Alpha Dog | Our Team - Alpha Dog Marketing

Mike Monk, CEO

Mike Monk founded Alpha Dog Marketing in June of 2005. He has spent the past 31 years -- his entire career -- in the direct marketing arena helping non-profit organizations raise the funds and awareness needed to accomplish their missions. For the last eleven years, Mike has specialized in servicing Animal Welfare organizations. His strategic solutions have helped many local Humane Societies and SPCAs increase public awareness while building long-term donor relationships.

Connie Monk, President

Connie joined the team in 2006 as President of Alpha Dog Marketing. She brings to the table extensive expertise in integrated marketing of direct mail, cause related marketing campaigns, public awareness campaigns, billboards, newspaper ads/inserts, and web sites. Connie eagerly provides counsel to new clients wishing to learn more about Alpha Dog Marketing and the services we offer.

Jim Tedford (CAWA), President, Alpha Dog Strategies

Jim has a unique understanding of the animal welfare field…he spent over 20 years working for local and national animal welfare organizations before moving to the other side of the desk! Jim ran shelters in Tennessee, Louisiana, and New York and served as a regional director for The Humane Society of the United States. He served two terms on the board of the Society of Animal Welfare Administrators (SAWA) and two years as its President. Jim helped launch the Certified Animal Welfare Administrator’s program and was in the first group to sit for (and pass!!!) the exam. Jim holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Agriculture (Animal Science) from the University of Tennessee.

Ann Dunn, Vice President

Ann has made a 20 year career of working in and with non profit organizations, most recently with food banks across the country. Skilled at creating strategies for their marketing and development programs, Ann has guided these organizations through acquiring and cultivating individual donors, working with corporations on both marketing and philanthropic levels and building relationships with foundations. Ann has also designed creative and effective marketing plans that make the most out of any size budget, ensuring each organization heightened community awareness, more donations received and clients served.

Andrea Baack, Account Manager

Andrea joined the Alpha Dog Marketing team as Account Manager in May 2008. She is a Doane College graduate and has a history of being a team player with a competitive spirit. Coming from a large traditional family, she is the ninth out of ten children and was a college varsity starter in volleyball for four years and played college basketball for two years. While learning in the classroom and on the court, she has been able to apply her business degree knowledge to the fast paced direct marketing world. She has worked in diverse industries ranging from education to direct marketing; however, all her essential duties have all been focused on customer and client service. She excels in making clients and customers feel confident and secure. Andrea and her husband Joe enjoy surrounding themselves with their two beautiful daughters, Bailee and Karlee. They love the outdoors, camping, playing volleyball, biking, swimming and her most favorite pastime is hanging out with family and friends.

Jerry Buckler, Data Manager

Jerry was a computer geek even before it was cool! We're fortunate to have him at Alpha Dog Marketing where he takes care of all phases of database management and analysis along with list services for our clients. Jerry's 19+ years of direct marketing and non-profit management experience include his service as Director of Special Mailing Operations for Feed the Children in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and over 9 years managing the direct mail program at Boys Town (with a donor file of over 2 million donors!). Alpha Dog occasionally shares Jerry with his wife, Martha, their son. Jason. and their two dogs, Mitz and Magee.

Laura Claus, Account Manager

Laura joined the Alpha Dog team in December of 2006 and works with our clients on day-to-day management of their direct marketing plans. She brings a strong, 20-year background in direct marketing and customer service. Most recently she spent 16 years working on major accounts management for a large direct mail company. We are fortunate to have someone with Laura’s background and eye for detail supporting our valuable client relationships! Laura has a passion for helping animals and people and is thrilled to be able to do so every day in her role at Alpha Dog. Laura shares her home and life with husband, David, known around Lincoln as the “singing painter” (ask her about that!) and with her teenage daughter, Melody who is a competitive baton twirler and aspires to be a veterinarian! The Claus family is also proud to be owned by three cats: Cuddles, Angel and Ciara.

Dana Cruz, Design and Layout Manager

Dana is Alpha Dog’s creative backbone! She is responsible for the design and layout of many of our appeals. Dana prepares client-specific mockups of each package and makes all client-driven changes. She prepares final artwork for production. Dana does all design and layout of newsletters which have become quite successful as fund-raising tools for our clients! Dana has been working in direct marketing since she received her degree in Journalism (Advertising) from the University of Nebraska in 2002. She and husband Brian share their home outside of Lincoln with their two sons.

Leah Daehling, Graphic Designer

Leah joined the Alpha Dog Marketing team in February 2009 as a Graphic Designer. She graduated from Wayne State College (go Cats!) in 2000 with a Graphic Design Degree. She has worked in some sort of creative capacity since then, but always seems to come back to her two true loves, print and web.

