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meet the team.

No Alaska firm offers the mix of services that Spawn does – seasoned staff with a history of cohesively working together – from the expert community engagement and strategic insight needed to perform distinctive brand identity work to the depth, breadth and brand experience of a multitalented creative team.

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Karen King

president & ceo

Strategic Brand Counsel

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Karen King

President & CEO

Strategic Brand Counsel

Spawn employee owners call themselves perpetual adventurers, and that attitude starts at the top with Karen King. She mentors a never settle mentality that makes Spawn a modern partner with the resources, talent and capabilities necessary for today – and ready for what’s next. Under her leadership, Spawn has been named “Alaska’s Top Shop” by AdWeek magazine and won Advertising Age “Small Agency of the Year Northwest” awards in both 2017 and 2018.

Karen’s team leadership and gift for strategy ensure that Valdez Convention & Visitor Bureau has a best-in-class partner. Karen has engaged in branding work for most of her 30-year career. Branding/rebranding projects she’s led in Alaska include Central Iowa Water Trails, Alaska Travel Industry Association (Travel Alaska), the Alaska Railroad, the City of Anchorage (Anchorage. Big. Wild. Life.), GCI, UAA and UAF.

Karen’s favorite Valdez memory: I’ve visited Valdez by road, by air, by ferry and my own boat. When I owned the 37-foot MV Grizzly Bear, Valdez was a favorite destination. Once, in Valdez Arm, we experienced a rogue wind and the boat nearly turned on its side. A friend on the boat exclaimed after: “I thought we were going to die!” (He was always a bit dramatic 🙂 ). That experience, though harrowing, did not change my desire to make Valdez a nearly annual destination, often for your July 4 weekend. Great memories.

Jesse Alleva

senior strategist of business intelligence

Account Planner, Research Lead

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Jesse Alleva

Senior Strategist of Business Intelligence

Account Planner, Research Lead

Jesse is a born and raised Alaskan whose motto is “Daring to be great, means daring to be different.” He has grit, guts, resourcefulness and determination – and brings this character and intensity to every project. He is always 100% in, generally defying expectations with how much he knows and can quickly learn in every situation. 

Jesse has conducted ethnographic research and interviews all across Alaska, and in the Lower 48, for branding initiatives. Currently, he is working on branding for the Central Iowa Water Trails. Jesse has taught marketing research at UAA, part-time. He has expertise in qualitative research, including ethnographic studies and design thinking. He and a coworker manage Spawn’s innovation practice called Hooligan, with Jesse taking the lead on research and data analytics. In addition to his recent rebranding work for Wrangell Convention & Visitor Bureau, he is presently the strategic planner on Spawn’s Northrim Bank business and leads a similar effort for the University of Alaska and its MAUs. 

Jesse’s favorite Valdez memory: I fell in love with Valdez and with my college girlfriend at the same time. We met during the 2006 theater conference and over the course of the week and several dates at Halibut House, Ernesto’s, and the tree outside PWSCC it was safe to say that she and Valdez made it into my heart. We’re no longer together but we talk almost every day. She told me to visit the tree for old time’s sake.

Abbey Brau

account supervisor

Account Lead

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Abbey Brau

Account Supervisor

Account Lead

Abbey started her advertising career at Periscope in Minneapolis, MN. There she worked on various health care accounts, dabbled in pest control, and ultimately learned more about media buying than she thought she would as an account manager. She has experience managing media, creative, brand redesign, package design, UX and web design projects. 

Three years ago, Abbey moved to Alaska to be a part of the Spawn team and see what it’s like to live near the mountains! Needless to say, she has fallen in love and spends weekends on her bike and exploring new places. At Spawn, Abbey led the Wrangell Convention & Visitor Bureau rebranding effort. Additionally, she keeps an eye on multiple local industries, acting as account lead for Alaska Railroad, The Alaska Club, and previously, BP.

Abbey’s favorite Valdez plan: I’m so excited that Valdez is high on my travel list for this upcoming summer after a 2020 trip with my family was cancelled due to COVID-19. You can only be in Alaska so long before hearing so many comments about how beautiful and incredible Valdez is. It’s time for me to experience it for myself!

Siobhan Johansen

project coordinator

Day-to-Day Execution Lead

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Siobhan Johansen

Project Coordinator

Day-to-Day Execution Lead

Since starting at Spawn Ideas as an intern, Siobhan has touched almost all the clients on Spawn’s roster. Her eye for detail is key to keeping projects running on time and on budget. She played an integral role on the schedule & budget management for both the Wrangell Convention & Visitor Bureau rebranding effort, and Travel Alaska’s redesigned Official State of Alaska Vacation Planner, as well as helped execute their nationwide advertising plan. 

Siobhan is a born and raised Alaskan, growing up in Palmer and moving to Anchorage to attend the University of Alaska Anchorage. She has a long list of Alaska bucket list adventures and loves getting out and exploring the state, rain or shine. Through her work with Travel Alaska she understands the importance of tourism in the state. Siobhan is passionate about showcasing Alaska’s splendor and encouraging travelers to discover the beauty of the state for themselves.

Amy Adams

Senior Art Director

Graphic Design Lead

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Amy Adams

Senior Art Director

Graphic Design Lead

Amy provides clean sophisticated design solutions that accomplish client goals and exceed expectations. She was the creative lead on Wrangell’s 2020 rebranding work, as well as Travel Alaska’s rebrand in 2018. Amy was also the lead on ATIA’s redesigned Official State of Alaska Vacation Planner.

She moved to Alaska in 2012 and spends as much time as possible in the great outdoors. When she’s not working on fresh designs and concepts for Spawn’s clients, you can find her hiking, camping and exploring Alaska. Amy loves approaching life with a creative eye, whether it’s navigating new places outdoors or exploring fresh concepts for clients, she enjoys keeping her every day new and exciting.

Amy’s favorite Valdez memory: I always remember how epic just the drive is to Valdez. As you’re going past the towering cascading waterfalls you know you’re headed somewhere special. I took a kayaking trip to the massive Columbia glacier and the sound of it rumbling was earth shaking! The experience felt so big, but when I left town, I felt like everyone knew my name. It truly is such a unique place that creates lasting memories and friends.

Roland Adams

Senior Art Director

Graphic Design Co-Lead

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Roland Adams

Senior Art Director

Graphic Design Co-Lead

Roland Adams is an Alaska born and raised designer with over 20 years of experience in graphic design. After graduating from the Art Institute of Seattle, he returned home to pursue his passion in great design and even greater adventure. 

He is gifted with endless creative inspiration and an unparalleled ability to create visual solutions for his clients. He has an eye for clean, sophisticated graphics and maintains a reputation at Spawn, and in the design community, as “the best of the best.”

Roland has built an impressive roster working with brands from local darlings like Kaladi Brothers and Bear Tooth to national heavyweights like BP and McDonald’s. His branding work spans agency clients like Wrangell’s 2020 rebranding effort (with Amy), Northrim Bank, Residential Mortgage and GCI. And he’s lent his talents as a freelance designer to NANA Regional Corporation, Doyon Limited, RIVR (Rising Indigenous Voices Radio), the Alaska Native Heritage Center, IDC (Iliamna Development Corporation) and ANPA (Alaska Native Professional Association).

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