Meet Our Team

Ben Herman, President

Ben has been working with search engines and optimizing web sites since early 2003. Originally utilizing time away from work to build and optimize websites for himself and friends, Ben quickly found that through SEO, he was able to make a small living from several web sites that he started from scratch. Being able to ethically get all websites to rank for various keyword terms, Ben knew he was on to something valuable. Slowly, a new vision developed, to one day start a SEO business.

In 2005, Ben’s SEO knowledge landed him work as an SEO consultant for a local web design firm. The first high profile professional project was given to Ben, and a vision had quickly become reality. Mad Fish SEO now has a client base as varied and diverse as the internet itself.

Mad Fish SEO, Inc. has never forgotten where it has come from, nor lost the impeccable customer appreciating and service skills gained from working in market research for over four years.

Twitter: @ben_herman LinkedIn: Ben Herman

Corrie Chasteen, Communications Director

Corrie joined Mad Fish SEO in 2007 to lead the writing and communication team. As communications director, she develops the content and social network strategies for our clients.

Prior to Mad Fish, Corrie worked in the technology marketing industry. For seven years, she managed the marketing plans, promotional materials, web site development, administrative services, and finances of emerging technology organizations.

Corrie’s appreciation for the evolving career path of a writer is what led her to Mad Fish SEO. Online writing is an art in-and-of itself and is the latest venue for writers to make a living on their craft. By carefully studying SEO content strategies, she has created a writing staff with the right skills for writing quality search engine and user content.

Twitter: @corrieh LinkedIn: Corrie Herman

Colleen Welch, Online Content Writer/Editor

Colleen joined Mad Fish SEO as a staff writer and editor in 2009. She writes blog posts, articles and eBooks on a variety of topics for Mad Fish SEO clients.

Prior to Mad Fish SEO, Colleen was the Marketing and Publicity Director at a Portland book publishing company. Although she loved being surrounded by books, she found herself more drawn to blogging at the company website than any of her other tasks. She soon sought out other blogging opportunities. Now that she’s at Mad Fish SEO, she gets to blog to her heart’s content. Colleen also has experience as an elementary school teacher and office manager. She also teaches Vinyasa yoga and grades papers for an online university.

In her blog posts and articles, Colleen aims to deliver useful, timely, relevant information in an entertaining way. The classic English major, she laments the poor grammar, atrocious spelling, and boring tone of many websites, and is happy to actively contribute to the Online Content Universe.

Twitter: @colleenwelchpdx LinkedIn: Colleen Welch

Nicole Krueger, Online Content Writer/Editor

Nicole joined Mad Fish SEO in 2010 to manage online content for its clients. She edits articles and web copy, writes blog posts and press releases on a variety of topics and helps execute SEO content strategies.

Nicole blends a background in traditional print journalism with a strong interest in digital media and marketing. Prior to Mad Fish, she spent seven years as a news and features reporter for a metro newspaper in Nashville, Tenn. She moved to Portland in 2006 to write freelance articles for both regional newspapers and online media. Since returning to her hometown, she has also gained experience as the publicity and marketing manager for a Portland book publisher, an activities leader for an elementary-age after-school program and a guest services lead worker at the Oregon Zoo.

Nicole loves exploring various types of writing and especially enjoys taking part in the profession’s newest incarnation, online writing. She blogs about books, writes fiction and occasional bad poetry and happily devours all forms of the written word.

Twitter: @niclovesbooks LinkedIn: Nicole Krueger

Nicole Brudowsky, Lead Web Developer

Nicole has led a very diverse work-life. While completing her degree, she worked mostly in food-service and administration. Working in these areas taught her fundamental skills in understanding people and the inter-workings of businesses, both large and small.

She truly values the skills she gained in these areas, but once she earned her degree, her goal was to work in a place where she could use her more creative and technical skills together. Mad Fish SEO was the perfect answer. She still gets to do her 'art' and then go one step further and apply it to the digital world of numbers and letters, all while enjoying the foods she loves.

Twitter: @nbrudowsky LinkedIn: Nicole Brudowsky