The Stars of Constellation Collective

Wendy Wiseman

Wendy Wiseman

CEO
Tyler Catania

Tyler Catania

Chief Operating Officer
Steve Hughes

Steve Hughes

Chief Creative Officer
Will Gustafson

Will Gustafson

Chief Revenue Officer
Jason Keese

Jason Keese

Chief Content Officer
Bob Kirk

Bob Kirk

Associate Creative Director
Alyssa Sova

Alyssa Sova

Account Manager
Zoey Sterba

Zoey Sterba

Account Manager
Jarett Gustafson

Jarett Gustafson

Writer & Producer
Monica Rivera

Monica Rivera

Social Media Strategist
Xally Rojas

Xally Rojas

Designer

Wendy Wiseman

CEO

Wendy’s professional experience and accolades could fill an entire website, so let’s start with this: There’s no one more respected in marketing for their innovation, creativity and vision than Wendy Wiseman. She cut her teeth in the creative and media departments at Bozell Global, then headquartered in Omaha. She soon moved to San Francisco and WPP Group’s  J. Walter Thompson, the fourth-largest agency in the world. She then moved to a media position at Young & Rubicam, also in the WPP Group, before being asked to join U.S. Sprint as director of advertising, where she was part of the storied Candice Bergen spokesperson campaign in the highly competitive telecom industry. At Sprint, Wendy received the company’s first-ever Annual Market Impact Award for Exceptional Results, and the company won numerous advertising awards, including an Effie for a leading national campaign. As the client, she was the lead on campaign production, including Super Bowl spots. Her success at Sprint led to her being hired away by competitor MCI to serve as Director of Marketing in the D.C.-area world headquarters.

A third generation Omahan with a long family legacy in writing, oration and ideation, Wendy returned to Omaha in 1995 to lead marketing efforts for a national telecom start-up. No stranger to agency life, and thriving in the multi-faceted and fast pace, Wendy joined Zaiss & Company and served as Director of Marketing for a Denver-based telecom company at the same time. In 2022, Wendy became owner and President of Zaiss & Company, now Constellation Collective, where she is the CEO today.

Like all true visionaries, Wendy parlays her extensive experience with her innate drive to create strategic, effective campaigns that grow brands and inspire our team. She credits her brilliant and ceiling-breaking mentor, Tracy Zaiss, as the shining example of hard work, insistence on knowing our clients’ businesses as well as they do, and keeping our fingers on the pulse of market trends – all what every client deserves in exchange for their faith and trust in us.

Anticipating trends in marketing and business, Wendy’s bold vision and courage is on full display today having led the transformation of Zaiss & Company to Constellation Collective, Powered by Zaiss & Co. While honoring our roots established by founder Tracy Zaiss, the evolution assures we are poised and ready to work with clients who want to grow through this new age of marketing communication and branding. Seeing market trends, Wendy serves as the Director of Marketing and co-owner of Horsepower Today, a disruptive company that matches dedicated  experienced professionals with businesses who want to grow and/or sell.

Inside Constellation Collective, Wendy has built a reputation even more vital to her business success than her professional resume' – that of a beloved leader, trusted colleague and inspiring mentor who loves to make marketing challenges fun. (And they are when you love our craft.)

She leads in our community, too, having served on numerous non-profit and business-building boards. Today she serves on the Bellevue University College of Business Advisory Board and Marketing Advisory Committee, is vice president/president elect of the Lauritzen Botanical Gardens Board, a member of the Sustainable Initiatives and Alliances Africa (SIA) Board and serves on the Capital Campaign committee at her church. She is an Officiant of the Universal Life Church and Certified End-of-Life Doula.

Wendy famously coined the term “Only Stars” to describe Constellation Collective. It’s the perfect metaphor for who we are and everything we do. Our team members – only stars. Our clients – only stars. Our partners – only stars. Our campaigns – only stars.

And in this Constellation Collective, Wendy is our guiding star.

Phone

402-980-0296

Tyler Catania

Chief Operating Officer

Originally from San Diego, Tyler grew up in Omaha from the age of 10. Young Tyler was an innately creative thinker and old soul who cherished family, cheese and sports. Older Tyler is much the same, albeit with an expanded palate. Since marrying his lovely wife, Pascale, and having their son, Ozzy, he’s leaned heavily into dad life, right down to his passion for lawncare. He loves playing outside with the Ozz-Man and going to the movies to see anything by Tarantino, Wes Anderson or A24. He’s a die-hard Chargers fan and an overall sports fanatic, especially when it comes to his beloved Creighton Bluejays. He’s a gamer, podcast listener, camper, room re-designer – in other words, Tyler gets a second wind when the sun goes down. He brings experience in all areas of marketing to his role as Chief Operations Officer. Tyler provides a visionary, guiding hand to our entire operation, including his leadership of the Accounts Management Team. (He’s also the firm’s official translator of Wendy Wiseman idioms, a role he takes seriously and for good reason; she has a lot of idioms.) Tyler’s goals for the future: To drive continued business growth for the firm, to build on a workplace culture that is already second to none, and to continue being the best dad he can be.

