Backbone Propels Strategic Capabilities with Marketing Team Restructure, New Hire

Leading lifestyle agency positions for future, leveraging business development, marketing, and strategy.

Carbondale, Colo.—Backbone, a leading integrated marketing agency specializing in outdoor and active lifestyle brands, announces a restructure of its business development and marketing team aimed at enhancing strategic growth. At the heart of this transformation is the hire of Zach Mader to the newly created role of director of development and growth. Additionally, agency veteran Andy Ralston will assume the new position of director of strategy.

“Backbone has experienced substantial growth in the last five years, increasing our book of business by 80% since 2018,” said Greg Williams, president at Backbone. “Our agency operates at the center of community and influence, having built a deeply integrated mix of paid and earned media expertise over the last 27 years. We've supported our expansion into new channels such as paid search and retail marketing with a significant investment in building best-in-class analytics and measurement tools and strategies. We’re investing in our business development capabilities and using this as a moment to rethink how we harness the power of our broader marketing team to fuel continued growth.”

Mader will lead the business development arm of the agency in his new role, while Ralston will assume the newly created role of director of strategy. Meg Papanastassiou, associate director of marketing, and Kearsley Robinson, senior marketing manager, will lead agency marketing and guide business development operations, respectively.

Having filled leadership roles at Gear Patrol, Condé Nast and New York Magazine (Vox Media), Mader brings to Backbone over two decades of experience in sales, partnerships and business development. As the director of development and growth, Mader is responsible for developing the new business pipeline and identifying opportunities in the broader lifestyle category.

“Backbone has the deep expertise, creative vision and tools to extend the amazing work the agency has done in active lifestyle with brands like Yeti and Smartwool into additional categories,” said Mader. “This role represents an exciting new chapter, and I am eager to contribute to the innovative and strategic initiatives that drive Backbone's success.”

If you are interested in learning more about Backbone’s capabilities, email info@backbone.media.

About Backbone
Backbone is an integrated marketing agency with capabilities across paid and earned media. At Backbone, we are for people and brands who want to move: we hone, amplify, and stoke brands in the active lifestyle space and beyond. Backbone has consistently been recognized as one of Outside Magazine’s “Best Places to Work” and has been shortlisted in the prestigious PRWeek Awards, illustrating you can cultivate a culture with work/life balance and execute award-winning work. Visit us in person in Denver or Carbondale, Colorado, online at backbone.media, or on Instagram @backbonemedia.