ABOUT US

  • MANAGING DIRECTOR, PRODUCT

    Ariana Puentes Graham knows that the best brands burn with purpose. As Co-Founder and Managing Director of Product at Groundfire, she leads strategy and client partnerships, ensuring every engagement is rooted in authenticity and clarity.

    With a background in client relations, project management, and DEI consulting, Ariana helps organizations align their culture and purpose to create authentic, enduring brands. Her M.A. in Organizational and Multicultural Communication informs her approach to shape brands that honor both strategy and human connection.

    A proud Latina creative leader, she’s driven by the belief that representation and cultural nuance are essential to meaningful brand work.


  • MANAGING DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS

    Christina Sterzel brings order to the spark. As Co-Founder and Managing Director of Operations at Groundfire, she ensures every project runs seamlessly, from the first strategy conversation to final delivery. With over a decade of experience in finance and operations across nonprofit, education, technology, and professional services, Christina guides teams through complex, multi-phase initiatives with clarity and care.

    A CPA by training and strategist at heart, she’s known for building the systems that help creativity thrive. Her background leading organizations through rapid growth and transformation informs the way she structures Groundfire’s work. She balances bold ideas with grounded, intentional process.

  • MANAGING DIRECTOR, CREATIVE

    Jasmine Nelson brings vision to the flame. As Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Creative at Groundfire, she leads global creative direction, brand strategy, and storytelling that help organizations stand out with clarity, confidence, and purpose. With over 15 years of experience, Jasmine has developed brand identities and narratives for organizations ranging from early-stage startups to Fortune 500 companies.

    A master brand strategist and creative leader, Jasmine shapes everything from positioning and messaging to visual identity and campaign development. Her work spans global markets and cross-cultural audiences, translating complex ideas into compelling brand stories that feel intentional, cohesive, and distinctly human. 

    At her core, Jasmine is a storyteller and creative guide. She leads with instinct and precision, creating space for bold ideas while holding a clear standard for execution and impact. She believes the strongest brands are built through clarity, craft, and creative conviction.

Our Purpose

Groundfire wasn’t started to be just another branding agency. We started it because we’ve lived inside the systems where decisions get made and saw too much brilliance watered down by bureaucracy, too many campaigns chasing clout instead of meaning, and messaging that looked good on paper, but never landed with real people.

Groundfire was ignited to disrupt.

We’re a women-led agency built on humanity, community, partnership, and innovation. Our roots span Chicago, LA, and Houston and our perspectives are as grounded as they are bold. We blend steady vision with creative fire, bringing structure, warmth, and energy to everything we do. Earth and flame. Strategy and spark. That’s Groundfire.

We believe that work should feel human because people are at the center of everything we do. Powerful brands begin with connection from the inside out. That’s why we work with purpose-driven organizations and visionary founders who are ready to align their story with their values and ignite real impact.

Groundfire is where our lived experience meets our craft. Together, we bring over 30 years of collective experience in strategy, storytelling, organizational transformation, creative direction, global DEI expertise, and business development. We’ve helped startups find their voice, global brands rediscover their soul, and leadership teams rally around what really matters.

Passion led us here.

Work with us

The Groundfire Experience

  • We give a damn about people. Full stop. We've felt the impact of misalignment firsthand, and that’s what drives us to close the gap between intention and impact from the inside and out.


  • This isn’t just about branding, it’s about people. We work with companies ready to connect the dots between what they believe and how they show up in ways that disrupt the expected and resonate for real.

  • We bring energy, honesty, and clarity to all that we do. We understand that every choice touches every part of a business culture, brand, and leadership; it’s all connected.


  • We’re here for the ones who want to shake things up, not play it safe. We don’t do surface-level. We work with you, not just for you.

  • We don’t just keep up with trends, we challenge them, and reshape them. AI and tech are part of everything we do, including how we built Groundfire. But progress means nothing if it loses the human spark.

  • We roll up our sleeves. We dig deep. We ask the hard questions. We tap into our community, lean on resources, and go beyond ourselves to get it right.