The Thunder Team

Brian Skarin joined the ThunderSEO team in the spring of 2011 as an in-house creative writer. Other than a background in Arts and Letters with a degree in Literature from SDSU, Brian brings a diverse range of interests and skills to assist the team in creating and developing top-notch content.

Before finding his way to Thunder, Brian put off college for a while and spent a year living out of a van with 4 friends in a touring rock band, worked in Hollywood as a creative consultant for a nationally televised reality program on the TruTV network, and surfed 10 foot waves across empty Mexican beaches. He gained the digital skills that led him to Thunder while editing a unique, interactive nomination blog for the largest philanthropic award show in the nation, the Classy Awards. The ever evolving world of SEO driven content and the collaborative, creative dynamic between the Thunder team keep each day fresh and exciting for the restless writer.

Outside of the ThunderSEO home base, Brian can usually be found surfing up and down the San Diego coastline, lounging with his boxer, Charlie, in their backyard of Ocean Beach, and developing a keen appreciation for San Diego’s stellar craft beers through vigorous, meticulous research. 

 Georgia Hitchcock graduated from San Diego State University in 2009 with a B.S. in Journalism and a minor in Television, Film, and Media. She worked in the radio promotions industry from 2009-2010 for the San Diego radio station, 91X, furthering her passion for music of all genres. A few of her favorite bands include: the Avett Brothers, Mumford and Sons, Incubus, and the Beatles.

Georgia started working for Thunder SEO in October 2010 and specializes in content development and PR. She also works for local San Diego brewery Karl Strauss and is enjoying furthering her craft beer and SEO knowledge simultaneously.

In her free time, Georgia enjoys reading, going to concerts and hiking and camping. She is obsessed with all things Harry Potter and Disney and her favorite holiday is Halloween. She lives with her boyfriend and their dog, Dart in San Diego.

Kevin Knecht graduated from San Diego State University in 2010 after transferring from Michigan State University. He received a B.S. in Business Marketing with a minor in Chinese Language. Having equally divided his time at both schools, he refers to himself as a "Spaztec." Some of Kevin's favorite college moments include studying abroad in China, tailgating for the football games, moving to California, and learning about SEO.

After making the transition into the "real world," Kevin worked for an insurance agency in San Diego. While there, he made sure that he kept up with his marketing and was fortunate to find out about Thunder through a Craigslist ad. Kevin became a Thunder Cat in May 2011, and is eager to learn and absorb everything SEO like a rogue sponge. Currently, he is focused on supporting the Local Search and SEO campaigns at Thunder.

When Kevin is not in the office he enjoys the finer things that life has to offer. Like taking walks and music. You can hear his attempt at music at Warring States of Mind.

Mike Grant, business owner, entrepreneur, and published author attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where he received a B.A. in Public Relations and Advertising with a specialization in Multi-Level Marketing. From movie promotions and magazine advertising to creating successful direct mail campaigns and cross-promotional sales, Mike conveys his depth of adaptable knowledge daily.

Mike joined the Thunder Team in October 2008, after nine years in San Francisco, as a Content Writer and came on board full time in December 2009 as an SEO Manager, specializing in keyword content and research.

When Mike is not in the office, he can be found working on his next novel, hiking, working out, charity fundraising, and traveling the United States with a competitive men's softball league.

Mike can be reached at mike [at] ThunderSEO [dot] com

Phoebe Wong is a graphic designer at ThunderSEO where she manages all aspects of the company creative design. She received her BA in Graphic Design at San Diego State University in 2011 where she gained skills and interest in typography, photography and infographic design. Prior to joining ThunderSEO, Phoebe worked at a well-known inforgraphc design studio in Newport beach and a leading non-profit high-tech trade organization in San Diego. When Phoebe is not in the office, she enjoys travelling, badminton and playing music.

Phoebe can be reached at phoebe [at] thunderinternetmarketing [dot] com.