adept at identifying cost drivers and substantial areas of savings, overcoming obstacles to company growth and is able to gain a long-range outlook of business through solid financial planning and strategy. Jeff earned his undergraduate accounting degree from California State University, Long Beach and did his graduate work at Golden Gate University. Along with his wife and daughter, Jeff is an ardent supporter of people with special needs and together they regularly donate time and money to a variety of organizations.

Senior Paid Media Manager focused on acquisition for multi-location businesses. I view Google Ads as a constantly changing puzzle, thriving on the thrill of the hunt to bring in high-value business for clients. With a decade of experience, I’ve seen the landscape evolve from the days of "AdWords" and $1,000 "mesothelioma" clicks to today’s complex ecosystems. My home base is Google Ads, PMax, and LSA, supported by a deep passion for the underlying data: keyword analysis, clean conversion tracking, and call tracking platforms (DNI). At Healthcare Success, I am excited to pair tight testing with clean attribution to grow patient acquisition, turn wins into repeatable playbooks, and learn from the best in the industry.

Off the clock, I am a dedicated pet person whose calls are frequently crashed by my loving crew: two dogs, Oakley and Bella, and a cat, Milo. Beyond the digital hunt, I am an avid collector who appreciates the history and nostalgia found in objects. My diverse collections range from Pokémon and sports cards to vintage typewriters; if it’s collectible, I probably have one. Whether I’m analyzing data to solve a search puzzle or seeking out a rare item, I'm driven by a love for detail and the satisfaction of a complete collection.

In her career, Kathy has helped over 4,000 clients all over North America achieve their growth goals. As an award-winning strategic marketing planner, Kathy has been involved in both the high-level strategies required for long-term sustainability, plus the tactical execution used to accomplish the day-to-day successes. In addition, Kathy is an accomplished speaker, appearing at countless national, local and state healthcare associations. Kathy is a member of the American Marketing Association and The Direct Marketing Association.

Lonnie Hirsch is a nationally recognized healthcare marketing executive with over three decades of experience helping providers, healthcare organizations, and corporations achieve sustainable growth. Lonnie co-founded Healthcare Success in 2006 and later founded Forefront Healthcare Consulting (FHC) in 2019. As CEO of Forefront, he continues to advise and support healthcare organizations nationwide. In his role as Growth Advisor for Healthcare Success, Lonnie focuses on business development and marketing strategy for some of our enterprise-level clients, leveraging his broad expertise and deep knowledge of the healthcare landscape to deliver measurable results and inspire successful growth strategies.

Madison is a performance-driven marketing strategist with 5 years of hands-on experience in paid media buying at top performance marketing agencies. With a focus on delivering real, measurable results, Madison helps brands scale by turning ad spend into tangible business growth.

She brings a passion for data-backed decision-making and thrives at the intersection of paid media, creative strategy, and conversion optimization. Known for cutting through the noise and aligning campaigns with client goals, she's driven by what actually moves the needle.

Mark J Tager, MD is Chief Enhancement Officer (CEO) of ChangeWell, Inc., a San Diego organization that trains and coaches healthcare practitioners to enhance their presence in person, on camera and online. A veteran of more than 1,000 presentations, Mark shares his skills and passion to empower those who attend his trainings. As a physician, he is well grounded in aesthetic, lifestyle, regenerative and integrative medicine. A highly sought-after speaker and consultant, he has lectured and trained extensively in the United States, Europe and Asia.

Mark is active with many of the functional, integrative, and anti-aging medical associations. He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Duke University and trained in Family Practice at the University of Oregon Health Sciences Center. He has authored or co-authored ten books on disease prevention, health promotion and practice management, as well as produced more than 100 educational videos.

Mary Hayes brings over 25 years of marketing experience to Healthcare Success, including specialized expertise in digital strategies, content marketing, and SEO. A proud graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park, where she earned her BA in Speech Communication and Rhetoric, Mary has developed a unique ability to create compelling narratives that resonate with audiences. Her expertise lies in crafting targeted solutions that not only drive brand growth but also foster deep engagement with customers. Mary’s approach blends strategic insight with creativity and an analytical mindset, allowing her to tackle complex marketing challenges and deliver impactful, measurable results. She is passionate about staying ahead of industry trends and leveraging innovative techniques to enhance brand visibility in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Outside of her professional pursuits, Mary cherishes spending quality time with her family. Whether hiking outdoors, enjoying beach days, or embarking on road trips, she values time with her two sons, who inspire her both personally and professionally.

Samantha Masters is the Local SEO Marketing Manager for Healthcare Success, where she leads location-based SEO strategies for businesses aiming to boost their presence in local search results. Her work spans platforms including Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Apple Business Connect, and more.

She is a well-rounded digital strategist with knowledge and expertise, not only in local SEO, but paid media, email marketing, technical SEO, organic SEO and more. She is passionate about helping clients increase their local visibility and drive measurable results.

Samantha graduated with a BS in Marketing and a MBA from Southwest Baptist University. Outside of work, she enjoys spending quality time with her family, immersing herself in books—especially fantasy and adventure novels, and traveling. She is a certified scuba diver and enjoys escaping  to somewhere tropical to dive.

A strategic, multidisciplinary content director with 20 years of experience in content marketing for small to large businesses. Today, she oversees the content department at HS, which includes her dream team of stellar editors and writers.

Among various in-house marketing positions, she has spent most of her career at top-tier SEO agencies, including Bruce Clay, considered the father of SEO. Her specialty is developing processes for quality content that align search, brand, and performance objectives across all consumer touchpoints.

