History
Four marketing experts came together in the depths of the dotcom bust in San Francisco to offer full-service marketing communications and audience marketing services. Our mission: to provide customized marketing services for and with clients, helping make their products, services, and government agencies a success.
These days, our expertise with online, in print and in person integrated marketing allows our clients in media, nonprofit and government to reach their goals.
Thea Selby - Principal
Whether it’s working with a client’s team to build strategy from the ground up or creating a program to take advantage of a new opportunity Thea uses her analytical and strategic skills to build effective audience marketing solutions for clients. When not at Next Steps Marketing, she puts these skills to use working with others to create a safe and thriving San Francisco neighborhood.
Thea is a co-founder and board member of Exceptional Women in Publishing, a national organization dedicated to supporting women in and through the power of online and print media.
thea@nextstepsmarketing.com | Learn more about Thea
Mike Popalardo - Principal
From delving into the newest online marketing techniques to executing the perfect direct mail campaign, Mike is always thinking about what makes sense for each clients’ unique audience -- except when he hits the road biking around the San Francisco Bay Area.
Mike served as board member of the AAMP for ten years, two of those as President, and is a frequent industry speaker on audience marketing and development trends and practices.
mike@nextstepsmarketing.com | Learn more about Mike
Karen Cunningham -
Retail Marketing Manager
Karen brings over 20 years of experience working within the newsstand world. She's worked for a national distributor, an international distributor, a publisher, and can see the world of retail marketing from all sides. Karen's career has taken her to New York City, Naples, Florida, and most recently back home to San Francisco, CA.
karen@nextstepsmarketing.com | Learn more about Karen
Peter Kelly -
Consumer Marketing Director
With a background in marketing analysis, Peter brings a data-driven mindset to consumer marketing. His twenty-plus years of experience includes work at Hearst Magazines, Future US, and more recently Time, Inc. In his free time, Peter enjoys running, coaching his kids soccer teams and tending to his small bike-map business.
Peter@nextstepsmarketing.com | Learn more about Peter
Amanda Staight -
Digital Marketing Manager
Amanda is passionate about people and sharing their stories. With a background in the social sciences, Amanda is skilled at making connections, building relationships, and distilling complex ideas and circumstances into easy to understand and engaging campaigns and marketing materials. She can often be found reading, taking in the beauty of the Bay Area, and chatting in line at the grocery store.
amanda@nextstepsmarketing.com | Learn more about Amanda
Additional Client Support
Next Steps Marketing has had long-standing relationships with many account associates across the country who specialize in reporting, fulfillment, creative design, and html to make sure that we have the skills you need when you need them.
- Lisa Thomas
- Sue Sidler
- Anne Straitharn
Certifications & Affiliations
- San Francisco Local Business Enterprise (LBE)
- Women-Owned Business
- State of California Small Business Certification
- Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)
- Exceptional Women in Publishing
- Publishing Executive Blog
- Association of Audience Marketing Professionals (AAMP)
Founders
Next Steps Marketing was founded in January 2002 by four audience building and marketing professionals: Mike Popalardo, Thea Selby, Sharon Svensson, and Chip (Fred) Wood.