Meet the Team

With a BA in Marketing from Texas A&M University, David began his career as a salesperson in print and online industrial advertising. His experience working in the B2B sector allowed him to evaluate inefficiencies within the search marketing industry. Avail Media Group has benefited from David’s strengths in leadership and communication. David’s vision continues to inspire the company while he oversees the business activity of the agency that continues to grow locally and nationally. David has presented at Google’s PSP Summit, HOUSTEX, Houston Interactive Marketing Association events and Interactive Strategies conferences. He resides in Katy with his wife, two children and dogs, Rebel & Nash.

Jeff Montgomery is a Partner at Avail Media Group in Houston, TX. With a BA in Economics from the University of Houston, Jeff began his career as a salesperson in print and industrial advertising. It was then he created relationships with his customers that still carry on today. Jeff is also the co-founder of A Sheltered Life, a fundraising organization to help nurture impoverished children and raise awareness for their needs. When not working, Jeff enjoys spending time with his wife and three children.

A native Houstonian and graduate of the University of Houston, Kelley Robinson has been a cornerstone of Avail Media since 2008. As President, she leads a team of media professionals, overseeing strategy and execution across a diverse client portfolio. Kelley has driven successful campaigns spanning healthcare, energy, nonprofit, senior living, travel, and real estate, with expertise across both traditional and digital channels. She is known for her ability to seamlessly integrate the two, creating cohesive and effective media strategies. Kelley’s leadership and industry impact have been widely recognized. She was named Media Alliance of Houston Agency Principal of the Year in 2023 and has earned Media Director of the Year honors in 2018 and 2021, as well as Agency Digital Professional of the Year in 2019. She also received the AAF Houston Spirit of AAF Award in 2020. In 2025, Kelley was honored with the Media Alliance of Houston Silver Star, recognizing her outstanding contributions to the Houston advertising community, and was selected as an honoree in the Houston Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Awards in the Outstanding Business Leaders in Professional Services category—an award recognizing top female leaders shaping Houston’s business community. Deeply committed to the industry, Kelley serves on the boards of both the Media Alliance of Houston and the American Advertising Federation – Houston. She prioritizes continuous learning for herself and her team, staying at the forefront of media trends to deliver thoughtful, high-performing campaigns. Kelley is also a familiar presence at the University of Houston, where she regularly judges media campaigns for students at the Valenti School of Communication.

Born and raised in Houston, Amanda graduated from Texas A&M University in 2015 and began her media career in Dallas, working on accounts such as Texas Tourism and Southwest Airlines. She later returned to Houston, joining Richards/Carlberg where she developed media strategy for brands including Blue Bell Creameries, Wingstop, and Typhoon Texas. Drawn to the ever-evolving nature of advertising, Amanda quickly developed a passion for media buying and strategy—recognizing the unique ability to both track and influence performance in real time. Amanda joined Avail Media (formerly Brivic Media) in 2019 and now serves as Media Director, leading strategic media planning, buying, and implementation across all channels. She is a Past President of the Media Alliance of Houston and has been widely recognized for her contributions to the industry, earning Digital Professional of the Year (2020), Media Buyer of the Year (2021), Media Director of the Year (2023), and most recently, Local Agency Media Director of the Year (2026). In 2025, Amanda was also recognized by the Houston Business Journal as a Women Who Mean Business honoree in the Women to Watch category, celebrating emerging leaders making an impact in Houston’s business community.

A Houston native, Liz Ferrari began her advertising journey at Penn State University, where she earned a B.A. in Advertising & Public Relations with a minor in Economics. She went on to receive a M.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications from West Virginia University, further sharpening her strategic foundation. With over a decade of experience in cable and video advertising, Liz has helped brands connect with their audiences across premium networks such as ESPN, HGTV, and Bravo—spanning both traditional channels and the ever-evolving streaming landscape. Her expertise lies in translating audience insights into effective, results-driven media strategies. As Business Development Director at Avail Media Group, Liz focuses on driving growth and building meaningful, long-term partnerships. She is passionate about understanding each client’s business and identifying opportunities to support their success through thoughtful media planning. Liz is also deeply committed to the Houston media community. She served as President of the Media Alliance of Houston from 2023–2024, where she fostered industry connections, led events, and helped raise funds for scholarships. In 2026, she was honored with the organization’s Unsung Hero Award.

