The best marketing doesn’t just show up. It adds up.
Who We Are
At Dotted Line, we believe potential isn’t fixed. It’s meant to be multiplied. We’re a creative agency built for ambitious brands ready to grow, stretch, and evolve. Since 2014, we’ve fused strategy with creativity to help organizations find their voice, define their edge, and move the needle. From foundational positioning to full-funnel execution, we deliver clarity, connection, and real business results.
What We Do Best
Brand Navigation :: We define where you are and where you want to go - then chart the clearest path. By combining business insight with creative strategy, we uncover what makes your brand meaningful and design a plan to amplify that value.
Creative Systems :: We don’t just create one-off campaigns. We build creative systems that scale across teams, platforms, and evolving priorities. Every expression multiplies the impact of the last, creating a cohesive, living brand experience.
Purposeful Narratives :: We believe the strongest connections are human ones. That’s why we craft narratives, visuals, and experiences that are honest, engaging, and built to grow trust over time.
Creative Systems :: We don’t just create one-off campaigns. We build creative systems that scale across teams, platforms, and evolving priorities. Every expression multiplies the impact of the last, creating a cohesive, living brand experience.
Purposeful Narratives :: We believe the strongest connections are human ones. That’s why we craft narratives, visuals, and experiences that are honest, engaging, and built to grow trust over time.
Partners
We collaborate with brands that see change as an opportunity. Whether launching something new or rethinking what’s next, we bring strategy and creativity together to unlock clarity, tell more human stories, and spark real momentum. Every partnership is built on curiosity, trust, and a shared commitment to meaningful results.
Team
Lauren Sweeney
Founder & CEO
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Lauren is a visionary entrepreneur, a trusted advisor to business executives and leaders, and a champion for the advancement of women and entrepreneurship.
As Founder and CEO of Dotted Line, a modern agency built on partnership, creativity and results, Lauren has reimagined the practice of marketing and communications to help brands grow. She continues to redefine strategic brand marketing for today’s social/digital world, with a strategy-first approach that creates best-in-class solutions for brand challenges. Under Lauren’s leadership, Dotted Line is consistently recognized as a top-growing marketing agency and best place to work in Virginia and the mid-Atlantic region.
Lauren is a business trailblazer who has garnered several recognitions in 2022. She was recognized by Virginia Business with a 2022 Women in Leadership Award. Meanwhile, Dotted Line debuted on the Inc. 5000 list of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies at No. 2,039 (and the highest-ranking advertising business in Richmond) and on Virginia Business’ Best Places to Work in Virginia. Earlier accolades for Lauren include being named as a Tory Burch Foundation Fellow and a Woman Business Owner of the Year finalist by the National Association of Women Business Owners.
A Richmond native, Lauren graduated from Randolph-Macon College. Prior to starting Dotted Line in 2014, she spent her early career at a Fortune 200 company holding various leadership roles in communications, operations and human resources. She currently is on the board for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce, and she is a member of both the global leadership community YPO and the Virginia Council of CEOs.
Lauren is a proud wife of a fellow entrepreneur, a stepmother to a towering college student, and a mom to a busy preschooler. The Sweeney family is actively involved at Richmond’s Hope Church, and they enjoy outdoor activities and traveling. Recent adventures have taken them hiking in Utah, exploring the Holy Land in Israel, and exploring vineyards in France.
Ron Villacarillo
Head of Creative
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Ron brings a wealth of experience, having worked with agencies nationwide, shaping brands from Fortune 100 companies to non-profits. His diverse portfolio reflects his deep industry understanding. While his background is in visual storytelling, he takes pride in collaborating with teams to discover and express the soul of a brand through any medium. He believes in creating work that is authentic, entertaining, and culturally resonant.
Before joining DLA, Ron served as Executive Creative Director at Yebo, leading accounts such as Virginia Lottery, SweetFrog, and Elephant Insurance. Prior to that, he balanced his career as a staffer and freelancer at renowned agencies like TBWA\Chiat\Day, Martin Agency, Crispin Porter + Bogusky, DDB, Saatchi & Saatchi, and McCann.
Ron’s brand experience spans a wide range, from sports to fast food; banking to beer. He has collaborated with celebrities, athletes, and influencers to create integrated work for brands like Activision, Baskin Robbins, ESPN, IKEA, Jack In The Box, Miller Lite, Microsoft, USTA, Walmart and Yamaha.
In addition to his agency work, Ron serves as an adjunct professor at the VCU Brandcenter. When he’s not working, you can find him at the gym or exploring home renovation projects with his wife. Most of the time, though, he’s just trying to keep up with his spirited toddler and energetic beagle.
Leslie Griles
Chief Client Officer
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Leslie brings more than 25 years of agency and client-side experience to her role, with a reputation for being a true communications “unicorn.” A strategic thinker at heart, she is passionate about aligning brand strategy, creative, and business objectives to drive results, fuel client growth, and shape culture. She is equally committed to building strong client partnerships, believing that great relationships are the foundation for growing and elevating brands.
Before joining Dotted Line, Leslie’s career spans a variety of high-profile roles, including owning an independent communications consultancy where she served as fractional CMO for Fortune 500 companies and start-ups alike and 18 years at The Martin Agency, where she worked with major brands such as Walmart, Hanes, Moen, Benjamin Moore, and Target Stores.
Her vision and leadership have shaped award-winning campaigns for some of America’s most iconic historical attractions, including The Smithsonian, The John F. Kennedy Memorial Library, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, and James Madison’s Montpelier. Recognized for her leadership and impact, Leslie was named one of Richmond’s “Top 40 Under 40.” Her campaigns have been featured in top-tier outlets like The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, and Fast Company. Her work has also appeared on major television programs such as The Today Show, Oprah, CNN, Good Morning America, and CBS Nightly News.
Leslie is deeply committed to giving back and serves on the Board of Directors for the ASK Childhood Cancer Foundation, is a member of the Skylight Initiative and is a strategic advisor to several start-ups. She is the proud mom to her son, a sophomore in the Pamplin School of Business at Virginia Tech and a 10-year-old goldendoodle who acts like a toddler. In her free time, you can find Leslie arranging flowers, playing Mahjong, exercising or with her toes in the sand.
Mark Pavia
Head of Media and AI
Nicola Finn
Head of Project Management and Creative Resourcing
Meggan Adams
Group Account Director
Hanah Holpe
Senior Strategy Director
Anna Ferrell
Associate Account Director
Paige Grindstaff
Senior Account Executive
Laura Hunt
Digital Strategist
Julia Bruski
Senior Project Manager
Lee Remias
Creative/Copy
Cedric Giese
Creative/Copy
Kevin Thoem
Creative/Art
Josh Reese
Creative/Art
Shehan Rodrigo
Creative/Design
Libby Miller
Creative/Design
Emma Connelly
Social Media Manager
Ava Leone
Account Coordinator
Melissa Jones
PR/Media Relations Specialist
Jose Palacios
Web Developer
Riju Mondal
Search Specialist
Susan Hebel
Finance and Accounting Lead
Sam Ratliff
Assistant to the CEO