She dabbles in photography, vintage inspired art, writing, and is always on the hunt for her next favorite vintage item. She also loves checking things off her ever revolving list of things to do. Leah and her husband, Brent, reside in Seward.

Danelle Drews, Account Manager

Danelle graduated from Doane College where not only did she excel academically but embodied the true meaning of scholar/athlete by playing on the Women’s Volleyball Team for 4 years. Taking the lessons of teamwork and leadership to heart, Danelle started working in the direct marketing industry for non-profit organizations almost 10 years ago. She joined Alpha Dog in July 2007 as an Account Manager for the Food Bank Team. Danelle’s focus at Alpha Dog is client relations, data management and strategy implementation.

Suzanne Gligorevic, Production Manager

Having been with MetroGroup for over 17 years, Suzanne has done a little bit of everything. Acting as the Production Manager, she handled micro scheduling the work to meet clients' expectations including quality of work and hitting targeted mail dates. As Client Services Supervisor, she managed a major account while supporting her coworkers by troubleshooting issues both internally and externally. Suzanne was also involved and really enjoyed the package development side of the business, using her production experience to maximize efficiency for the lettershop while creating a package that would meet her clients' marketing goals.

Suzanne and her husband of 11 years have three boys, 2 parakeets (Greenie and Bluey), a betta (Snowy), a tadpole (not named yet - we are saving that for the frog he will grow up to be!), and about a million sea monkeys.

In her spare time, Suzanne and her husband like to golf and enjoy fishing, biking and swimming with the kids.

Heather Hejl, Account Manager

Heather joined the Alpha Dog Marketing team as Account Manager in June 2009. Coming to us with 14 years with a strong and diverse background in the direct mail industry, Heather brings not only her experience but her team building and communication skills. It was these skills which pegged her as an employee who goes “Above and Beyond”.

Heather and her husband Dan enjoy spending all their time with daughter Addison. The entire family loves anything to do with the outdoors. Gardening, hiking, fishing and archery are just a few of their hobbies. They also have an array of pets including their beagle (Halsey), cat (Bubbles), guinea pig, (Sharpey), beta (Bluey Blue Blue Blue), goats (Mollie & Peek-a-boo) a duck and many chickens.

Beth Kumm, Senior Account Manager

Beth joined the Alpha Dog Marketing team as Senior Account Manager in January 2010. During her 20 year career, Beth has worked in all phases of the direct mail process literally learning the business from the ground up. Her passion is developing new and creative processes to meet client needs.

This passion for developing the new and creative does not end when she goes home. On any given evening or weekend she is probably in her kitchen dreaming up her next greatest concoction. Her husband of 27 years, Dan, is her chief taste tester; however, anyone brave enough to step into the kitchen during the State Fair better be prepared to step up to the plate….the Great SPAM cook-off is serious business!

Suzanne Lee, Senior Account Manager

Suzanne comes to Alpha Dog with years of experience in food bank marketing and communications, as well as a deep understanding of and appreciation for food bank business models. She attended Colorado State University (Go Rams!), where she received a degree in Journalism and Technical Communications. Her love for travel took her to Ireland, where she received a postgraduate diploma in public relations from the Dublin Institute of Technology. Suzanne came to Alpha Dog after working in the development department of Care and Share Food Bank for Southern Colorado. Suzanne has experience designing and implementing strategic communications and marketing plans, increasing nonprofit visibility and support in local communities, building media relations, events planning, copywriting, media buying, editing and much more.

Suzanne loved working with Care and Share, but wanted to help food banks make a larger impact on their communities, which is something she can do at Alpha Dog Marketing. When she’s not working, she loves to be outdoors running, riding her bike or trying to snowboard.

Linda Moody, Creative Director

Linda Moody has spent more than twenty years helping non-profit organizations raise funds through direct marketing. When it comes to direct mail, this busy mother of two daughters has done it all--from creative writing to developing effective strategies and implementing plans for her clients. At Alpha Dog, Linda handles front-line account management for our Food Bank partners. Linda and her husband, Martin, enjoy spending time with their girls, Lindsey and Randa. And if you think you have trouble keeping up with your kids...Linda's daughter, Randa, competes in junior dragster racing with the whole family as her support crew!

Erin Schmit, Controller/Account Manager

Erin Schmit formally joined the Alpha Dog team in July of 2009 as their controller, but has been working with their finances since June of 2006! She is a graduate of Doane College with degrees in both accounting and business management. As an Enrolled Agent, she keeps up with the tax laws every year as well. She has a diversified employment background working as a manager, accountant, civil servant, and now, controller all in the last 10 years. Erin and her son reside in Lincoln. She enjoys keeping busy with his sports schedules as well as spending time with her friends and family.