Melanie holds a B.A. in journalism from California State University Northridge. When she’s not sitting at her desk in her cozy home office, she's cooking simple meals and enjoying life with her husband and son.

Melanie Tsai is a Senior Account Manager at Healthcare Success. She brings 6 years of agency experience with a deep knowledge of digital marketing and brand strategy.

With a degree in Literary Journalism from the University of California, Irvine, she’s passionate about storytelling and human communication. She translates this passion into her work by linking data, branding, and creative to help clients uncover their own stories, and drive growth through meaningful connection.

In her spare time, you can find Melanie hanging out with her two cats, immersed in a new audio book, or trying out the latest snacks at the Disneyland parks with her family and friends.

Naghmeh is the SEO Manager at HS, responsible for technical search engine optimization (SEO) and developing ongoing content strategies to improve our clients’ organic traffic and presence. She has over ten years of experience working with national and international clients across various industries, including enterprise-level healthcare businesses, multilocation practices, real estate, retail, publishing, and e-commerce. She always strives to deliver excellent in-depth, thorough work and meets the highest standards.

Before joining Healthcare Success LLC, Naghmeh worked for two of the nation’s leading SEO firms: first as SEO Analyst for the venerable Bruce Clay, Inc, and then as SEO Architect Manager for ForwardPMX (AKA The Search Agency). She has performed effective SEO strategy on many nationally known brands such as eBay, Century 21, Realtor, Weather Channel, Redbull, Grammy’s, CapitalOne, Pacific Dental, Investor’s Business Daily, etc.

Netania Le is the Senior Paid Media Specialist at Healthcare Success. In her role, she heads paid social campaigns, supports the paid search department, and oversees all internal marketing projects. Her areas of expertise also include local Search Engine Optimization and reputation management.

She is very tech-savvy, stays on top of industry trends in the ever-evolving social media landscape, and is constantly seeking to improve client results. Before joining Healthcare Success, Netania worked in various healthcare organizations and marketing roles in both the nonprofit and public sector, including Pacific Dental Services’ marketing department. She received her bachelor’s degree from Chapman University.

Paul brings over 20 years of experience in creative agency leadership and account management, with a strong passion for brand strategy, creative, web, SEO, and digital advertising. He has delivered solutions for global consumer brands, foundations, universities, medical research centers, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations.

As a systems-level thinker, Paul has led the development of over a dozen web and digital programs for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. He has orchestrated marketing initiatives in mental health and regenerative medicine for the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center. In this work, he has become dedicated to supporting innovation and improving healthcare and public health outcomes.

As an active backcountry skier and cyclist, Paul has also balanced his professional expertise with a deep personal love of the outdoors and the environment. In his home state of Colorado, he has spearheaded integrated climate change, sustainability, and resource conservation campaigns for Keystone Policy Center, Rocky Mountain Institute, City of Boulder, and Town of Vail.

Paul is a visual artist and painter, a collector of guitars, an aficionado of history, and a proud Dad of two teenagers. Throughout the year, you can find him hiking in the mountains near Boulder with his three dogs, Hazel, Desmond, and Zoe.

Sara has more than 15 years digital and content marketing experience. She specializes in writing engaging, educational, and on-brand content for healthcare clients across the nation. Sara enjoys distilling complex topics into relatable, readable content whether she’s taking a new product to market, promoting emerging technologies, or explaining complex medical concepts.

Sara is also a wife, mother of 5 (3 human, 2 furry), gardener, author of the children’s book, “Banana Island,” and volunteer VP of Communications for her children’s elementary school PTA, where she manages all inbound marketing.

Since 2006, Stewart has led Healthcare Success, one of the nation’s top healthcare marketing agencies, helping hospitals, multilocation practices and healthcare systems grow patient volume, strengthen referrals, improve payor mix and expand into new markets.

A recognized thought leader, Stewart has consulted for over 1,500 healthcare clients, spoken at national and international healthcare conferences and contributed to industry publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Medical Economics, AMA and Dental Economics. He is also a sought-after podcast host and guest, keynote speaker, webinar presenter and author, combining strategic vision with hands-on expertise to help healthcare brands grow and prepare for an AI-driven future.

Stewart also co-authored  “Cash-Pay Healthcare: Start, Grow & Perfect Your Cash-Pay Healthcare Business.”

Read more about his journey, clients and expertise in transforming healthcare marketing. »

With over two decades of experience in development and specializing in web solution architecture, Tony has a diverse range of technical knowledge that is always consistently adapting and evolving with the ever-changing landscape of the digital world. He has spent the ladder of his career dedicated to helping international non-profit brands, such as Mercy Ships, Operation Smile and Feeding America in bridging the gap between technology and traditional direct response marketing. He believes in the power of technology to drive positive change, and his passion lies in leveraging innovative solutions to enhance outreach and engagement for organizations that make a difference in the communities.

While he is not immersing himself in technology, Tony lives a very active lifestyle where you will find him exploring the great outdoors scaling mountains and monuments or doing endurance sports.

Shawn Kost is a full stack developer who blends technical expertise with a creative eye. He most recently spent two and a half years teaching a new generation of developers in technologies from HTML and CSS to React, Node.js, and PostgreSQL. Previously, he also served in a developer role at a previous digital marketing agency, where he built websites and digital solutions for clients.

When he’s not immersed in code, Shawn channels his technical skills into a different type of production. As a lighting designer for concerts and theatrical performances, he designs and operates lights. This creative outlet perfectly complements his work as a developer, showcasing his ability to orchestrate both logical systems and artistic vision.