Phone

402-850-7182

Steve Hughes

Chief Creative Officer

Steve holds himself to high standards. Even when it comes to his life goals. “I want to be Batman.” Give Steve a deadline for that goal and he’ll probably find a way to make it happen. That’s what he does. He’s the consummate professional and his work ethic is stuff of legend. Steve’s creativity was obvious as a child. He always lived in his imagination, whether it was drawing, creating or just “inventing things.” His curiosity lives on as an adult through hobbies – pottery, movies, science and history documentaries – and of course through his work as our Chief Creative Officer. (Just don’t ask him to have his picture taken.) He leads our team of highly skilled designers and art directors. Steve takes pride in his ability to represent an idea or campaign in a creative way that gets noticed and delivers results for the client. He’s also proud to be part of a firm with an earned reputation for developing a deep knowledge of the business of its clients. “That’s possible because of the relationships we form with clients. Those relationships re-enforce quality communication and efficient workflow.”

Phone

402-651-4721

Will Gustafson

Chief Revenue Officer

Will was a precocious child. He loved hatching his own adventures and was always up to – and into – something. He brings that same adventurous spirit to life as an adult. He loves being outdoors, whether he’s skiing, snowboarding, hiking or playing pickleball. He has a habit of always knocking on wood when necessary, part of Will’s knack for leaving nothing to chance, whether that’s by scaring away a jinx or going the extra mile to ensure a client is well-served in every way. He cherishes time with his fiancé, Jordan, and their dogs, Ned and Cashew, and cat, Luca. His favorite movie is “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (kinda sounds like Will) and his favorite band is Rebelution, whose debut album is called “Courage to Grow.” (definitely sounds like Will) As a fourth-generation marketer, Will believes in the power of marketing to grow brands. He brings his extensive experience in digital marketing, data analysis, company culture growth and creative ideation to his role as CRO. He thinks big-picture for clients and the firm, but always with an eye on the concrete strategy and execution that produces results. He sees that same mindset in everyone at Constellation Collective. “We’re all committed to going above and beyond to ensure the success of our clients.”

Pictured with Will:
Ned plays an integral role in boosting office morale, but he takes work-life balance to the extreme. He’s usually sleeping on the job or begging for belly rubs. His idea of teamwork is volunteering to eat his co-workers’ food. That being said, Ned might be the most popular member of the Constellation Collective team. He’s not a good dog; he’s the best dog.

Phone

402-980-0615

Jason Keese

Chief Content Officer

Jason discovered his passion for writing while working on his high school newspaper. The deal was sealed when the paper’s advisor sent a note home to his parents that read, “Jason has a talent for stringing together sentences. He should stick with it.” He has, and there’s still nothing he enjoys more than turning a good phrase. As our Chief Content Officer, Jason leads a team of highly skilled writers who churn out creative, effective copy for digital, print and social media. He's also the firm’s lead PR pro, helping clients smoothly navigate the sometimes choppy waters of media relations. He’s a bit of a grammar snob and believes the AP Stylebook belongs in the canon of great American literature. Away from work, Jason loves staying active – running, cycling, yoga and walking his big, goofy dog, Teddy. He’s a music junky. Casually ask him for a Spotify playlist and he’ll deliver six hours of songs. A proud Iowa native, Jason also is a die-hard Hawkeye fan – born, raised and cursed, as he often says. Above all else, he’s the proud dad of two amazing daughters, Zoe and Anika. (Casually ask him about his daughters and you’ll hear an answer longer than his playlists.) Jason believes his greatest contribution to the firm’s workplace culture is the positive energy he brings to his job every day. “It’s easy to be positive when you love your job and the people you work with as much as I do.”

Phone

402-515-4074

Bob Kirk

Associate Creative Director

As a child in South Omaha, Bob loved playing with bugs and critters of all kinds. He still carries that fascination as an adult. Bob routinely leaves colleagues bug-eyed in wonder with his nature discoveries, which he often captures through breath-taking photographs. Outside work, Bob is most content when he’s biking, hiking, bird watching (favorite book: “Birds of North America”) and listening to music (favorite band: Buck Naked and the Bare Bottom Boys). At work, Bob is at peace when he’s helping colleagues and clients produce creative, effective materials for print, digital and web. He exemplifies the “Collective” in Constellation Collective, always eager to lend a hand to help the team meet a deadline. Bob’s attention to detail is unmatched, and he’s often called upon to lend his eagle eyes to proofing ads, websites, newsletters, brochures, flyers – you name it. In fact, he’s so detail-oriented, he always has his car radio set to a prime number – but never 13! That would be bad luck, of course, and we’re nothing but lucky to have Bob as part of the team.

