
Black Oak is a
Lake in Wisconsin.
And that’s where our founder, Steve Bates, grew up. He spent his former years learning to ski, spending time with friends and family, and even proposed to his wife, Lisa, on Black Oak Lake. It’s not only a beautiful place, but it’s also where our company name originated. With so many memories tied to that lake and a heavy agency focus in the marine industry, it just made sense. And like a Black Oak tree, Black Oak Creative grew—from a guy armed with just a camera and the seeds of what we now know as Meta into a thriving full-service marketing agency filled with creative nerds well-versed in, well, everything. Add to the mix a furry companion named Sam, countless hours spent in Adobe programs, and a roster full of satisfied clients—and you have Black Oak Creative. We’re happy you’re here.





Working with us
doesn’t suck.
ZACH ALIVIO DIGITAL MEDIA LEAD
Best at Making Every Edit a Banger
raquel arroyo content manager
Most Likely to Have a Spreadsheet for That
lisa bates chief financial officer
Most Likely to Say “Is That in the Budget?”
steve bates chief creative officer
Best at Flying Drones and Dreaming Bigger
heidi bourque digital media specialist
Best at Capturing Vibes on 35mm
emily butler brand strategist
Most Likely to See the Big Picture Before Anyone Else
emily dale senior brand strategist, creative lead
Most Likely to Turn Good into Flawless
amanda dilley senior brand manager
Most Likely to Turn Creative Sparks into Big Brand Wins
ryleigh dwyer web & visual content manager
Best at Capturing the Perfect Shot, Then Turning It into a Perfect Website
brenden falgien brand manager
Most Likely to Turn Strategy into Results
emily kent lead designer
Most Likely to Judge a Business by Its Logo
jordan li brand manager
Most Likely to Make Every Project a Success
emily mathis operations coordinator
Best at Keeping Track, So You Don’t Have To
kayla owens brand manager
Best at Turning Talk into Action
emily snyder junior designer
Best at Making Photoshop Layers Work Magic
jenn walker brand executive
Best at Steering Brand Stories in the Right Direction
chloe yeager director of operations
Best at Keeping the Wheels Turning Behind the Scenes
Working with us
doesn’t suck.
ZACH ALIVIO DIGITAL MEDIA LEAD
Best at Making Every Edit a Banger
raquel arroyo content manager
Most Likely to Have a Spreadsheet for That
lisa bates chief financial officer
Most Likely to Say “Is That in the Budget?”
steve bates chief creative officer
Best at Flying Drones and Dreaming Bigger
heidi bourque digital media specialist
Best at Capturing Vibes on 35mm
emily butler brand strategist
Most Likely to See the Big Picture Before Anyone Else
emily dale senior brand strategist, creative lead
Most Likely to Turn Good into Flawless
amanda dilley senior brand manager
Most Likely to Turn Creative Sparks into Big Brand Wins
ryleigh dwyer web & visual content manager
Best at Capturing the Perfect Shot, Then Turning It into a Perfect Website
brenden falgien brand manager
Most Likely to Turn Strategy into Results
emily kent lead designer
Most Likely to Judge a Business by Its Logo
jordan li brand manager
Most Likely to Make Every Project a Success
emily mathis operations coordinator
Best at Keeping Track, So You Don’t Have To
kayla owens brand manager
Best at Turning Talk into Action
emily snyder junior designer
Best at Making Photoshop Layers Work Magic
jenn walker brand executive
Best at Steering Brand Stories in the Right Direction
chloe yeager director of operations
Best at Keeping the Wheels Turning Behind the Scenes
It’s gonna be great.
Ready to jump in?
We love fresh ideas and new faces. No project yet? No problem.