About / Leadership
Innovative, focused, and always on your side
Exceptional client service, extraordinary outcomes.
We strive to become an extension of your marketing team by delivering unparalleled counsel and results. Everything we do is rooted in a collective culture that puts you — and your business — first.
What makes us
who we are?
Community
We believe strong relationships
and trusted partnerships are
essential for success, reflected
by the depth and breadth
of our network.
Knowledge + Traditions
We developed deep expertise
in an ever-shifting industry as a
result of nearly 30 years in
media and marketing.
Values
Trust, tenacity, and transparency
are the cornerstones of our
integrated agency and the promise
we make to all our partners.
Tools +
Techniques
Our strategic approach merges
traditional methods with the
industry’s most innovative
tools and technologies.
Bold, relentless, agile. Get to know the leadership team that helps turn your vision into reality.
Christena Garduno
Chief Executive Officer
Christena has been an essential member of the Media Culture team since the business was founded as Koeppel Direct more than 25 years ago. She’s spent her career building the company from the ground up — leading with her forward-thinking vision for the agency and her willingness to take on any role, from accounting to media buying to new business. Christena’s dedication to making Media Culture a strategic, analytical, and trusted partner to clients has been the foundation for the agency’s growth and continued competitive success as the surrounding industry has experienced rapid change. Along the way, she has been recognized for her brilliant execution, including earning an Echo Award for her work with Turbo Tax.
Gary Golden
Chief Financial Officer
Jared Harrington
Chief Operating Officer
Jared oversees the daily operations of the agency and seeks opportunity for efficiency and growth. With a background focused in analytics, data science, and development, Jared has helped businesses understand and use their data to build viable and sustainable revenue models.
Nuno Andrade
Chief Innovation Officer
Nuno is a 15-year veteran in the digital media industry, starting with SEO and progressing into paid tactics such as search, social, programmatic, and streaming audio and video. Since joining Media Culture, Nuno has focused on bridging linear and digital media efforts within the agency while being responsible for the formulation of internal and client strategy. Prior to his role at Media Culture, Nuno was Southeast Media Lead at SapientNitro (now Publicis.Sapient), where he played a lead role in engagements across ecommerce, financial services, and tourism, working with clients such as L.L. Bean, Citibank, CapitalOne, and Visit Florida.
Shelby Nichols
Vice President of Media
For the past 20 years, Shelby has developed omnichannel strategies across CTV, video, audio, display, social, and paid search for the world’s largest retail and restaurant brands. She was recognized internationally by the Trade Desk, for her innovation and use of CTV in 2016. Shelby’s passion is rooted in the ever-changing nature of the media landscape. With previous experience in channels like Snapchat and TikTok, she remains committed to bringing new channels, testing opportunities, and targeting strategies to our clients. Before joining the team at Media Culture, she developed successful media strategies for clients like The Kroger Co., Arby’s, Shriners Children's, Wounded Warrior Project, and Save the Children.
Byron Oates
Sr. Director, Account Services
Byron has been a part of the Media Culture team for nearly 15 years, playing an integral role in developing meaningful relationships between Media Culture clients and the agency. From helping businesses define their objectives and strategy to managing budgets and overseeing campaign optimization, Byron is dedicated to advocating for each and every brand partner. Byron has spent the majority of his career working with direct response companies, beginning as an account executive at Planet-E-Shop. During his time at Media Culture, he has been the lead on dozens of direct response campaigns, including for clients such as Education Connection, FoodSaver, Nautilus, and SelectQuote.
Darwin Aguinaldo
Director, Linear Media
Darwin has more than 20 years of experience in media buying. Throughout his career, he has worked as both a long- and short-form media buyer, honing his expertise through positions with Inter/Media, ICEBox Advertising, KSL Media, and Media Design Group. Darwin works closely with the Media Culture Client Services and Linear Media Buying teams to oversee all linear media buying strategy and execution, providing unmatched insight to ensure all media buys are executed with accuracy and efficiency to meet client directives and goals.