You’ve read our blog posts, tweeted with us, had conversations with us in the forums and you may have even met some of us face-to-face… but do you feel as though you have a sense of who we are? Probably not… we’d like to change that.
Below you’ll find brief bios for each of us, along with five random questions that we’ll refresh with new questions and answers every now and again. If you have a question you’d like to see us answer the next time we post an update, visit the Contact Us page where you can email any one of, or all of us directly.
Mel Carson
Microsoft Advertising Community Manager (Global)
Mel’s role as Community Manager at Microsoft Advertising is to build relationships within the online advertising community by supporting and educating through the Microsoft Advertising Blog, evangelising through social media and by speaking about internet marketing at conferences, trade shows & other events.
Background
Mel began his digital advertising career as an editor at the search engine LookSmart in 2000, spending time at 24/7 Search as a Search Account Director before moving to Microsoft in 2005.
He was part of the team that planned and executed the UK roll-out of Microsoft adCenter in August 2006, and it didn’t take much persuasion for Mel to join the Microsoft Advertising Community Team when it became apparent that Social Media Marketing was going to be huge!
Mel has spoken about adCenter, Search, Social Media and Digital Marketing at conferences and events in the UK, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Reykjavik, Dublin, Barcelona and Tenerife.
He also lectures on MBA, MSc and online marketing courses, advising syllabus decision makers at Cranfield School of Management and Birkbeck College – part of London University.
Before getting into digital marketing, he was an eternally-resting-actor and got an ignominious break in a Joe Cocker Video way back in 1997!
Do follow him on Twitter and Facebook and check out his personal blog MelCarson.com!
Five Random Questions
What do you like to do for fun?
Play cricket whilst drinking beer!
What’s your favorite movie and why?
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – because life does move pretty fast and I like to look around!
If you were asked to choose one song that summarizes who you are, what would it be and why?
“Against All Odds” by Phil Collins. Ask me some time…..
Name something you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t yet?
Go to watch England play cricket in Australia. Oh…and stick to only have one pint in a pub!
What’s something about you that not a lot of people know?
My great-great uncle was the real James Bond!
Tina Kelleher
Small/Medium Business Community Manager (US)
As the US-based Small/Medium Business Community Manager, Tina is focused on keeping the adCenter Blog content relevant and useful for the do-it-yourself SMB marketer, making sure visitors to the API Blog are kept up-to-date with the latest API news and ensuring visitors to the Community forums and followers of our social channels (Twitter and Facebook) get answers to their questions.
Background
After being disillusioned with the reality of what jobs in radio, TV and print are really like, I began working in the online media space at a 3-year old start-up called Upromise back in 2003.
Following a move from Boston (I still have remnants of the accent dotting my speech) to a small village in the green mountains of northern Vermont, I was hired as the Online Marketing Analyst for Vermont Design Works, a small web design company based just outside of Burlington, Vermont’s largest city.
It was there that I had my first exposure to search engine optimization, pay per-click advertising and what it’s like to work for a mom-and-pop owned, small business. Shortly thereafter, Microsoft recruited and relocated me out here to Washington state in early 2007 to join the Media Specialist team.
Once settled out here on the west coast, I ramped into my new role assisting adCenter customers with campaign creation, maintenance and troubleshooting. During my first year as a Media Specialist, I began a partnership with the Community team as a regular blogger, which ultimately lead to my officially joining the team as the SMB Community Manager in October 2010.
Five Random Questions
What do you like to do for fun?
I like to play with my son and two Australian Shepherds, discover new music (I puffy heart my Zune Pass!), go out with my audiophile husband to see bands play live, get into political discussions on Facebook, root for Boston sports teams, travel, go camping (especially at music festivals) and when I have time for it, read.
What’s your favorite movie and why?
Harold and Maude because it does a great job of highlighting the wisdom gained through shifting your perspective.
If you were asked to choose one song that summarizes who you are, what would it be and why?
“Imagine” by John Lennon because it lets me indulge my idealist tendencies; I absolutely count myself among the dreamers.
Name something you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t yet?
I’ve got a bunch of those: visit Ireland and Italy (where the majority of my heritage comes from), go hang gliding, learn how to blow glass, try snowboarding… the list goes on.
What’s something about you that not a lot of people know?
It doesn’t typically come up in casual conversation—though my husband seizes upon any opportunity to bring it up—but during my college years, a friend and I co-founded a non-profit based around our favorite band’s shows that’s still going strong today (though neither of us are involved anymore).
Simone Schuurer
Small/Medium Business Community Manager (UK)
Simone is the newest member of the Community team, having just accepted her current position as the London-based Small/Medium Business Community Manager. In addition to driving the Community strategy for the upcoming European roll out of the Search Alliance, Simone will be focused on publishing content relevant to the UK audience on the adCenter Blog, as well as managing posts from the Atlas team on their blog.
Background
I studied Communications in the Netherlands and graduated in 1999 after focusing on the topic “How Do People Read Online”. Thanks to a great tutor and some really cool journalists at Intermediar Online, I got hooked to the internet.
After some freelance journalism for Intermediar, I worked for the communications department of a large supermarket where I once had the honor to meet a princess. Shortly thereafter, I did a brief stint at a PR agency looking after online customers and worked in the exhibition department of the Rijksmuseum; a wonderful experience as I got to see beautiful works of art, such as Rembrandt’s Nightwatch before the place opened, all to myself with no security guard in sight. It must be in the top of life’s moments of unexpected happiness.
In 2000, I moved to the UK to live with a nice Englishman I met on the Greek island of Crete in 1998. My first job in England was bang in the middle of London at the National Gallery, though I missed digital and moved on to Looksmart to head up the Dutch language directory for MSN. When Looksmart UK ceased to exist, I spent some time working at Discovery Networks.
I joined Microsoft in 2006—just before the launch of adCenter—as a Search Media Analyst. Over the past few years I have helped retailers advertise their businesses in search. I’ve been blogging on the Microsoft Advertising Community site since 2008.
Five Random Questions
What do you like to do for fun?
I love being outside, I’ve proudly designed our back garden--inspired by Dutch designer Piet Oudolf (nowhere near as good though!) who also worked on the beautiful New York High Line. I like growing flowers, fruit & vegetables on my allotment, photography, eating chocolate, reading books and seeing/meeting the world bit by bit on holiday.
What’s your favorite movie and why?
‘Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain’ Amelie is a waitress who decides to chance the lives of those around her for the better. I’d happily spend my days doing nice anonymous things for others – a better world starts with yourself! I also like the films from Pedro Almodovar as they beautifully colourful and vibrant.
If you were asked to choose one song that summarizes who you are, what would it be and why?
“What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong—what he sings is what makes me tick. Yes, obviously there are a lot of not so wonderful things in the world, but the most beautiful things are often right in front of you, if only you noticed them. Your friends, their kids, a stranger being nice to you, the changing of the seasons, exploring a foreign city – it makes me a very happy person. On the other side, I think that when you realize the beauty of what is around you, you feel more responsible for preserving it.
Name something you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t yet?
I’d very much like to go on a safari, get a good singing voice, get a horticultural degree from the RHS, just for fun, win a photography award J
What’s something about you that not a lot of people know?
Ok on to the weird facts. I love dancing (but rarely do so); I’ve had about 5 years of classical ballet lessons, 3 years of American & Latin dancing lessons. I did ride on an elephant twice. This year I grew 10 kilos of strawberries. That is a lot of jam and many happy neighbours. I was born in the year Microsoft was founded in a town 5 meters under sea level.
Contact Us
If you have a question you’d like to see us answer the next time we post an update, visit the Contact Us page where you can email any one of, or all of us directly.