Meet our team

Todd Marks, Daily Record’s 3-time Most Admired CEO, 2-time EY Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist, member of Baltimore Magazine’s 40 under 40, Maryland Tech Council’s 2022 CEO of the Year, and The Daily Record’s Innovator of the Year, is the founder and CEO of Mindgrub Technologies. Mindgrub, a member of the Inc. 5000 for ten years running and the Maryland Tech Council’s Tech Company of the Year, is an agency at the intersection of technology and business, designing and engineering solutions that define a company’s digital presence.

Shalisa Mohamed is the Chief Operations Officer at Mindgrub Technologies, where she has been a driving force behind the company’s growth and innovation since 2018. With over 25 years of experience in technology leadership, operations management, and digital transformation, she has been instrumental in scaling Mindgrub into a nationally recognized digital agency. Under her leadership, the company has partnered with global brands to deliver award-winning campaigns, applications, and enterprise solutions.

Before joining Mindgrub, Shalisa spent over a decade at United Communications Group (UCG), advancing to Chief Information Officer. There, she led enterprise solutions, product development, and technology services across multiple portfolio companies, while serving as IT liaison for acquisitions and divestitures. During the same time, she also served as Chief Technology Officer at Vantage Production, LLC, where she directed technology strategy and product development.

Earlier in her career, Shalisa built a strong foundation in product assurance, quality management, and technical innovation through engineering and QA leadership roles at Deloitte & Touche Tax Technologies and Hughes Space and Communications. Recognized as a collaborative leader, she excels at bridging the gap between technology and business strategy. She is passionate about developing high-performing teams, scaling operations, and delivering solutions that leverage technology to unlock human potential.

Aaron Bickoff is the Vice President of the Project Management Office at Mindgrub, guiding our team of project managers to address and meet every client’s need from project conception through completion. As a Certified Scrum Master and Project Management Professional (PMP), Aaron believes that efficient processes and team collaboration within each project lead to innovative and customized outcomes.

Whether building new operational practices or collaborating with designers, developers, and architects, Aaron facilitates accurate and efficient production for all clients. Aaron utilizes a mix of waterfall and agile processes to help teams develop viable products.

Prior to joining Mindgrub, Aaron spent over 10 years serving as a Senior Project Manager and Operations Director for internationally renowned agencies. In addition to his efforts with Mindgrub, Aaron is invested in improving his community. He is a 2016 graduate of Business Volunteers Maryland’s GIVE Program and is a regular participant with Volunteering Untapped.

Dean Merritt is the VP of Sales for Mindgrub, leading a team of engagement directors and business analysts in providing emerging technology and custom digital experiences for global industry leaders including Exelon, NASA, Wendy’s, Under Armour, Yamaha, and Crayola. Dean is a licensed Maryland attorney and brings over 13 years of technology sales experience to the team. He has assisted law firms, courts, sheriffs, and other businesses in identifying inefficiencies, improving operations, and using technology to better manage their practice and increase business opportunities. Dean is also a licensed real estate broker and has handled both residential and commercial real estate transactions.

Jolene is a seasoned VP of Sales with a knack for building strong connections and driving serious results. With 15+ years of experience, she has helped companies grow across industries like Marketing, SaaS, AI, Software Development, Mobile Device Management, and Digital Solutions.

She believes sales isn’t about gimmicks or pressure. It’s about understanding needs, knowing how to help if you can, and focusing on the people and businesses you can truly support. Throughout her career, Jolene has led high-performing teams, built sales departments from the ground up, developed winning playbooks, and helped scale companies from $16 million to $100 million fast.

In her current role, she is diving deep into AI consulting and digital transformation, helping businesses uncover ways to save time and boost profits.

Outside of work, Jolene is a proud mom, wife, daughter, and friend. She’s always up for glamping weekends with her family, girls’ trips to the beach, and Champagne Sundays with neighbors. Whether at work or at play, she’s all about making life and business a lot more fun.

Branddy Spence is Mindgrub’s Director of Marketing, bringing more than 20 years of experience in global marketing and strategic communications. She’s a seasoned leader known for crafting integrated strategies that elevate brands, accelerate growth, and connect technology to the people it serves.