Phone

402-670-6331

Alyssa Sova

Account Manager

Luckily for us and our clients, Alyssa is still the same person in many ways that she was growing up outside Sacramento, California: Vibrant, cheerful, positive, approachable and eager to lend a helping hand. But don’t let her sunny demeanor fool you - Alyssa’s in it to win it, just like she was as a soccer player at Creighton University. She was a fierce competitor for the Jays - we have the knock-down, drag-out photos to prove it! - and at Constellation Collective she’s fiercely committed to serving our clients with a level of service that’s tough to beat. Outside work, she’s all about family and loves being a mom and wife. Alyssa cherishes spending time with her husband, Bryan; daughter, Sophia; and newborn son, JJ, especially the weekends when they look forward to hanging out at parks, the farmer’s market, sporting events and anywhere outside in the fresh air. She’s a fan of all things Creighton sports, as well as the Kansas City Chiefs. Alyssa is thorough, and not just at work. Every night before she goes to bed, Alyssa checks her front door to make sure it’s locked and her garage door to make sure it’s closed – at least three times each. Everything in its place, that’s Alyssa. She’s another reason Constellation Collective is the place to be, for marketing pros who are in it to win it and clients who want results.

Phone

916-599-6012

Zoey Sterba

Account Manager

Growing up in Omaha, Zoey was a self-described “sassy kid” with a love for the performing arts. She always had a knack for side hustles – selling lemonade, creating homemade greeting cards, cleaning cars. She’s carried that same entrepreneurial spirit into adulthood with experience as a small-business owner and operator. At Constellation Collective, Zoey combines her creativity, cultivated as a theater kid, with her attention to detail and the bottom line, honed at lemonade stands and fully realized through her own business, and the result is an Account Manager who helps ensure client success through campaigns executed with inventiveness and precision. (And the kid with sass is now a colleague whose spirited personality fuels an infectiously positive workplace culture.) Outside of work, Zoey likes to camp, spend time with friends and family, and bury her nose in a book for hours on end. A few of her favorites are “The House of the Spirits,” “Pachinko” and “My Brilliant Friend.” Zoey seeks inspiration every day, in all sorts of ways – from her colleagues, her clients, her piles of books. As a result, everyone in her orbit reaps the benefits.

Phone

402-913-4128

Jarett Gustafson

Writer & Producer

Asked what he loves most about working at Constellation Collective, Jarett answers without hesitation, “I get to write every day.” That he does. Jarett is a content-creation machine, channeling his creativity into concise, effective, award-winning copy, video and social media. An Omaha native, Jarett brimmed with energy as a child. If there was fun to be had, young Jarett found it. Nowadays, Jarett finds his happy place following sports of all kinds. He loves Husker football, University of Omaha and Colorado Avalanche hockey, and Tottenham Hotspur soccer. He relishes all things in the true-crime genre, especially podcasts and documentaries. (Hmmmm. It’s always the nice ones you wouldn’t expect – like Jarett.) He has a way with words, but Jarett also contributes something to the firm that can’t be easily quantified: off-the-charts positive energy. His can-do, love-what-I-do attitude brings a smile to the face of his colleagues – and our clients.

Phone

402-321-5557

Monica Rivera

Social Media Strategist

Monica has always been a dreamer. With her head in the clouds, her creative mind can run wild. However, she balances that bird’s-eye view with feet that are firmly planted on the ground when it comes to creating social media content and strategies that help clients reach their business goals. Born and raised in Guadalajara, Mexico, Moni (“Mo-nee”) still proudly calls the city of 1.3 million home sweet home. When she’s not working, Moni enjoys watching true-crime documentaries and thrillers, spending time with her family, and going to soccer matches with her boyfriend. She loves cooking and takes great delight in trying new recipes. Moni is a people person, but nothing beats hanging with her dog, Toribio. Asked what she likes most about being part of the Constellation Collective team, Moni says it’s the passion we bring to our careers. “It’s a mindset. We’re all passionate about what we do. We love working as a team to accomplish our goals, which is the success of our clients.”

Xally Rojas

Designer

Xally is the first to admit she was a bit of a rebel as a child growing up in Mexico City. Nothing too crazy, but she was “always audacious,” as she describes it. Fast forward to her life as an adult living in San Juan del Río, Mexico. Xally now enjoys … doing laundry. “It's like a therapy session for me! It gives me a sense of accomplishment. Plus, I love the smell of freshly cleaned clothes!” As part of our Graphic Design Team, Xally always brings a fresh perspective and a knack for clean, crisp design. When she’s not hammering out creative and effective campaign materials, Xally enjoys visiting her city’s highest point – often on her bike – and reveling in a gorgeous sunset. Afterwards, it’s back down to the city square for ice cream. At home, she’s been known to spoil her cats by letting them eat off her spoon. (Don’t judge!) Xally takes great pride in her work and being part of a team that places such an emphasis on collaboration. She and her fellow designers create marketing materials that meet the unique needs of our clients – no cookie-cutter design at Constellation Collective.