New team members join Chernoff Newman roster

As our agency continues to expand, it’s crucial now more than ever to continue to exceed our clients’ expectations. We’ve recently added three prominent professionals in their respective fields to support our company’s ongoing growth. I am pleased to welcome Courtney Thompson, James Windham and Chris Lugenbeal to our Chernoff Newman team. The hiring of these three new associates will support the agency’s unparalleled growth as we continue to build upon our clientele.

Courtney Thompson, a Winthrop University graduate, joins the Charlotte, N.C., office as a senior media buyer and planner. She has more than 20 years of experience in consultative sales, customer service, account development and campaign management with broadcast television stations including digital platforms. Her work has earned her recognitions such as Sinclair Broadcast Group’s Top 50 Sales and Hearst Television Eagle Award for sales excellence. Prior to joining the Chernoff Newman team, Courtney served as a senior account executive for KTXL FOX40 News, where she oversaw sales strategies for client accounts. As a senior media buyer and planner, she will be responsible for coordinating the strategic placement of varied media types to execute marketing campaigns. In her spare time, you can find her traveling, reading or spending time with her husband, two children and two dogs.

The Charleston, S.C., office welcomes James Windham, a graduate of Full Sail University, who serves as a senior art director. James has 15 years of experience providing conceptual creative solutions across a diverse range of mediums to communicate client messaging strategies. Prior to joining Chernoff Newman, he served as an art director and manager of design for Premier Inc., where he was responsible for providing the art direction for client projects to communicate with key stakeholders. In his free time, he works as a creative director for hyper.muse creative, a studio that specializes in film, media music and audio. James’ responsibilities as senior art director include producing and executing strategic ads that meet client goals while also assisting in the education and development of other designers. During his spare time, James enjoys fishing, playing and writing music or spending time with his wife and son.

Chris Lugenbeal, an Auburn University graduate, joins the interactive team as a front-end developer. He brings seven years of experience in technology-focused web development with a deep understanding of the creative process and user behavior. Previously, he served as a marketing operations manager with Clarity Ventures, where he oversaw the development and implementation of marketing campaigns. In his spare time, Chris works with Tolfree Biofest, a science and nature festival for students, as a biomimicry design consultant and developing partner. He helped incorporate biomimicry methodology into the festival’s educational program and helps expand and improve the program’s overall curriculum. As a front-end developer, Chris will be responsible for contributing to the overall design, development and maintenance of client websites to help optimize user engagement. Outside of the office, Chris enjoys taking landscape photos while fishing, traveling, hiking and camping.

Interested in joining our team? Take a look at career opportunities.