Before joining Mindgrub, Branddy held senior roles at companies including OpSec Security, Globalization Partners, and MarqVision, where she helped shape go-to-market strategies and accelerate revenue. As the founder of Laru Marketing, she partnered with small service brands, B2B companies, and industry associations to deliver results-driven strategies tailored to each client.

Branddy is especially passionate about the intersection of marketing and technology, with a growing focus on the practical applications of AI. At Mindgrub, she champions the use of AI in marketing and helps amplify how the agency integrates AI into its client solutions. She’s driven by curiosity, energized by big ideas, and always looking for ways to turn insight into impact.

Michael Pierson is a graduate of University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), and is currently seeking a Masters of Business Administration at UB/Towson University.  Mike enjoys Ravens football, Orioles baseball, Capitals ice hockey, and golfing in his spare time.

Mo is a builder driven by impact—designing and developing AI systems that solve real problems, deliver tangible outcomes, and push the boundaries of what technology can do. As Director of AI at Mindgrub, he helps organizations move from ambition to execution through Agentic systems. With over 20 years of experience, he has developed both generative and traditional AI applications that drive real-world results. His work includes co-developing a generative AI music platform with Siri Co-Founder Tom Gruber to boost artist revenue, creating AI tools with NCMEC to accelerate the identification of child exploitation victims, and helping build fraud detection tools that dismantled the largest ad fraud operation in collaboration with the FBI and Google. Mo thrives at the intersection of innovation, execution, and meaningful change.

Meagan brings over 19 years of experience in digital and product design, creating award-winning websites, apps, advertising campaigns, and brand identity for a wide variety of clients from non-profits to hospitality to beauty brands. She leads the creative and design team at Mindgrub, overseeing a multidisciplinary team of super-talented product designers, UX designers, UI designs, content strategists and copywriters to research and bring human-centered design solutions to life. Meagan is passionate about integrating design, technology, and business strategy to craft impactful products that empower users and drive clients’ success.

Past clients include Livestrong, AIA, United Way, APL Civil Space, the National Aquarium, Kleenex, Marriott Hotels, Carey Business School, University of Maryland, and Under Armour. She holds a BA in Graphic Design from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and has previously taught design and user experience as an adjunct professor.

Robbie Callen is Associate Engineering Director at Mindgrub, where he leads cross-functional teams to build innovative digital solutions. With a background in neuroscience and over a decade of tech experience, Robbie blends strategic thinking with hands-on expertise to drive impactful results.

Laura Gousha is the Engagement Director, Energy and Utilities at Mindgrub. In her role, she oversees Mindgrub’s utility practice, which focuses on transforming customer experience through the development of engaging digital platforms.

She brings extensive experience in custom software development, project requirements definition and estimation, agile process implementation, team management, and overall strategic planning for clients that range from startups to Fortune 100 organizations.

With a strong track record of success with clients including Exelon, Entergy, and LG&E KU, Laura enjoys collaborating with clients to enhance digital experience. Laura’s thought leadership in the utility sector has been tapped by organizations and event committees including Chartwell, Distributech, Behavior Energy and Climate Change Conference, Mobile Payments Conference, The Association of Edison Illuminating Companies, and Energy Central.

Eric Cimon is the Director of Project Management at Mindgrub. Eric has been leading teams in the successful execution of high-profile digital transformation projects for nearly a decade and has a combined 20 years of Project Management experience. With a focus on transparency, collaboration and open communication, Eric has been able to turn projects into partnerships across several industries. Past and current clients include Georgia Pacific, Forvis Mazars, Nova Scotia Power, Northwestern Energy, National Fuel, the State of New Hampshire, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Eric understands the regulatory requirements of government and utility organizations and has mentored teams of nimble and experienced Project Managers with experience and knowledge across many industries.

