Leadership
John Oberlander
Creative and Strategic Director/Partner
John has worked in advertising and design for over 30 years—experience that helps him guide projects with a balance of creativity and strategy. He has a relentless drive to help organizations tell their stories better, in ways that resonate and attract new audiences. His work has won awards from CASE, UCDA, HEMR, AIGA and the ADDYs. John graduated from the School of Visual Arts and learned the ropes at agencies in New York City working on Fortune 500 accounts, and in Los Angeles working in the film industry.
John is involved in local economic development efforts, and in his spare time enjoys photography, kayaking, painting and soccer.
Mel Quinlan
Managing Partner
With a background in banking and ten years of Latin, Mel brings a unique perspective to her management style. Her 20 years at Oberlander have allowed her to branch into copy writing as well as managing the operations of the agency. Mel has a B.A. in Greek + Roman Civilization from University at Albany (which is an enormous help when doing crossword puzzles.) She is active on the Board of the Rensselaer County Chamber of Commerce and serves as Secretary of the Arts Center of the Capital Region Board of Trustees. Past boards include The Chamber of the Capital Region and the Senior Center of Cohoes.
When not at work Mel enjoys her 4 pets, writing, reading, swimming and gardening. She also likes to cook and knows every episode of Law & Order and wishes she had become an FBI profiler. Or a pharmacist. Or a writer of true crime books. Or a lounge singer.
Flo Luckey
Senior Art Director
Florence Luckey is an award-winning designer with over 30 years experience. In that time, her work has been recognized by Print Magazine, Admissions Marketing Report UCDA, CASE, Communication Arts and Graphic Design USA. Flo graduated from Parsons School of Design with a B.F.A. in Graphic Design. She gained valuable design experience at agencies and corporations while in New York City.
Flo’s interests outside of work are eclectic and include Argentine tango, bee-keeping, kayaking, and travel. She and her husband have renovated one of their barns to produce small-batch spirits from their heirloom apples. Summer evenings she can often be found hostessing Tango dances in their other barn.
Karen Paul
Senior Graphic Designer / Project Manager
Karen manages all scheduling, production, and delivery of creative materials. She has been at Oberlander Group for over 25 years and is a highly skilled project manager known for her calm demeanor and ability to handle details and deadlines—top notch in Customer Service. Karen has a B.S. in Graphic Design from Buffalo State College.
An avid equestrian Karen has her own horse, Red, and enjoys trail riding around the region. She is also very interested in Equine Assisted Growth and Learning. Karen’s other interests include reading, art, music, snowmobiling, motorcycling, and boating. Karen can be reached at: kpaul@oberlandergroup.com
Chad Bradt
Digital Interactive Director
With over 17 years of digital and print experience, Chad is fluent in all aspects of web development, CMS implementation, and digital advertising. His experience includes working with clients in the sectors of higher-education, arts, technology and healthcare. Being involved with both front- and back-end development, he balances strong design solutions while providing the best user experience. Chad has a B.F.A. in Graphic Design from SUNY Fredonia.
Chad’s interests outside of work include running marathons, skiing, music and keeping up with his twin boys.