Louis Tharp, Chief Executive Officer

In addition to running Clay Marketing & Public Relations, a successful international public relations, advertising and marketing company for nearly 25 years specializing in maritime market issues, and working for some of the largest international PR and marketing agencies, Louis Tharp became a social entrepreneur in 1999, co-founded, and acted as venture capitalist for CreakyJoints, an international service organization for people with arthritis. CreakyJoints was merged into the Global Healthy Living Foundation, a non-profit Louis Tharp also co-founded.

Today GHLF includes other disease-specific and policy-specific communities for psoriasis and osteoporosis, patient advocacy and pain. Another health-related company, TGI Healthworks -- also co-founded by Mr. Tharp -- includes programming for several other diseases such as diabetes, COPD and asthma, ulcerative colitis, Alzheimers, Parkinson’s and depression.

Mr. Tharp was previously a contract writer for the New York Times as well as other daily newspapers, and published his first hardcover book, The Complete Manager's Guide to Promotional Merchandise (Dow-Jones Irwin) in 1989. During the 1980s, Louis Tharp provided product and marketing counsel to technology and dot com companies in which he held equity positions.

Mr. Tharp is a competitive swimmer with World Masters bronze medal, two gold and two silver medals at the 2006 Gay Games, and two silver and two bronze medals at the 2009 Outgames. Louis Tharp is the swim coach for the U.S. Military Academy Triathlon team at West Point, NY, and published Overachiever's Diary: How the Army Triathlon Team Became World Contenders in 2007, a soft-cover book recounting the West Point tri team’s rise to national prominence. He has donated all profits from the sale of this book to the West Point triathlon team.

From 2003 to 2008, Louis Tharp served on the board of visitors for the College of Business at Butler University, Indianapolis where he graduated with a B.S. and a B.A. in Journalism in 1972.

Seth Ginsberg, President

Seth Ginsberg was diagnosed at age 13 with Spondyloarthropathy, a degenerative form of arthritis. He began working at Clay Marketing as an intern when he was 17. With Louis Tharp, he co-founded CreakyJoints at the age of 18, in order to help fellow arthritis sufferers understand the benefits of exercise, diet, a positive mental outlook, and a productive relationship with their doctor.

Today, TGI Healthworks -- also co-founded by Mr. Ginsberg and Mr. Tharp -- includes programming for several other diseases such as diabetes, COPD and asthma, ulcerative colitis, Alzheimers, Parkinson’s, depression, and cancer. Mr. Ginsberg graduated from Babson College, Boston, with a B.S. in Social Entrepreneurship in 2003.

As the primary company spokesperson, he is a frequent speaker at colleges, universities, and health and medical conferences. As a spokesperson for the Arthritis Huddle, from the ages of 19-24, he and football legend Joe Namath traveled throughout the United States speaking to healthcare providers, patients and caregivers.

Mr. Ginsberg is a former board member of the Westchester Arthritis Foundation, and currently on the board of the Global Healthy Living Foundation.

Laurie Ferguson, Ph.D., Vice President of Research and Education

Dr. Ferguson received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the Derner Institute at Adelphi University, New York in 2004. She leads Clay Marketing research and is a media spokesperson for the company on research results and industry trends.

She received a cum laude undergraduate degree with high honors from Smith College, and received a Masters of Divinity from Princeton Seminary.

Alexey Salamakha, National Program Manager

Alexey earned his Master’s degree from the University of Rostov, Rostov, Russia, and held marketing and public relations agency positions before moving to the United States in 2007.

He speaks, reads and writes French and Russian, and is in charge of program logistics, includng culturally-specific programming, and supervising a team of Clay associates and vendors.

Marco Pretell- Vázquez, Web/Program Associate

Marco Pretell-Vázquez studied International Business with concentrations in Spanish and Marketing before graduating from Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana, in 2009, where he held various leadership positions on campus. 

He has worked internationally and fluently speaks, writes and reads Spanish. At Clay Marketing, Mr. Pretell- Vázquez coordinates community outreach, for Spanish-Speaking and Latino communities. Additionally, he is in charge of creating and updating client websites.

Stefan Bill, Senior Coach, Program Manager, Europe

Stefan Bill graduated from Berufsschule Burgdorf, Burgdorf, Switzerland, in 2004, and is responsible for event organization and administration for European programs. He is fluent in English, Swiss German and High German.

A nationally and internationally recognized competitive swimmer, Mr. Bill currently works in London.