About

Nilay Patel is a visionary entrepreneur and trailblazer defined by a relentless pursuit of innovation and a proven track record of disrupting established industries. While his professional roots are grounded in the principles of exceptional service and southern hospitality, Nilay has evolved those early lessons into a sophisticated mastery of technology and market expansion. At just sixteen, he founded Netlink SolutionZ, LLC, an ambitious venture that served as the architectural foundation for a growing ecosystem of tech enterprises, including Netlink Voice, Netlink Web Services, and Vital Networks.

Nilay’s approach to leadership is characterized by a “constant state of creativity.” He views technology not just as a tool for operational efficiency, but as the primary engine for strategic marketing and market growth. By identifying untapped potential in complex sectors from hospitality infrastructure to rural healthcare telecommunications, Nilay bridges the gap between sophisticated technical systems and high-impact business value. He excels at navigating the shifting tides of the tech landscape, consistently turning industry challenges into springboards for new, cutting-edge services.

Today, Nilay’s work focuses on the critical intersection of telecommunications, digital presence, and security to create comprehensive competitive advantages. His resilience in the face of complex hurdles has solidified his reputation as an industry leader who understands that true value lies in the marriage of technical excellence and a customer-centric vision. Nilay continues to push the boundaries of what is possible, ensuring that his ventures remain at the forefront of the industry while setting new standards for how technology drives modern business success.

Mary Cheney, CMO of ChannelSpark Marketing, brings over twenty years of experience in marketing with nearly 10 years in the telecommunications space. After joining a telecommunications company in December 2015 as Marketing Supervisor, she helped bring organization and structure to the Marketing Department, overseeing a talented team of four and multiple consultants. She was promoted to Marketing Manager in 2018 and then to General Manager in April 2025 before leaving to start her career at ChannelSpark Marketing. As a HubSpot Certified professional, she specializes in SEO and website marketing planning. Currently, Mary leads a talented internal team alongside multiple consultants, ensuring campaigns, projects, and market trends are always ahead. Mary collaborates closely with all departments to foster strong communication and alignment across the company, thriving on collaboration and ensuring strong communication across departments while keeping campaigns innovative and aligned with industry trends.

Her marketing journey began at Roswell Park Cancer Institute’s public relations department while studying Business at The University at Buffalo. After graduation, she became the Marketing Coordinator at Guildcraft Arts & Crafts, eventually being promoted to Director of Marketing. Her passion for marketing and helping others also led her to serve as the Marketing Coordinator for Special Spaces Buffalo for almost four years. During this time, she received The Great Give Back Award from Bryant & Stratton College and WGRZ-TV in recognition of her efforts. Mary is also a proud member of the Daemen University Business Advisory Council, sharing her expertise and passion for marketing. When not at work, she enjoys making people laugh and spending time with her family.

Erin Erol, Brand Manager at ChannelSpark Marketing, supports brand strategy, product positioning, and go-to-market initiatives across a portfolio of telecom and technology companies. She brings a collaborative, results-oriented approach to brand management, with a strong ability to balance strategic thinking and hands-on execution. She is highly adaptable and remains focused on continuous improvement as markets and technologies evolve.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from the University at Buffalo and has been working in the marketing field since 2015. Erin brings a strong blend of analytical thinking and strategic storytelling to her work, partnering closely with cross-functional teams to build clear, cohesive brand identities in competitive markets.

In her role, Erin focuses on brand consistency, campaign execution, and ensuring each brand within ChannelSpark’s portfolio maintains a strong and differentiated presence across digital channels, events, and client-facing materials. She is particularly passionate about relationship-driven marketing and aligning brand strategy with overall business objectives.

Rebecca Johnson, Ecosystem Marketing Manager at ChannelSpark Marketing, is a marketing professional with a degree in Public Communications from Buffalo State College. With a strong foundation in brand development and strategic communications, Rebecca has built a diverse career supporting businesses across multiple industries through creative marketing strategies, relationship-building, and brand growth.

In her current role, Rebecca oversees end-to-end marketing initiatives across the ChannelSpark ecosystem, managing projects from strategy through execution while maintaining a deep understanding of each client’s goals and partnerships. She plays a key role in coordinating cross-functional efforts and ensuring all initiatives remain aligned, organized, and delivered.

Prior to joining ChannelSpark Marketing, Rebecca worked as a Brand Marketing Specialist in the technology and telecommunications sector, where she managed relationships with multiple brands, supported sales teams with marketing tools, and coordinated a wide range of activities—from content development and scheduling to reporting and lead generation.

She brings a collaborative mindset, strong project management skills, and a sharp eye for detail.

Jamie Stewart, Demand Generation Manager of ChannelSpark Marketing, brings over 10 years of experience in marketing in the technology and telecommunications industries. Jamie was the Marketing Manager for an IT Solutions Managed Service Provider for 8 years. In that time she oversaw and managed a team of 3 employees, created a marketing and branding plan, ran direct mail and email campaigns, social media, content creation, website optimization and more. After 3 years in this role Jamie was made a member of the Executive Leadership Team further helping drive the company goals and mission. In 2020, Jamie changed gears and became a consultant for a software solutions company for 2 years. In this role she was responsible for helping to create and test software solutions, implement timelines,  project management, and more. In 2023, Jamie began working as a Digital Marketing Specialist for a telecommunications company. She was responsible for email marketing, content creation, SEO and website optimization, product creation, and more. Jamie began her career with ChannelSpark Marketing in July of 2025. Jamie enjoys spending time with her husband and two children, reading, playing and watching sports, and cheering for the Buffalo Bills!