A native Houstonian, Cristina is a graduate of the University of Houston and began her career in media as an intern at Rives Carlberg before continuing on to AdResults. She joined Avail Media in 2007 and has grown into her current role as Media Manager, bringing nearly two decades of experience to the team. Cristina is involved in all aspects of media planning and buying, supporting clients across a wide range of industries including telecommunications, pet food, education, airlines, senior living, healthcare, energy, and nonprofit. Her depth of experience and client-first approach have made her a trusted partner across her portfolio. In 2026, she was recognized by the Media Alliance of Houston as Local Agency Account Service of the Year. Outside of work, Cristina enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, exploring everything Houston has to offer.

After graduating from the University of Texas, Caitlin began her media career at GroupM in New York, where she spent three years working on national accounts including AT&T Inc. and Progressive Insurance. She later returned to her hometown of Houston and joined Avail Media in 2015, where she has grown into her current role as Media Manager. Caitlin brings a strategic, detail-oriented approach to her work, leading media planning and buying across a diverse portfolio of clients in the travel, healthcare, and real estate sectors. In 2025, she was recognized by the Media Alliance of Houston as Local Agency Buyer of the Year, highlighting her expertise and impact in the market. Beyond her client work, Caitlin is actively involved in the Houston media community. She has served as Co-Chair of the Houston Media Classic, an annual charity golf tournament benefiting organizations including the Houston Food Bank, AEFH, and the DREAM Fund.

Grace Dlugosh’s academic journey at The University of Oklahoma began with a focus on architecture before a defining moment shifted her path toward advertising. Through internships exploring social media and the influencer space, she discovered a passion for community engagement. It was ultimately a media planning course that brought everything together, blending creativity, strategy, and communication, and set the foundation for her career. Grace went on to excel academically and serve as a teaching assistant, supporting and inspiring other students pursuing advertising. Since graduating in December 2023 with a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising and a minor in Architecture, Grace began her media career with Avail Media as a Media Coordinator in January 2024. She quickly distinguished herself through her strategic thinking and growing impact on client work, earning promotions to Junior Media Planner and Buyer in February 2025 and Media Planner and Buyer in October 2025. In 2026, Grace was promoted to Associate Media Manager and honored with the Media Alliance Rising Star Award, recognizing her as an emerging talent in the media industry. With a unique blend of analytical thinking and creative perspective, Grace brings thoughtful, results-driven strategy to every campaign she manages. As an Associate Media Manager, she continues to grow as a leader while helping clients navigate an increasingly complex media landscape and ensuring their campaigns are built around the right audiences, channels, and opportunities. Grace also plays an active role in the Houston media community volunteering on the Media Alliance of Houston board as the 2026-2027 VP of Communication.

Taylor Roby joined Avail Media in the summer of 2022 as a Media Coordinator and has since advanced through multiple roles, earning promotions to Junior Media Planner/Buyer, Media Planner/Buyer, and now Associate Media Manager. In her current role, she develops and oversees integrated media plans across digital and traditional media, bringing strategic insight, precision, and a data-informed approach to every campaign. Taylor has partnered with brands across a diverse range of industries, including nonprofit, consumer packaged goods, and healthcare, helping clients connect with their audiences through thoughtful media strategies. In 2026, she was recognized by the Media Alliance of Houston as the Local Agency Digital Professional of the Year. A Houston native, Taylor has a deep understanding of the local market and community. She is a proud graduate of the University of Houston, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Advertising with a minor in Marketing, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Taylor is also an active member of Houston’s advertising community. She served on the Media Alliance of Houston’s 2025–2026 board as Vice President of Communications, contributing to the organization and helping strengthen connections across Houston’s media and advertising industry.

