Elizabeth Kiehner | Executive Producer
Elizabeth started her career at Euro RSCG in Chicago where she produced campaigns for P&G, Alberto Culver and Bayer among others. In 2000 she moved to Suissa Miller to run the Mervyn’s account as well as campaigns for Strong Investments and Dole. Elizabeth then joined Trollback & Co as a producer and rose to executive producer generating award-winning creative for clients such as Sony, HBO, Nike and Sundance as well as several network redesigns including SpikeTV, ReelzChannel and CourtTV. At Freestyle Collective she created an interactive department and doubled the billings of the company in one year. She went on to co-found Thornberg & Forester. From 3D campaigns for Jeep/Dodge and Sony PlayStation to video and web production for Adam and Conservation International, Elizabeth enjoys playing a creative and strategic role while staying true to her passions. Elizabeth studied visual media at American University and FAMU in Prague; she has also shown photography in Japan and Tanzania. Elizabeth is a member of AICP, Promax BDA, NYWIFT, ADC, AWNY and WICT.
David Landa | Executive Producer, Digital Strategy
After graduating with a degree in Film Studies from Cornell University, David moved to New York and started work as Animation Director at Dogmatic. There he wrote and directed narrative projects for clients Mug Rootbeer, Pepsi, the Boys and Girls Club Of America, and Gateway Computers. In late 2003 he left Dogmatic and started work as an freelance Producer and Director, working on digital campaigns for MTV, Vh1, 1800 Flowers, AOL, and others. In 2009 he and Michael Piilero launched FreeAssociation, a digital agency that offers strategy, design, production and engineering solutions for digital initiatives. FreeAssociation's portfolio includes work for Frito-Lay, Microsoft, MTV, Trident Gum, and General Electric. David's role at FreeAssociation is CEO and Executive Producer.
Scott Matz | Creative Director
Scott’s career began at 3 Ring Circus in Hollywood, California in 1997. While there, he designed on-air packages for such clients as Columbia Tristar, Sony, Showtime, and PBS. He also refreshed the German network RTL and co-designed Viasat Scandinavia’s network re-brand. In 2000, he received a BDA World Class Award for creating a stop-motion film demonstrating the entire 3 Ring production process. Scott moved to New York in 2002 and worked at a slew of studios including Brand New School, Trollback+Co., The Ebeling Group and Loyalkaspar. These experiences sparked the inspiration to co-found Thornberg & Forester in 2007 with his good friends Justin and Elizabeth. At T&F, Scott has helmed a worldwide network rebrand for Thomson Reuters, the rebrand for the Discovery Science Channel and has designed and directed several commercial campaigns, among them Jeep/Dodge, Efficiency Vermont, Radio Shack and Microsoft. Scott majored in Graphic Design and Packaging and graduated with High Honors from the world-renowned ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California in 1997.
Justin Meredith | Creative Director
Justin Meredith began his career as a staff designer with Trollbäck + Co., before joining the Ebeling Group as art director in 2005. Most notably, Justin co-founded Thornberg & Forester, a company focused on creating cutting edge visuals while maintaining a sense of humor. At T&F, Justin designs and directs a diverse range of work including television network branding, fashion advertising, commercials, title sequences, interactive, and live-action direction. Most recently, he has completed spots for Target, Microsoft Zune, the network launch of Discovery Channel’s Planet Green, branding materials for the Playstation 3 Network, and the opening title sequence of the 2008 AICP Awards Show. Justin’s work has appeared in the Museum of Modern Art, Whitney Museum of Art, and the Tokyo Auto Show. He has also received awards from the BDA, One Show, Print Magazine, and ADC Young Guns 7.
Michael Piliero | Creative Director, Digital Strategy
Michael got his start in Digital Media at Dogmatic in New York City in 2002. As Director of Emerging Media, he conceived of and executed digital campaigns for clients including Britney Spears, Keith Richards, and Pepsi. Michael and his team were featured in an array of trade magazines and won several awards, including an FWA for the Keith Richards site. After leaving Dogmatic in late 2003, he partnered up with now business partner David Landa, working as both a Designer and Creative Director, developing visual identities and digital campaigns for an array of global brands. In 2009 they launched FreeAssociation, a digital agency that offers strategy, design, production and engineering solutions for digital initiatives. FreeAssociation's portfolio includes work for Frito-Lay, Microsoft, MTV, Trident Gum, and General Electric. Michael graduated with a degree in English Literature from Cornell University.
