Bud Hennekes

Sr. Copywriter

Bud is a copywriter and content marketer by trade who resides in San Antonio, Texas, with his wife, two dogs, and two cats. He loves tech and the startup world and judging the copywriting on billboard ads in the middle of nowhere.

Outside of work, you can find him traveling, going down the rabbit hole of random topics, partaking in 30-day challenges, and spending time with his family.

Lauren Busche

Sr. Account Executive

Lauren is a University of Texas Alumna with a passion for advertising. After four years in Washington DC, Lauren made her way back to her hometown of Austin, Texas and couldn’t be happier to join the Third Rail team as an Account Executive.

In her free time you can find Lauren swimming or breaking in her hiking boots, curating a playlist for every occasion or planning an elaborately themed dinner party.

Cara Clear

Group Account Director

Cara is a University of Texas at Austin alum with over 7 years of experience in advertising and public relations. She started her career as Publicist at the Frank Erwin Center, then switched gears after 2 years to advertising as an Account Executive at a local agency.

Born and raised in Austin, Cara is a fan of all things Longhorns (Hook 'em!). She also enjoys playing golf, watching movies, going to open houses, board games, and of course, playing with her adorable son, Liam.

Annie Blalock

Account Executive

Annie joins the Third Rail Creative team as one of our new Account Coordinators. Born and Raised in Nashville, TN, she moved to Austin, TX from Oxford, MS where she attended The University of Mississippi (Hotty Toddy!) While in Oxford, Annie earned her B.B.A. in Marketing and her M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications. In her free time, you can find Annie adding to her garden, paddle boarding on Lady Bird, trying out new restaurants, and going on walks with her dog, Bella.

Abbey Dandy

Sr. Designer

We’re excited to welcome Abbey and her passion for web design and typography to our creative team as our new Interactive Designer. Drawing inspiration from contemporary and classic fashion and graphic design, she has always used art to express herself. Outside of designing, you can catch her riding her bike, collaging, and relaxing with family and friends.

Jill Bailey

Sr. Account Executive

Jill's experience is diverse and unique, and she brings humor and hard work to all of her projects. Jill loves process, documentation, and over-communication, making her an asset to the team. Ask her about her expansive knowledge of one of America's favorite fast-food restaurants if you're interested.

After hours, Jill likes to bake, explore Austin, and spend time with her husband, Jeff, and dog, Hank. She's always ready to watch a movie, especially if you don't mind her running commentary on every scene, actor, and plot.

Hanna Holt

Designer

Hanna is a graphic designer with a background in fine art and illustration. As a native Austinite, she graduated from Austin Community College and has experience working as a freelance designer for local musicians.

She enjoys trying out new crafts, hobbies, listening to local bands, and hanging out with her cat in her free time.

Mariana Rodriguez

Design Lead

Mariana graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Advertising Design and a minor in Photography. For nearly a decade, she has been an invaluable part of the Third Rail team, bringing her positivity, talent, and passion for design.

Now living in Portland with her husband and two little ones, Mariana enjoys staying active through fitness classes and long walks. She also loves outdoor activities like hiking, paddle boarding, and landscape photography.

Chris Sandoval

Associate Creative Director

Chris has spent the last three years of his decade-long career crafting copy at Third Rail. From emails to websites to employee bios, he does it all.

When he’s not writing for work, he’s writing for pleasure. He also enjoys swimming and biking in the great outdoors as well as drumming and watching movies in the great indoors.

Nguyen Pham

Design Lead

Nguyen is a multi-disciplinary designer with a focus in print design and production. Her experience working with various print and design software enables her to work behind-the-scenes to ensure all files are ready for the next stage.

Outside of the office, Nguyen enjoys finding the best karaoke places to belt out some classics, going to local breweries and shows, and embroidering on a quiet evening.

Marissa Chumbley

Account Supervisor

Marissa has been with the Third Rail team for the last two years on the account management side. She primarily focuses on managing Schwab Trading Services client marketing, Schwab Retail and optionsXpress. After receiving her MA in Advertising, she spent time at a local ad shop honing her digital marketing skills focusing on email, web, and social channels.

In her spare time, Marissa enjoys being outdoors on the trail or at the lake with her husband and two pups, Ava and Max. She loves traveling, concerts and a good cocktail. You’ll also find her cheering throughout the season for the Cowboys, Spurs and her alma mater, the Longhorns.

Desiray Davis

Account Executive

Desiray is our Account Service intern in her second year of grad school at the University of Texas at Austin, Stan Richards School of Advertising and PR. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Advertising focusing on Account Planning and Media Insights. When she is not discovering consumer insights, you can find her yelling "Texas! Fight!" at UT football, volleyball, and basketball games. Hook'em!

Mason Posch

Front End Developer

Mason is a Developer at Third Rail Creative with a background in a variety of agency roles. Mason enjoys the chance to work on projects that use modern technologies and getting to build new user experiences from the ground up. In his spare time, he enjoys playing drums in as many musical projects as he possibly can, working on DIY projects around the house, and spending time with his wife, son, and 3 pets.

Mark Scholes

Partner + Executive Creative Director

After graduating from the University of Texas, Mark started at The Richards Group working on national accounts including The Home Depot and Chick-fil-A. Moving back to Austin to be with his soon-to-be wife, he started Third Rail Creative building relationships with local clients as well as a few Fortune 500 clients.

Mark and his wife, Anissa, have 4 children, and when he’s not stepping on Legos, you can find him on the pickleball court, golf course, or with Anissa at the Paramount Movie Theater watching the classics.

High-voltage creativity with purpose.

Our People

The Agency

Bryan Branam

Irene Monokandilos

JJ Livesley