Defakto delivers holistic solutions that enable brands to build sustainable customer relationships and to empower collaboration and productivity in the enterprise.

Gilbert Salazar, Principal

Gilbert embodies a classic T-shaped personality. His strong strategic vision is complimented by his creative thinking and committed focus to user experience. With over 15 years of experience in digital marketing, traditional advertising, branding and technology, Gilbert has worked with both global and emerging organizations and utilizes that expansive knowledge to drive engaging solutions for Defakto's clients.

Previous to founding Defakto, Gilbert held leadership positions at Digitaria(JWT), imc2 and Javelin Marketing Group(Omnicom) where he led creative and strategic efforts for brands such as Diet Coke, P&G, Nestle, M&M's, Lilly, GSK. AT&T, Bank of America, Mitsubishi Motors and Mercedes Benz. Gilbert was also part of a core team that led marketing and branding initiatives that took Rackspace from a fledgling startup to one of the largest and most recognized tech companies traded on the NASDAQ.

Ken Vernon, Managing Director

Ken is a 25 year marketing veteran with a history of being at the forefront of the utilization of technology and creativity to engage customers and build brands. As founder of two previous digital marketing firms and as vice president of marketing at Telligent, a leading social community software company, Ken has been able to create successful user/customer experiences across integrated platforms for some of the leading brands in the world. These brands include AT&T, Uniden, Brinker International, Microsoft, P&G and Dell. As managing director of Defakto’s social business practice, Ken provides strategic planning and execution based on his deep expertise of the broad spectrum customer engagement channels. From traditional to experiential, email to search, collaboration to community and social to mobile, Ken’s goal is always to provide the best channels for the brand to build customer trust and advocacy.

Michael Hunter, Director of Technology

Michael Sandoval, Director of Enterprise Communities