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Root HQ

Root is a creative marketing agency.

Headquartered in Central California, we specialize in marketing Agriculture & Lifestyle brands. Our agency thrives on helping clients grow brand awareness and increasing their top line.

Stephanie Steelman

Co-owner and Marketing Director at Root, Stephanie oversees business operations where she promotes a healthy work life balance across our agency. With over 10 years experience in marketing and public relations for brands all across the globe and industry wide, she has helped establish marketing standards and goals for our agency and continues to play a large role in our clients' overall marketing strategies.

Co-Owner and Marketing Director

Sam Justice

Co-owner and Creative Director at Root, Sam is passionate about bringing visions to life. With 10 years of creative experience, specifically in the wedding industry, he has helped tackle the logistics in running our agency through his pragmatic approach. Sam’s mission is simple: deliver results to give brands the opportunity to stand out amongst a crowded field by telling their story.

Co-Owner and Creative Director

Alexandra Merritt

As a Marketing Account Manager, Alexandra brings a creative, fresh eye to our marketing team. Her experience working for companies like Dutch Bros Coffee and a number of established wineries across the globe inspires her to have a special knack for social media marketing, allowing her to stay ahead of the curve. In her role, Alex helps establish our agency’s company culture, elevating our thinking and producing results.

Account Director

Sara Johantgen

Sara is a highly experienced and well-rounded professional with over 20 years of experience in the Federal government sector. Her roles have included procurement, operations, and administration. Sara has a Bachelor's degree in Business Studies with a focus on operations and project management from Southern New Hampshire University. Her extensive experience, technical aptitude, and personal touch make her a valuable asset to the Root team.

Office Administrator

Joel Mariano

Joel is the Lead Content Producer at Root, helping brands stick out and share their authentic stories. Through his career, he’s worked and continues to work with brands like Daughters of Simone, Talley Vineyards, Harris Family Enterprises, and many others. Having spent a few years in the creative industry, Joel strives to make his ceiling our floor, for both our clients and team.

Lead Content Producer

Alex Gutierrez

Meet Alex, Root Creative Marketing's talented and versatile Account Coordinator. With extensive experience in freelance creative work and a true passion for marketing, Alex brings a resourceful and scrappy approach to every project. What sets Alex apart is his unique perspective on the world, shaped by a colorful lifestyle and a deep understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives. He has a natural ability to connect with people from all walks of life, which makes him a valuable asset to Root Creative Marketing. Clients can rely on Alex to bring creativity, professionalism, and a fresh perspective to their marketing needs.

Account Coordinator

Katie Wilson

As a Marketing Account Manager, Katie works closely with our clients, bringing their marketing goals to life. With an aptitude for brand development and marketing strategy, she has contributed to an impressive list of successful marketing campaigns at Root. Katie is passionate about utilizing clever marketing tactics to help Root and our clients grow.

Marketing Account Manager

Daniel Borgatto

As a graphic designer, Daniel brings a wealth of experience spanning over 15 years in advertising, art direction, and design, with particular expertise in branding. With a degree in Advertising and Publicity Creation, a specialization in Arts and Graphic Design, and an MBA in Marketing Management (FGV), he has been able to understand how organizations, channels, and people behave to combine these parts intelligently to think and design new experiences. Daniel has developed successful solutions for several multinational corporations as well as collaborating with hundreds of agencies, startups, and partners worldwide.

Graphic Designer

Paige Kabeary

Paige is one of the Content Producers at Root, bringing extensive creative editing and agency experience to our team. Responsible for telling the story of many of Root’s clients, she's passionate and a creative thinker who balances emotions and excitements to tell a thoughtfully crafted story.

Creative Coordinator & Content Producer

Josh Troy

Meet Josh - the creative powerhouse with a passion for tackling diverse challenges and coming up with unique ideas that never fail to impress. Always up-to-date with the latest trends and armed with a keen eye for design that moves people emotionally, Josh is a team player who brings an infectious energy to every project. Music has been a constant in his life since he was a kid, and he's a streetwear fashionisto who also happens to be a connoisseur of the perfect cup of cofefe.

Creative Associate

Caetlyn Matthews

As Root's Project Coordinator, Caetlyn strives to make the communication, organization, and execution of projects as seamless and efficient as possible for our agency and its clients. With experience in marketing and event coordinating, Caet has an eye for the details and a determination to see things through to completion.

Project Coordinator

People are at the heart of what we do, and therefore, we have a heart for people. Our team becomes an extension of yours, passionately pursuing your brand objectives.

Our Team

At Root, our culture is everything.

Happy humans - it’s what’s important.

 We strive to create a place where people can learn, express themselves & let their creativity flourish while also doing the best they can to accomplish their job.

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