In addition to his approach to managing successful projects and partnerships, Eric leverages his experience as a Certified Scrum Master (CSM) and Project Management Professional (PMP) to run projects lean with a focus on efficiency throughout. He brings an individualized approach to each project engagement, ensuring stakeholders needs are met and project goals are achieved through project specific processes and ceremonies. The Project Management team at Mindgrub, under Eric’s leadership, have embraced the use of AI tools to simplify tasks, standardize ticket creation and automate efforts to allow the team to focus and have the capacity to be more effective the human centric elements of managing each project. Eric is always challenging himself and his team to question the status quo, find new ways to accomplish goals and innovate across the spectrum of the Project Management field.

Eric lives with his wife and two children on the New Hampshire Seacoast.

Karen Nickel is an accomplished Director of Quality Assurance with over 20 years of leadership experience in driving quality excellence across complex, regulated environments. With a strong background in software development, she has built a reputation for establishing and optimizing quality systems that ensure compliance, mitigate risk, and enhance customer satisfaction.

Throughout her career, Karen has led cross-functional teams in the design and implementation of quality frameworks, including ISO standards, FDA regulations, Accessibility compliance, and industry-specific compliance protocols. Known for a hands-on leadership style and a commitment to continuous improvement, she has successfully guided organizations through audits, product launches, and process transformations that have significantly improved performance metrics and reduced defect rates.

Karen is passionate about fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and excellence in quality practices.

In addition to her work with Mindgrub, Karen is deeply committed to giving back to her community. She founded Gabby Hugz, a charitable initiative that supports breast cancer patients by providing thoughtfully curated care packages filled with comforting and practical items to ease the challenges of chemotherapy and radiation treatment.

Robert Koch is a results-driven engineering leader with over a decade of experience guiding mobile and emerging technology teams from concept through delivery. As Director of Engineering at Mindgrub Technologies, he spearheads innovation in mobile application development, integrating cutting-edge technologies such as AI, AR, and VR to create seamless, engaging digital experiences.

With a career that began in hands-on software engineering, Robert has grown into a strategic leader known for fostering collaboration, mentoring high-performing teams, and aligning engineering efforts with business goals. He has overseen multi-platform projects, led R&D initiatives, and partnered with executives to drive long-term technical vision and organizational growth.

Robert holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a B.S. in Landscape Management from the University of Maryland, College Park. His passion lies in building innovative solutions while empowering teams to thrive.

Justin Bend is Director of Product Strategy at Mindgrub, where he leads cross-functional teams in delivering high-impact digital products across industries including healthcare, fitness, energy, and AI. With nearly 20 years of experience in digital product design and strategy, Justin helps organizations turn complex challenges into clear, user-centered solutions that drive measurable outcomes.

He holds a terminal MFA in Integrated Design from the University of Baltimore, where his thesis explored how technology can foster more civil and inclusive online political discourse. That work continues to inform his passion for building digital experiences that support trust, connection, and thoughtful engagement in today’s fragmented digital landscape.

Kevin brings a deep background in math and computer science education together with a passion for digital innovation in the public sector. As a former high school teacher and National Board Certified educator, he led curriculum development, coached new teachers, and built computer science programs from the ground up. At Mindgrub, Kevin guides strategic partnerships across federal, state, and education markets, helping organizations modernize through purposeful, user-centered technology solutions that drive real impact.

Cynthia Philpot (aka CyPhi, pronounced “Sci-Fi”)

CyPhi is a connector of people, processes, and technology. Since joining Mindgrub in October 2020 as a Support Coordinator, she has steadily grown into her current role managing the Managed Services team, also known as ACES. In this role, she ensures that client requests are handled efficiently and with care, maintaining clear communication and keeping projects on track.

With a background in organizational development and a passion for process improvement, CyPhi is recognized for streamlining operations and resolving issues before they escalate. Her attention to detail, combined with her strengths in communication, mentoring, and cross-functional collaboration, makes her a trusted leader within the organization.

Always seeking ways to work smarter, CyPhi turns everyday challenges into opportunities to improve outcomes for both clients and teams.

With more than 15 years experience in the Client Services world, Stephen is a valuable resource for everything clients and accounts. A listener first, Stephen loves to learn and understand. Need strategic input? Problem solving or solutions? An ear or a new best friend? He’s your guy.

