John LaCroix: Founder/CEO
Though not known for its positive symptoms, ADHD offers proven advantages for John. As an Emmy award-winning creative director, published writer, photographer, music video director, producer, entrepreneur and ex-hardcore guitarist with experiences from television, high-tech, skateboarding, music, publishing and fashion industry adventures - it takes a lot to keep this guy focused.
Over 7 years ago he began introducing the Medicine Agency name to his freelance clients and to the world while launching Swindle Magazine… when some fancy-pants recruiters asked him to build a killer media production team and win awards doing it for the leading television sports broadcast graphics and content company. As the Creative Director, he’s delivered that and a whole lot more, throwing in an invention for a patent-pending camera technology that was used on the Olympics and NBA Finals its first year. John’s graphics have appeared on almost every national television network and his interactive work is enjoyed by millions of internet users every year, winning him an Emmy in 2005 for Outstanding Achievement in the category of Advanced Media Technology for the Enhancement of Original Television Content.
Rama Mayo: President
Way back in the early 1990’s, unsatisfied with just attending school and end up becoming another cookie in this work-a-day cookie cutter society, Rama decided he needed to do something different and creative with his time. In the depths of a smelly dormitory hall (ala Def Jam) he began Big Wheel Recreation, the record label that for the next five years grew quickly with releases from hard-working bands like Jejune, Fastbreak, Braid, In My Eyes, No Knife, Ten Yard Fight (John LaCroix’s first record) and Jimmy Eat World.
Rama teamed up with friends who ran other labels in the Boston area to form an independent entertainment conglomerate called Initech. From a single facility near Fenway Park, they pooled the resources of: Bridge 9 Records, Hydrahead Records and Doghouse Records plus added in-house booking (Matt Galle & Matt Pike) and publicity agents all distributed by Ohio based Lumberjack Distribution. By 2001, Rama opened a second BWR office in Los Angeles and had made a name for the label with releases from hot acts like Jimmy Eat World, Piebald, At The Drive-In, The (International) Noise Conspiracy and The Hives. BWR’s rosters of yesterday have become a who’s-who of today.
Rama later sold BWR to his distribution partner, Lumberjack, in order to work with artists at the major label level. Rama formed Tarantulas Management in 2004 and signed a management deal with The Explosion and Say Anything who went on to sign deals with Virgin Records and J Records respectively. Under direction from The Explosion, Rama developed and released multiple artists under the Tarantulas label including; The Distillers, The Lox Six, The Explosion, The Bronx, Darker My Love and The Static Age. Tarantulas was ‘put to sleep’ by The Explosion in 2006 after the band broke up due to conflicting touring interests.
In 2006 Rama formed United Trade Show. Rama was responsible for all marketing efforts, promotions and events and was able to create an incredible amount of energy for the United brand in a very short amount of time. United was an instant success with 5 consecutive sold out trade show events and a series of after-parties that will go down in history.
Marisa Ravel: Creative Director
An unstoppable idea factory, Marisa is probably somewhere thinking up concepts right now while you read this. She graduated in 2003 with a degree in Advertising/Art Direction from the
Academy of Art University and for the past seven years, she has been providing Art Direction and ideas to both big and small Bay Area agencies that specialize in direct response & digital out of home networks, directing literally hundreds of commercials. One night, while running her custom laser-cut jewelry line,
LaserKitten and moonlighting as advertising instructor at the Academy of Art University she brought her students to a Meds art event. Impressed by her passion of visual storytelling and wealth of experience, we hired her.
Jeff Chambers: Online Marketer
It was the summer of 2009 when Jeff first stepped through the Medicine Agency doors as a business-marketing student (and aspiring musician) with Cambo. After that, we couldn't seem to get rid of him. We had to make it official so we gave him the prestigious title of Head Intern during his third and final year at the
McLaren School of Business and Professional Studies at the
University of San Francisco and shortly after graduation we recruited him to join Meds full-time. Business education coupled with knowledge of viral media and social networking have proven Jeff to be useful on nearly all aspects of marketing and public relations projects. In addition to being an up-and-comer in the Online Marketing world, Jeff also plays guitar in DIY pop band,
CAMBO & The Life.
Lissa Moon LaCroix: Fashion Director
With over twelve years experience in the fashion industry, Lissa Moon brings a wide range of experience to Meds. Starting in 1998 when she was recruited by one of the top global skateboard brands, World Industries, as marketing assistant then recruited again in 1999 by Italian luxury label Fornarina to introduce their brand to the American market by leading wholesale distribution via Pool and Magic tradeshows as well as management and opening of their flagship store in Los Angeles, CA. In 2001, she met designer Freddie Rojas, and began to manage his national sales and retail store in Los Angeles. After the successful introduction of the Rojas brand to the global market, Lissa Moon set off to fulfill her destiny as a designer. She attended Academy of Art University and graduated at the top of her class in fashion design, while simultaneously coordinating all things fashion at Medicine Agency. As Fashion Director at Meds, Lissa Moon styles talent for music videos, commercials and advertising campaigns. She provides brand consulting and market research and she also designs garments for both emerging and well established labels, such as Free Gold Watch, Black Klown Clothier, Ron English / Popaganda and Image Unavailable.
Jesse Meeker: Video Artist
The tall, furry red man they call Jesse Meeker (aka Jessy Jamboree) is an interdisciplinary artist working with video and sound. In 2008, he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from
Arizona State University. After months of assisting new media artist and professor of art,
Dr. Muriel Magenta, Jesse relocated to San Francisco with pockets full of grants and awards for his video production and creative development through the creative collective,
Human Mirror Project. Now he shoots and edits some of the most bizarrely entertaining videos that we have ever seen.
