Samuel J. Ashe II

SEO and Social Media Manager

Samuel J. Ashe II, MBA, better known as Sammy, is an award-winning marketing leader with extensive experience in SEO, social media strategy, and content marketing. Holding an MBA from California Lutheran University and a BFA in Film & Video Production from City College of New York (CUNY), Sammy brings a unique blend of creative and analytical expertise to his new role as SEO & Social Media Manager at Social Spice Media.

With a background spanning various industries, he’s made an impact on companies like Black Women’s Blueprint, iWALKFree, and Yardi Systems to name a few. Sammy has developed a keen insight into brand growth, engagement, and strategy. Known for his omnidirectional approach to digital marketing, he is dedicated to driving brand visibility, enhancing online presence, and crafting the unique stories that resonate with diverse audiences.

Outside of work, Sammy is an avid foodie and travel enthusiast, indulging in every opportunity to explore new flavors and destinations domestically and abroad alongside his wife.

Kay Nolan

Controller

Kay is an experienced Controller at Social Spice Media with over 30 years of experience is all aspects of accounting. She started her professional career in Peoria, IL at a waste management company. She moved to Ventura, CA in 1992 & began working for a manufacturing company in Ojai, CA which later moved to Oxnard, CA. Throughout the last 30 years, she has played many roles within the manufacturing company including Staff Accountant, Controller, Chief Financial Officer & HR Administrator.

When she’s not “counting beans”, Kay enjoys going to music concerts, hanging out with friends & taking long walks while listening to audio books.

Cindy Amahan

Administrative Assistant

Cindy Amahan is an experienced administrative assistant at Social Spice Media, specializing in calendar management, meeting coordination, and email outreach. With nearly a decade of working as a virtual assistant, Cindy has honed her skills in providing efficient and organized support to ensure smooth operations within the company.

Summer Pansini

Project Manager

Summer Pansini is an experienced Project Manager at Social Spice Media with over 20 years of experience in design and art direction. She started her professional career on-camera in HGTV’s “Design on a Dime” and later moved behind the scenes where she worked as a freelance Art Director and Project Manager for the television commercial industry. Throughout the years, Summer has been part of dozens of highly successful commercial campaigns for clients including Netflix, MasterClass, the NFL, Target, eBay, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Moet, Disney, Toyota, Hyundai, and Chevy.

Scott Ericson

Director of Business Development

Scott Ericson is the Director of Business Development with Social Spice Media. Scott brings over 35 years developing business and partnerships for companies and organizations. His background includes business development positions with a national broadline food distributor, national specialty pharmacy, nonprofit copay assistance organization and a five-year stint with the Chamber in Santa Barbara. He was also a co-owner of a company to nationally distribute natural compounds to clean and sanitize firefighter’s PPE and other emergency services equipment. His most recent business development position was with an IT Managed Service Provider in Santa Barbara.

After growing up in Santa Barbara, he moved around the country with his wife and children. Scott and his wife Cheri have relocated back to Santa Barbara after spending nearly thirty years away. They are living in the house he grew up in, and he enjoys spending time with Cheri, golf, reading and woodworking for relaxation.

Scott is deeply involved in his community and the ProVisors professional network. Through personal and professional relationships, he confidently offers professional and precise referrals to support his friends and associates. Please do not hesitate to ask him about your needs.

Hailey McKee

Lead Content Creator

Hailey is a Content Creator for Social Spice Media. Her roles include delegating assignments to team members and meeting deadlines, as well as creating and editing content. She thoroughly enjoys being useful and helping fellow team members with tasks. She is passionate for all things marketing, and seeks to learn something new daily.

Hailey graduated from Brigham Young University- Idaho in 2021 with a B.A. in Communications and Advertising. Though she is new to the industry, her special brand of spice is a vital component to the Social Spice Media team.

When she’s not coming up with witty word play, Hailey enjoys singing, doing makeup, and finding music for her latest playlist.

Matt Bendell

Blog Writer/Content Creator

Matt Bendell is a freelance content/blog writer for Social Spice Media. He has more than 15 years of experience working in various media ranging from TV and radio production to print and digital content creation. He loves to tell stories and share positive messages that will encourage and grow audiences.

Matt graduated from the University of West Florida with a B.A in Communication Arts/Journalism and a minor in Marketing. Over the course of the past 15 years, he has worked in television programming, worked in fund development, and produced an internationally distributed radio program for a large non-profit organization.

When he is not working on media projects, he enjoys playing tennis, golfing, swimming and spending time outdoors with his wife and four children.

Debbie Robertson

Office Manager

Debbie has 40 years of experience in Small Business Administration for a diverse group of industries starting at her father’s Ford Tractor Dealership in Van Nuys, then at The Pet Emergency Clinics of Ventura County, Old Creek Ranch Winery in Ojai, and now Social Spice Media in Camarillo. She loves the fast-paced work environment where she can use all her skills every day, as well as being available to all levels of personnel to assist the TEAM.

Debbie loves world travel, and she and her husband’s favorite adventure has been a sailing trip to Mexico and then across the South Pacific to New Zealand in 2012 aboard their 46′ Peterson’ Buena Vista.’

The 2017 fires in Ventura led her back to Southern California, as her husband, a plumbing contractor, assisted in rebuilding. She and her husband now live in East Tennessee at the base of the Appalachian Mountains, where they enjoy the small-town environment and riding their Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Jacob Heybl

Developer

Jacob is a software developer with experience in website design, database management, and back-end programming. He obtained his Associate degree in Computer Science from Moorpark College and has three years of experience working in diverse aspects of the software industry. He seeks new professional challenges and provides top-notch service in website creation, SEO management, system maintenance and problem solving for our partners.