Theresa Applegate is the HubSpot Administrator at ChannelSpark Marketing, where she leads the complex technical migration of multiple brands into a single, unified HubSpot architecture. A true veteran of the marketing technology space, Theresa brings 12 years of agency experience to the role, having previously served as a Technology Manager. This extensive agency background allows her to move beyond simple troubleshooting to provide high-level sales support and strategic system design.

With a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems, Theresa’s career is rooted in data integrity and precision. Before entering the agency world, she honed her meticulous eye for detail managing a private inventor’s intellectual property portfolio and overseeing a team of researchers. Today, she uses that same precision to ensure ChannelSpark’s technical ecosystem is both robust and scalable. Outside of the digital world, Theresa is an avid crocheter, enjoying the hands-on process of building intricate patterns from scratch.

Andy Brown, Web Developer at ChannelSpark Marketing, brings over a decade of experience in the digital space. He recently served as a Web Developer at Agency15, where he led high-impact WordPress and Shopify projects for a diverse client roster. Specializing in bespoke theme development, performance optimization, and UI/UX execution, he bridges the gaps between clean code, design, and intuitive user experiences.

His technical expertise includes PHP and JavaScript, with a focus on building scalable, accessible sites that drive results. Andy holds a Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communications from St. Bonaventure University. When he isn’t building custom digital solutions, he enjoys exploring his passion for music, challenging his strategy skills with board games, and spending time with his favorite companion, his French Bulldog, Ruth.

Stephen Lopian, Digital Content Producer at ChannelSpark Marketing, adds over a decade of experience in the telecommunications and Internet Technology industry. After graduating from the University at Buffalo in 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Digital Media, He began his marketing journey shortly thereafter, working directly within the telecommunications space.

Stephen brings a versatile creative skill set that spans video production, editing, audio design, motion graphics, photography, animation, voiceovers, and graphic design. His deep technical understanding, paired with a strong creative eye, enables him to produce compelling content that resonates with target audiences and drives measurable results.

Stephen is known for his ability to collaborate effectively across teams, manage fast-paced projects with ease, and deliver high-impact content that elevates brand presence. With a blend of industry insight, storytelling ability, and digital expertise, he brings both strategic vision and hands-on execution to every project.

Maica Marquez, Digital Marketing Coordinator at ChannelSpark Marketing, is a creative and driven marketing professional with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing Management, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 2022. While in college, she served as an officer of the Junior Marketing Association for three years, holding leadership positions including Vice President for Internal Affairs, Second Year Representative, and Executive Vice President for Events.

During her internship at a logistics company, Maica honed her marketing skills through campaign planning, content creation, and partnership support, earning recognition as “Most Determined Intern.”

After graduation, Maica began her career as a Marketing Associate for a U.S.-based distribution company, where she gained hands-on experience in email marketing, content creation, social media management, blog writing, and digital advertising. In 2025, she transitioned to ChannelSpark Marketing, where she continues to apply her expertise in digital marketing, design, and content development.

Maica is passionate about creativity, design, and continuous learning. She prides herself on delivering high-quality results and bringing fresh ideas to every project she takes on.

Casey McQuate, Operations & Escalations Manager at ChannelSpark Marketing, is an operations professional with a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University at Buffalo. Since graduating in 2008, he has focused on gaining over 15 years of operations experience, with the last 5+ years in the telecommunications space.

Prior to joining ChannelSpark, Casey served as an Inventory & Supply Chain Analyst for a major IP telecommunications hardware provider. During this time, he helped drive operational success by collaborating with stakeholders, understanding the needs and goals of the business, and executing plans to achieve the desired result. His background also includes leadership roles, such as Director of Operations and Purchasing Manager, where he oversaw cross-functional teams and managed complex projects.

Casey specializes in collaboration and transforming operational data and project insight into actionable strategies focused on efficiency, scalability, and achieving company goals. At ChannelSpark Marketing, he leverages this expertise to ensure that initiatives are supported by robust project management and streamlined internal processes.

Ramon Perez, CDGO brings deep experience across sales, marketing, and strategic channel development, with a strong background in the unified communications and technology space. With over 25 years in Unified Communications and technology-driven business solutions, he is known for building high-performing teams, strengthening partner pipelines, and creating structured sales frameworks that drive consistent and scalable growth.

At ChannelSpark, Ramon leads the company’s SalesSpark initiatives, the sales-focused engine behind ChannelSpark’s demand generation efforts. He develops repeatable sales processes, enhances partner engagement, and aligns go-to-market strategies to support predictable revenue outcomes. His approach ensures both partners and internal teams have the clarity, tools, and support needed to succeed.

Prior to joining ChannelSpark, Ramon held senior roles across sales, business development, and channel operations where he streamlined growth efforts, improved operational efficiency, and built programs centered on long-term partner success. His blend of strategic insight and hands-on execution helps bridge the gap between planning and performance.

Ramon studied Business Administration at Hudson Valley Community College’s School of Business.

Outside of work, he gives back to the community by volunteering his time coaching youth sports. He also enjoys golfing and traveling to new destinations with his family.