Casey is a strategic Account Director with a strong background in client relationship management, digital project delivery and long-term partnership growth. With experience across agencies, she supports clients by aligning project outcomes with business goals and identifying opportunities for expansion. Casey brings a collaborative, detail-oriented approach to every engagement and thrives at the intersection of strategy, service and execution.

Rich Dent is an Account Director at Mindgrub with nearly 20 years of experience leading client strategy, digital marketing, and performance-driven solutions. He supports a wide range of industries and project types, including full-scale web and mobile applications, startup consulting, and agency partnerships.

Rich is passionate about helping clients achieve their goals and building custom experiences that make a real impact on their customers. He brings a collaborative, down-to-earth approach to every engagement and loves seeing the results when great strategy and creative thinking come together.

When he’s not working with clients, there’s a good chance you’ll find him at an Orioles or Ravens game, or checking out a concert somewhere around Baltimore or DC.

Christina Jugel, CF APMP, CTM
Director of Sales Enablement & Bid Strategy

Christina Jugel is Mindgrub’s Director of Sales Enablement and Bid Strategy, where she leads the firm’s proposal operations with a focus on growth, process optimization, and strategic positioning. With over a decade of experience in proposal management, client services, and integrated marketing, Christina brings deep expertise and a proven track record of winning complex, cross-sector work.

Born in the Southern United States and having lived in cities across the country, including Georgia, upstate New York, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, and now Baltimore, Christina offers a well-rounded national perspective and a strong ability to adapt to diverse teams and industries. Early in her career, she worked for an experiential marketing company based in Chicago as a Regional Operations Manager and later as a National Training Manager. She went on to spend ~10 years with a retail marketing firm as a Senior Account Director and Senior Project Manager, overseeing high-impact campaigns for national brands.

She is also a Certified Training Manager and Business Operations Analyst, with a keen eye for efficiency and cross-functional collaboration. Her client experience spans a wide range of industries, including fashion, beauty, consumer goods, gas and oil, pharmaceuticals, blood supply and health systems, higher education, K–12 education, music, and entertainment television.

Since joining Mindgrub in June 2020, Christina has been responsible for managing all formal RFP responses, leading teams across strategy, writing, pricing, and delivery, while ensuring both public and private sector proposals are compliant, compelling, and tailored. Other certifications she has earned include the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (CF APMP), IDEO U, and Baskar’s AI Bootcamp, reflecting her commitment to communication, innovation, and lifelong learning.

Christina is the proud recipient of Mindgrub’s Gold Mind Award in both 2022 and 2024, a testament to her leadership, collaboration, and impact on company growth. She loves the RFP process, describing it as a strategic puzzle – bringing together the right pieces to create a tailored, winning solution.

She is also passionate about giving back. Her volunteer work includes service with the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland, Habitat for Humanity, the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Response Team in early 2020, and Maryland Horse Rescue.

Known for her ability to quickly interpret a client’s needs and translate them into well-structured, persuasive proposal responses, as well as her strategic thinking, calm presence, and attention to detail, Christina approaches every opportunity with empathy, enthusiasm, and a drive to win.

Blake brings 20+ years of experience architecting, developing, and managing SaaS and tech solutions for demanding customers. Blake founded and operated a development and SaaS firm, balancing product, customer, and vendor management with solution architecture, delivering cloud services and development for B2B and B2C enterprises ranging in size.

He is comfortable communicating with developers, cross-functional team members, customers, and executives to balance risk and budget to deliver right-sized solutions. He is an experienced account manager as well as a direct contributor in consulting, development, project, and product management roles. Blake helps a team deliver customer value in dynamic, constrained environments by applying a positive, adaptable approach to achieve business and technical requirements while designing for simplicity, efficiency, flexibility, modularity, reliability, scalability, and predictability.

He currently serves as an Account Director for Mindgrub focusing on managing and expanding the accounts within the energy and utilities sector through the delivery of innovative custom mobile app development, web solutions, and the integration behind them.

Christopher Doran is a Healthcare Engagement Director at Mindgrub.

Jonathan Hawk is the Director of Cloud Engineering at Mindgrub.