CEO

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Monica Guzman Escobar is a strategic communications executive and trusted growth partner to some of today’s most ambitious consumer brands. With more than two decades of experience across PR and marketing, she leads Startr Co. with a singular belief: when strategy, storytelling, and execution are aligned, brands don’t just earn attention—they build momentum.

As CEO of Startr Co., Monica sits at the center of every major engagement, guiding clients through pivotal moments of growth with clarity, confidence, and a sharp instinct for what moves culture. She is known for pairing big-picture brand vision with disciplined, results-driven execution, ensuring every campaign, launch, and narrative is designed to scale. Clients rely on her not simply as an agency lead, but as a true strategic partner invested in their long-term success.

Before Startr Co., Monica was a founding leader and Chief Operating Officer of Konnect Agency, where she helped grow the firm from a startup into a nationally recognized agency serving more than 60 clients with a 50-person team. Over her career, she has created and led high-impact campaigns across consumer products, health and wellness, franchise, education, entertainment, nonprofit, and travel and hospitality, working with brands including Lyft, Nike, Got Milk?, Cheerios, Delta, Heineken, Dave & Buster’s, The Goddard School, Nuna, and Nautica. These experiences sharpened her ability to operate at the intersection of brand, media, and culture—skills that now define Startr Co.’s modern, media-savvy approach.

Today, Monica is known for her integrity, strategic rigor, and ability to see around corners in a rapidly evolving media landscape. Brands partner with her because she is deeply invested, relentlessly thoughtful, and always pushing what’s possible—so they can build what lasts.

SVP

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Ross Garner is Senior Vice President at Startr Co., where he has spent more than six years helping shape the agency’s growth while serving as a trusted advisor to some of the most dynamic food, beverage, pet, and lifestyle brands.

At Startr Co., Ross plays a central role in guiding agency strategy, strengthening operations, and building high-performing teams that deliver meaningful results for clients. He partners closely with founders and executive leadership, helping brands navigate moments of growth, change, and complexity through thoughtful, forward-looking communications strategies. His approach is rooted in meeting brands where they are, whether supporting heritage companies with decades of legacy or emerging brands still defining their voice and market position.

Ross has led the growth of Startr Co.’s New York office, building and mentoring a strong team while helping expand the agency’s national footprint. His leadership has been instrumental in establishing Startr Co. as a bi-coastal agency with the scale, perspective, and agility to support brands across markets. In parallel, he remains deeply involved in evolving services and processes that improve profitability, team structure, and client experience. He is known internally as a steady, solutions-oriented leader and externally as a strategic partner clients rely on for clarity, sound judgment, and calm leadership, particularly during high-stakes moments.

With a strong pulse on industry trends and a holistic understanding of agency operations, Ross helps ensure Startr Co. continues to grow with intention, building lasting partnerships, resilient teams, and strategies that move brands forward.

VP

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As Vice President at Startr Co., Kim Le Layon leverages nearly two decades of PR experience to drive bold, results-driven communications for consumer brands across food and beverage, lifestyle, franchise, and family categories. She partners closely with executives to translate business goals into high-impact strategies, delivering campaigns that elevate brand visibility, credibility, and growth.

Kim leads integrated campaigns across media relations, influencer marketing, affiliate marketing, and crisis management, ensuring brand storytelling is both strategic and powerful. Her experience spans working with brands such as GHOST, Learning Resources Brands (Learning Resources, Educational Insights, hand2mind, Brightkins), Our Home (Pop Secret, Popchips, Good Health), NerdWallet, Flame Broiler, Sky Zone, The Goddard School, MGA Entertainment, Nautica, Teletubbies, and Nuna. This breadth allows her to quickly identify what will drive impact, whether scaling awareness, navigating complex moments, or supporting long-term brand evolution.

Kim is a driving force of Startr Co.’s internal growth and operational excellence. She is deeply invested in building and mentoring high-performing teams, developing strategic thinkers, and strengthening client leadership across the agency. Her determination and hands-on approach have been instrumental in optimizing operations, improving processes, and elevating the quality and consistency of work delivered.

Recognized for her positive, collaborative leadership style, Kim cultivates a culture where teams thrive, clients win, and ideas translate into measurable results. Through her leadership and strategic vision, she continues to shape Startr Co.’s trajectory and drive sustained, year-over-year growth.

VP

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Jillian Wong is Vice President at Startr Co. and a senior communications strategist with over a decade of experience advising CPG brands across food and beverage, wellness, pet, lifestyle, and franchise concepts. She partners closely with founders and executive teams to provide clear strategic counsel and lead proactive PR programs that build awareness, credibility, and long-term growth. 

Her experience spans large-scale campaigns for Lyft and NBA All-Star Weekend, brands under Hershey, Nestlé, and Post Holdings, as well as founder-led and celebrity-founded brands including BEEUP, GOODLES, Seven Sundays, and Kodiak Cakes. This range allows Jillian to quickly assess what will move the needle based on a brand’s size, stage, and goals, and to build focused, scalable campaigns.

Jillian is known for asking the right questions, setting a higher bar for the work, and translating big-picture objectives into clear, thoughtful strategies that deliver real results. She ingrains herself in the DNA of every brand she works with, staying closely connected to industry trends and the evolving PR landscape. At Startr Co., she spearheaded the launch of the agency’s affiliate marketing services, expanding how clients connect storytelling with performance. She is a trusted advocate teams rely on for clarity, direction, and steady leadership when it matters most.

Director

Senior Manager

Senior Account Supervisor

Account Supervisor

Senior Account Executive

Senior Account Executive

Senior Account Executive

Account Executive

Account Executive

Assistant Account Executive