People

Julio Melara

CEO

Julio Melara is president and CEO of Melara Enterprises, a multi-media company which publishes Business Report, 225 Magazine, InRegister magazine, Daily Report, 10|12 Industry Report and many other niche publications, websites and e-newsletters. He is also the founder of Business Report's Executive Leadership Academy- an exclusive program for advancing professionals and entrepreneurs that offers the best of personal development, professional growth, leadership exposure and insight from guest CEO speakers.

Julio is also CEO and Founder of Studio E–a content, communications and creative studio that helps businesses engage and connect with their clients by helping them tell their story and optimizing their content in creative ways on multiple platforms.

In 2023, Julio became the Principal of Launch Media, a video production and visual communication company that creates dynamic experiences and content, thereby helping its clients achieve success with moving images.

He is the author of several books, Do You Have The Time For Success?, It Only Takes Everything You've Got!, Keys To Performance, and Mental Snacks – Nourishment for your mind and fuel for your life!

Erin Pou

Chief Digital Officer

Erin and her team are reinventing the way clients connect with audiences. They are focused on serving local businesses, growing their revenue, and addressing their pain points by delivering premium hyperlocal content with marketing strategies that work. She was honored with the Louisiana Press Association's President’s Award in 2006 and 2018 and the 2011 Louey Award by the Louisiana Travel Association and former Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne.

John E. Jackson

Managing Director

As the founder of Launch Media, John has worked on hundreds of projects, spanning industries from industrial construction and HR to nonprofit and healthcare. Over the course of 17 years, he has transformed a startup 2-man video outfit into a full-service multimedia production company with clients across the country and around the world. Awarded the 2015 Baton Rouge Business Report’s “Young Business Person of the Year,” John is a proven leader with a reputation for quality service, management, and execution. As any good leader knows, with success comes philanthropic effort, and John enjoys serving on boards with Preserve Louisiana, Cap City Beer Fest in association with the Companion Animal Alliance, and the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge.

Fun Facts:
Grew up on his family farm in a small town
Believes everyone should "always be learning"
Would rather be camping (as his bumper sticker says) #CubScoutDenDadLife

Timothy Coles

Creative Director

Timothy is a globally recognized, award-winning creative with extensive experience both domestically and internationally. With a background working with some of the top names in the industry, including Amazon Studios, Weta Digital, and NBCUniversal, he has honed his skills as a versatile and skilled creative professional. Serving as the Creative Director, Timothy is dedicated to delivering results that exceed clients' expectations and drive business growth.

Chris Jeansonne

Creative Producer

For over nine years, Chris has worked his way up through production, freelancing as a production assistant, an operator, and a Director of Photography. Currently serving as the Creative Producer, Chris facilitates internal communications with clients and aids the creative director with daily operations. Chris discovered his love for the creative sphere after an internship for TED x LSU, which cemented his ambitions for video production. Having grown up working for his family business in Slidell, Chris understands the best approach needed to address client concerns and build strong relationships.

Fun Facts:
Enjoys rock climbing and biking
Likes cookies and milk for breakfast
Wanted to be an astronaut

Taylor Stoma

Senior Editor

As resident video editor and animator, Taylor's view and approach to moving image creation is not only a holistic one, but an expression of the dynamic and "out of the box" thinking that births interesting visual stories. He enjoys pulling stories out of images and inventing new ways to present an idea to enhance a client’s vision. Taylor started working with Launch Media over four years ago, after leaving his position with Complete Weddings and Events where he was awarded “2016 Lead Videographer of the Year.” As a short film maker, he strives to approach his work from a place of artistry, building on the principles and elements of design to elevate conventional marketing and advertising methods. Taylor earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Media Arts from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2014.

Fun Facts:
Aspires to be a touring musician and create visual media for his band
Believes that art has healing powers (empirical evidence for it folks)
Avid racquetball player and lover of all water sports

Mercedes Lindsey

Production Coordinator / Producer

Ari Ross

Studio Manager / Associate Editor

A certified “Swiss-army man,” Ari began his media journey at WBRH, Baton Rouge High’s FM radio station. His experiences carried over to LSU, where he studied Mass Communication with a focus in broadcast journalism. Throughout his college years, Ari spent much of his spare time working in student media as a radio news reporter, DJ, photojournalist, videographer, editor and producer. These experiences gave him a chance to see how different forms of media can combine to tell a story in the most effective way. After graduating in 2018, Ari worked various media-related jobs but always found his favorite ones involved cameras. As Launch’s Production Coordinator, Ari maintains an organized studio and equipment inventory while also supporting day-to-day productions as a utility grip, gaffer, and camera assistant.

Fun Facts:
Pretty good with a slingshot
Has a pet Yellow Lab named Trouble
Bought a drone in the hopes of one day flying it commercially

J.J.

Mascot

Nearly 17 years ago, J.J. graduated in aerospace engineering at the top of his class. He then earned his PhD in physics at the University of LM Visual Solutions at CBO. As a certified prodigy, J.J. was a top pick for a NASA secret mission to the moon in 2010. It turns out that some Russian agents knocked over the American flag. But, J.J. led the team to victory and managed to replant the flag in the moondust. Footage of the event remains classified.