The Team Behind the System
LEADERSHIP DRIVING INNOVATION
MIKE STEWART
Strategy, Client Relationships, SEO, Local Search, Industry Authority
25+ year marketing veteran. 4x Verizon President’s Award winner. Founder of the State of Search conference. DFWSEM board member. Expert witness in local SEO cases. Leads strategy and client relationships for Rise Local.
JOHN O' GRADY
Infrastructure, Zonedock, WordPress, Server Architecture, Operations
Former Manager of Internet Operations at Idearc Media (Verizon Superpages.com). Architects Zonedock infrastructure, WordPress systems, and the technical backbone that powers every Rise Local client site.
THE RISE LOCAL EXPERTS
JOE STEWART
WordPress, Elementor, Zonedock, AI/Claude Code, On-Page SEO, Off-Page SEO
Senior web developer, Zonedock host-master, and Rise Local’s AI implementation lead. Builds client sites on WordPress/Elementor and uses Claude Code to scale development workflows at production speed.
KEVIN ADAMS
Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Meta Ads, PPC, Display, Programmatic, Analytics
22 years in paid digital advertising. Former SuperMedia/Verizon (2004–2007). Has managed Rise Local’s ad operations since 2011. Also CEO of Predictive Online Marketing. Drives paid traffic that converts across Google, Meta, and every major ad platform.
TAYLOR HARRISON
SEO Content, Copywriting, Brand Messaging, Organic Search, Web Analytics, Account Management
Content strategist and copywriter with nearly four years at Rise Local. OU Professional Writing graduate. Specializes in SEO content, brand messaging, and client account management.
JINGLE GRATZ
Elementor, WordPress, Client Support, Website Builds, Site Updates
Expert Elementor developer and client support specialist. Builds and maintains client websites, translates content specs into polished pages, and keeps every site performing at Rise Local’s standards.
JONATHAN STEWART
Local Listings, Google Business Profile, Citations, Content Publishing
Manages local listings, Google Business Profile optimization, and citation accuracy. Ensures client business data is consistent and visible across every platform that matters.
KERSTIN TURPIN
Social Media, Graphic Design, Video Editing, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest
UTD marketing student and social media coordinator. Creates client graphics and daily content across Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest. Brings fresh creative energy and real-world marketing execution.
MARK TACANG
Video Editing, Motion Graphics, Storyboard, Voice Talent, Production
Video editor and producer handling storyboard through final cut. Specializes in motion graphics, voice talent, and campaign media production.
Built From the Inside of Local Advertising
Three members of Rise Local’s core team—Mike Stewart, John O’Grady, and Kevin Adams—came out of the Verizon/SuperMedia/Superpages.com local advertising ecosystem.
Mike spent 9 years as a New Business Sales Strategist at Verizon Information Services, earning the President’s Award four times. John managed Internet Operations at Idearc Media (Verizon Superpages.com) for four years. Kevin started as an Optimization Account Manager at SuperMedia in 2004.
Combined, that’s 20+ years of experience inside one of the largest local advertising companies in the country—before any of them went independent.
They didn’t learn local marketing from blog posts. They built it from the inside. Then they left to do it better.
Rise Local’s founders and leadership spent a combined 20+ years inside Verizon’s local advertising division before building Rise Local to do what large publishers couldn’t—deliver connected, accountable marketing systems for local businesses.
Want to join our team?
Looking to grow your career with a team that values innovation, collaboration, and real results? At Rise Local, we’re always on the lookout for driven individuals ready to make an impact. Explore our opportunities and see where you fit in.