Speaker Bios

Karlie Justus is a public information officer with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the N.C. State Fair. She helped implement the Fair’s first social media campaign, expanding its outreach and communication efforts through the “Deep Fried” blog, social networking profiles and the Deep Fried Triangle Tweetup, and manages the Ag Department’s “In the Field” blog and Facebook fan page. Before graduating from N.C. State University with degrees in communication, journalism and business management, Karlie interned with Carolina Ballet, N.C. State University Public Affairs, American Dance Festival, N.C. Museum of Art and the public relations department of Howard Merrell & Partners. She is also a fashion writer and arts contributor for the Triangle’s Independently Weekly and serves as a senior blogger for The9513.com, the top independent blog for country music news and commentary.

Jason Peck is the project manager of eWayDirect's social media platform, where he works with developers on the company's platform for customer-centric communities, helps clients implement successful community strategies and helps build eWayDirect's brand online. He has been blogging for over three years on his current website (http://www.jasonfpeck.com) and also runs North Hills Buzz (http://www.northhillsbuzz.com). As a consultant, Peck has worked with brands and startups such as Vype, ZexSports, LocalReplay, Canadian Television, and PrepChamps.  At PrepChamps, he helped build the community to almost 70,000 members, and was responsible for on-site content, their email newsletter, brand presence across multiple communities, content partnerships and working with the tech team to improve the user experience.

Prior to starting his own consulting business in March 2008, Peck worked with Wasserman Media Group (previously OnSport) for about two years. He worked with NBA teams on behalf of his client, handled sponsorship proposals, coordinated charity initiatives, conducted competitive research and intelligence and implemented a quarterly audit to track all of the client's entertainment and sponsorship assets in the United States.