Jacob enjoys playing tennis, video games, and building computers when he is not working on software.

Brandon King

Photographer

Brandon King has been working as one of Ventura County’s top photographers for 10 years. His goal is to create timeless, eye-catching photos and ensure that his anyone who finds themselves in front of his camera has fun. He is a true creative at heart, and is passionate about capturing moments to last a lifetime.

Jason Dominguez

Blog Writer/Content Creator

Jason Dominguez is a California native and enjoys the beach – and the outdoors in general. He attended Stanford and UC Berkeley and enjoys travel and writing. Jason is fighting the growing wave of tv binge-watching and trying to keep current with his reading list, a struggle against all odds. He balances non-fiction with short stories and poetry.

Mollie Hawkins

Blog Writer

Mollie is a freelance blog writer for Social Spice Media. She is currently an MFA candidate at Bennington College Writing Seminars. She has been working in content creation for nearly a decade—from entertainment journalism to corporate and agency marketing, she’s worn a lot of writer hats over the years—and she’s fond of all of them. She loves doing research deep-dives and getting to know a client’s brand before jumping in. She’s just geeky like that.

In her spare time, she can be found hanging out with her dog, listening to true crime podcasts, reading, and cross-stitching. But not simultaneously.

Maria Tripodi

Content Creator

Maria is a Content Creator for Social Spice Media. Maria graduated from CSULB in 2018 with a B.A. in Production Management for Film and Electronic Arts. Before joining Social Spice Media in 2021, Maria worked for various film studios, fulfilling roles within Project Management and Social Media Coordination.

An alumnae of Delta Gamma, she continues to live by her sororities mantra to “Do Good” by advocating and fundraising for Guide Dogs for the Blind, protecting wild mustangs, and breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. In her free time she can be found at the dog park with her dog Luna, or in the kitchen cooking for her friends and family.

Stacy Pearce

Director of Creative Marketing

Stacy Pearce recently joined Social Spice as the Director of Creative Marketing with more than two decades of experience in Marketing, Graphic Design, Front-End Web Development and Creative Project Management. Stacy began her professional journey working for Disney Cruise Lines as a member of the inaugural crew for their first cruise ship in 1998, the Disney Magic. While working onboard, she was selected to receive specialized training from Disney in both Public Relations and Guest Service Excellence.

After leaving Disney and working in print design for several years, Stacy decided to make the jump to web design and began working for the well-known training company, lynda.com, as an assistant teacher for their onsite Adobe Photoshop training classes. She also spent many years in the marketing world working for companies like JD Power and Associates, Amgen and Gospel Light Publishing. She then started her own graphic design and consulting business providing logo design, web project management and branding strategy to a wide variety of local groups and businesses.

Stacy joined Social Spice in January of 2020 to help expand their services as a creative designer and a brand strategy specialist.

Jonathan Boring

Founder & President

Jonathan Boring is a digital marketing expert with more than two decades of proven success in corporate branding, sales and communications. With an extensive background in marketing, sales, and technology, Jonathan has created and carried out digital marketing and branding campaigns that have resulted in greatly increased brand awareness, media attention, customer loyalty, and sales.

Jonathan founded Social Spice Media in 2012, with the vision of helping corporations bridge the interconnected and digital communications through a strategic use of technology combined with creative marketing solutions. His goal is to develop, improve, and maintain powerful social media integration programs in order to increase awareness, brand loyalty, website traffic, and sales. Jonathan has spent the past 15 years immersed in digital marketing with an emphasis in social media. He has been a speaker on the topic at several social media conferences, user groups, and industry groups.

Prior to founding Social Spice Media, Jonathan served as Director of Sales and Marketing at The California Wine Club (CWC). His role included all aspects of social media engagement and marketing, as well as business development. Under Jonathan’s direction, CWC sponsored the 2010 and 2011 Taste of Camarillo, Bryan Brother’s Foundation Tennis Fest, Camarillo Art Council, and World Council Affairs Dinner.

Jon is highly connected to the professional community, and he uses his extensive network to benefit his clients. As a respected member of the ProVisors professional network, Jon has access to a wealth of resources and expertise that he can tap into for his clients’ benefit.

Karen Steenekamp

Graphic Designer

Karen specializes in brand identity and print design. Her formula for success is twofold — keeping her client’s design needs in focus and making herself easily approachable. Karen has a degree in commercial art and studied both graphic design and fine art at Wesleyan University, Paier College of Art, and Sacred Heart University.

She has designed for many household brands, such as Nestlé, Citicorp, Pepsi, General Foods, Celestial Seasonings, Allegro Coffee and Google. When not designing, Karen enjoys spending time with her husband and her sidekick, Mattie. Her other interests include; fine art painting, paddle boarding, snowboarding, vegan cooking, and being a strong voice for all animals in peril — especially for elephants trapped in the circus.

Ross

Web Developer

Devon McNeil

Web Developer

Evan Larsen

Web Developer

James Hoerr

Software Development

Ben Nitka

Director of Video Production Operations

Ben Nitka brings his passion for multimedia production and storytelling to Social Spice Media. During his college years at UCSB, he worked as a freelance videographer for several local businesses and events. Ben was also a founding member and producer of the video team for UCSB’s newspaper, The Bottom Line. Ben graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Economics and earned a Professional Writing Minor with an emphasis on Multimedia Communication.

Our Team

Jonathan Boring

Summer Pansini

Samuel J. Ashe II

Kay Nolan

Cindy Amahan

Brandon King

Matt Bendell

Karen Steenekamp

Ross Sydorenko

Devon McNeil

Evan Larsen

James Hoerr

Jason Dominguez

Ben Nitka

Contact us

Available Services