Ernie Agtarap / Designer

Ernie is a designer. Born in Manila, he moved to New York in 1999 to join the design and advertising world of the Big Apple. He studied Medicine in school but abandoned it midway to pursue his first love, the fine arts and visual communication. Ernie has 25+ years of experience in creative direction, visual communication, and brand development. Recognized internationally for expertise in graphic design, advertising, and corporate identity. Proven ability to lead creative strategy and produce award-winning advertising campaigns, global brand identities, marketing collateral, digital content, and publications. Highly versatile design professional with a portfolio spanning consumer brands for publicly traded Fortune 50 corporations as well as mission-driven nonprofits and foundations. Skilled in visual storytelling, issues advocacy, and thought leadership design. Ernie lives and works with his family in the tiny two square mile borough of Metuchen, New Jersey.

Lerie Gutierrez / Studio Manager

Lerie raised twin daughters pretty much by herself. So the role of Studio Manager is a walk in the park with her. She studied Psychology and Counseling at the university and cut her teeth at PriceWaterHouseCoopers in Change Management with concentration on Human Resources. Her decades of experience as a mom of two rambunctious twins and a moody husband certainly prepared her with handling the oftentimes unpredictable nature of creatives in our studio. When not taking care of the Studio, she spends time cooking and blogging about it in her popular and long running food blog, the SilverChopstix.com. Valerie lives in New Jersey and in the internet through daily FaceTimes with her mom and sisters in the Philippines.