Janet is a longtime Houstonian with 35 years’ experience in the media business. She has worked with clients in healthcare, quick service restaurants and public utilities alongside local favorites including the Houston Ballet, the Houston Astros and -back in the day– the Houston Oilers. An enthusiast of art and science alike, Janet strives to make media planning creative, innovative, and, most importantly, financially rewarding for her clients. She is the 2025 Media Alliance of Houston Local Agency Account Brand Manger winner. She attributes her strong reputation in the Houston market to her commitment to treating everyone - from vendors to clients – with fairness and transparency. Outside of work, you’ll find Janet hiking trails in the mountains of Wyoming, skiing with her family in Jackson Hole or visiting Napa with friends.

With 20+ years in the advertising industry, Liz has extensive experience working on each level of execution – local, regional and national, across all channels and understands firsthand that a blanket approach does not work in today’s fragmented landscape. She has worked on major brands from automotive and retail clients to QSRs including clients from government, energy, and the healthcare sectors all of which have included a diverse, multicultural audience. She has vast knowledge in planning and negotiations and brings innovative marketing ideas and loves putting together smart, custom plans for clients and seeing them through to the very last detail to produce the best results. Elizabeth is a native Texan and earned her BA in Communications at the University of Houston.

Laura Deraps has called Houston home since she was just three weeks old and brings more than 30 years of experience across both agency and in-house media roles. A graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University, she earned a B.A. in Advertising/Public Relations with a minor in Marketing, building a strong foundation for a long and versatile career in media. Laura has worked across a wide range of industries, including automotive, healthcare, retail, entertainment, packaged goods, telecommunications, oil and gas, and both quick-service and casual dining. Her breadth of experience gives her a well-rounded perspective and the ability to adapt strategies to meet the unique needs of each client. Now serving as a Senior Media Planner and Buyer at Avail Media, Laura brings a thoughtful, seasoned approach to planning and execution. Having seen the media landscape evolve over decades, she is passionate about continuing to learn and grow alongside the industry, ensuring her strategies remain relevant and effective in an ever-changing environment. Outside of work, Laura enjoys needlepointing, reading, shopping, and spending time with friends.

Nikki Dargahi began her journey in media at Avail Media Group as a Media Planning/Buying Intern, where she gained hands-on experience with campaign execution, Strata software, and competitive analysis. After graduating with a B.S. in Advertising and a Business minor from The University of Texas at Austin, Nikki returned to the industry as a Media Coordinator. She brings a strong foundation in research, client strategy, and data-driven planning, along with previous experience at GSD&M and academic programs like Texas Media and Analytics. In 2026, Nikki was recognized by the Media Alliance of Houston as the Local Agency Social Media Specialist of the Year, highlighting her expertise in digital strategy and execution. Nikki is excited to be back at Avail, supporting the team in a full-time capacity.

Helaena Hy is the newest addition to the Avail Media team. She is a recent graduate from The University of Texas at Austin, where she proudly earned a Bachelor of Science in Advertising and a minor in Business. With a strong foundation in media strategy and analytics, Helaena brings both creative insight and data-driven thinking to every campaign. While at UT, Helaena served as Director of Research and Strategy of her student-run agency for her capstone course and was a part of Texas Media and Analytics which gave her hands-on experience in strategic decision-making, market research, and communication planning. Now, Helaena returns back home to Houston excited to support the Avail team and embark on her professional advertising journey.

Born and raised in Houston, Soha Narsi earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing with a minor in Public Relations from the University of Houston, where she also served as Director of Philanthropy for the American Marketing Association’s UH chapter. She later went on to earn her Master’s degree in Advertising from The University of Texas at Austin, focusing on media strategy and analytics through her coursework and internships. During her studies, Soha developed a strong interest in the strategic side of advertising, with a passion for using data and insights to inform storytelling and decision-making. She also gained international experience while studying abroad in Ireland, where she collaborated on research and media strategy for a nonprofit client in Dublin. Now a Media Coordinator at Avail Media, Soha supports the team across planning and buying, bringing a thoughtful, research-driven approach and a passion for connecting brands with their audiences.