Your Team
Craig
Trout
OWNER/PRESIDENT
With a head for strategy and an eye for creative, Craig represents a new style of agency leadership. Ask anyone who has worked with Craig and they’ll tell you his positive upbeat attitude has a way of turning the toughest situations into a well organized assault that delivers results time and time again; this can be attributed to his 25+ years of experience in communications and marketing. Craig’s laughter and wit can be heard throughout the halls and his smile can brighten just about anyone’s day.
Kathy
Trout
OWNER/CFO
When it comes to numbers and squeezing three dimes out of a quarter, Kathy does it with style. Responsible for P&L and keeping the agency running smoothly there is no one like our Kathy. Though you may not see her in the day to day business setting, she is managing the books and on the phone constantly. All this while she runs a greenhouse too!
Erin
Cramer
CONTENT DIRECTOR
Erin brings years of agency and editing experience to Alpha Dog, where her marketing intuition combined with a pragmatic approach is a win-win for all of our clients. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from the University of Delaware, as well as a certificate in copyediting from the University of California San Diego. She is a member of ACES: The Society for Editors, an adherent to Chicago style, and an advocate for the Oxford comma. She’s rarely met a Westie or a German beer she didn’t like.
Shannon
DePaul
BRAND MANAGER, TEAM LEAD
With experience in both digital and traditional marketing, Shannon helps create and manage multi-level campaigns for clients of all sizes. She holds a BA in Communication with a concentration in Media & Journalism, and a Minor in Dance from the University of Hartford. Her interests and experience within written, visual, and performing arts have provided a great background for working in advertising and marketing, as she understands the importance and detail involved in developing a brand and telling a story.
Matt
Hollenbach
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
For twenty-plus years, Matt has been a contributor to Lancaster’s digital-creative community. He’s worked on both the agency and client sides, owned his own business, and he also enjoys sharing his collective experience by teaching at PCAD. Although Matt’s produced everything from fully animated videos to printed posters, his main area of focus is web design. His approach to work is to draw people in with great design that puts an emphasis on ease of use. Matt earned his bachelor’s in communication design from Kutztown University and has called Lancaster home for twenty-five years. For fun, he plays bike polo — kind of like hockey with bicycles — and says there’s no better way to clear his head and make him laugh like a kid!
Jennifer
Arnold
BRAND MANAGER
Jen brings twenty-four years of agency experience to Alpha Dog, with more than thirteen of them specializing in project management and marketing research. She is a graduate of Pennsylvania School of Art and Design and a board member of the Philadelphia Chapter of PDMA (Product Development Management Association), where she is active on the marketing and communications committee. Jen lives in Holtwood with her husband, daughter, and cat. When she is not working, she can be found hanging out with her daughter and learning what cool kids do, running, or riding on the back of her husband’s Harley.
David
Jenkins
DIGITAL MARKETING COORDINATOR
Born and raised in Lancaster County, David brings a passion for research driven digital marketing to Alpha Dog Advertising. Equipped with a History degree from York College of Pennsylvania, David is able to use his strong critical thinking and analytical skills to effectively create winning campaigns for his clients. When David isn’t creating engaging marketing campaigns, he can be found reading his favorite author, Fyodor Dostoevsky or training for his next marathon.
Scout
Will
ASSISTANT BRAND MANAGER
Scout comes to Alpha Dog with a passion for brands and a strong desire to help clients realize and achieve their goals. She graduated with a BS in integrated marketing communications from Ithaca College and brings experience from both agency and in-house roles. When not in the office, you’ll find Scout exploring Lancaster city, cuddling with her kitten, or reading the latest novel on her Kindle.
Aftan
Hoffer
CONTENT SPECIALIST
Aftan comes to Alpha Dog with a passion for crafting clear, compelling communication to help clients promote their products and sell their services. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Messiah University and a master’s degree from Gratz College. Prior to joining the team, she was an English teacher for ten years in the public school system. When she’s not in the office, you’ll find her working up a sweat at the Lancaster YMCA or chasing her kids around the playground at Buchanan Park.
Kate
Cox
SENIOR DESIGNER
Kate brings more than a decade of human-centered UI and UX design experience to Alpha Dog. In addition to creating websites and design systems, she has worked extensively as a UX designer for automation software, healthcare portals, web-based applications, and mobile apps. Having worked for companies ranging from Fortune 500 corporations to tech start-ups to local family businesses, Kate believes every project should be given the same thoughtful care and attention to detail regardless of the size. Kate graduated from Millersville University with a BFA in graphic and interactive design, received her UX Certification in 2020, and is currently working toward a UX Master Certification. She can often be seen roller-skating around the city, exploring the outdoors with her dog, Rigby, and deconstructing Furbies.
Abby
Harris
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Hailing from Hershey, Pennsylvania, Abby joined Alpha Dog with excitement and ambition to expand her horizons. She uses a combination of creative work and play — from creating concepts to finalizing details — to produce designs that capture a client’s unique voice. A multifaceted designer, Abby produces everything from print materials to web-based designs, using the skills she honed while earning her bachelor’s in communication design at Kutztown University. A curious person by nature, Abby is always looking for her next adventure, and in her free time, you may find her cuddling with her dog Marley, crocheting her heart out, or adding a new addition to her chicken coop.
Kacie
Berger
SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST
Kacie brings a passion for branding and content creation to Alpha Dog Advertising. She holds a BBA in marketing and a minor in management information systems from Temple University and brings experience in content creation and project management, enabling her to create engaging social media content for clients. When she’s not in the office, you’ll find Kacie crafting, playing with her Australian shepherd, or listening to an audiobook.
Chris
Norton
BRAND MANAGER
With a passion for building relationships and helping clients realize their ambitions, Chris has nearly a decade of experience within the digital marketing and customer service realms. He is originally from the Philadelphia area, but moved to downtown Lancaster after graduating from Millersville University with a BA in English (concentration in journalism) and a minor in music, which gave him not only the analytical skills required to dissect a project, but an eye for the creative as well. Outside of the office, he can frequently be found at concerts around town or devotedly cheering on any major Philly sports team.
