DENVER, May 26, 2026 – Cactus, a full-service creative agency that helps brands thrive in harsh environments, announced several personnel updates, including the promotion of Jill Allday to Vice President, Growth, and the hires of Mason Pereira as Senior Strategy Director and Ron Villacarillo as Creative Director. These moves demonstrate the agency’s continued commitment to promoting and attracting key talent to support its rapidly expanding business.
“Talent is everything in our business, and we are thrilled to announce the promotion and additions of three very talented industry pros,” said Joe Conrad, CEO of Cactus. “Jill Allday will continue to play a central role in growing our agency and getting us the right partner opportunities. Mason and Ron bring additional strategic and creative acumen to our team.”
Strategic Growth Leadership Promotion
Allday has been promoted to Vice President, Growth, reflecting her expanded leadership across business development, marketing, PR, and growth strategy. Over the past year, she has been instrumental in creating a stronger, more disciplined, and more focused new business engine, refining the new business targeting strategy, and providing critical guidance on Cactus’ recent brand repositioning.
“Over the past year, my main focus has been strengthening our Growth foundation in order to support Cactus’ big ambitions,” says Allday, “At Cactus, we’ve spent decades honing our unique approach, which we’re extremely proud of – now the focus is on delivering continued excellence for existing clients, while simultaneously driving new growth and expanding into bigger, more recognized brands.” As part of her promotion, Allday now assumes a position on Cactus’ senior leadership team.
New Strategy and Creative Leadership Talent
Additionally, Cactus announced the hiring of Mason Pereira as Senior Strategy Director. Mason has a wealth of experience leading brand positioning, portfolio architecture design, and creative strategy. Previously, he held senior strategy roles at agencies like Sid Lee and Crispin Porter+Bogusky working with brands such as Cirque du Soleil and FILA.
“Competition across every category is intensifying, and for a lot of brands it’s become an existential threat,” says Pereira. “My focus is helping organizations define and own their unique market niche, avoiding pitfalls like category misalignment or broadcasting a market position that doesn’t match how people actually perceive them.”
Cactus has also welcomed Ron Villacarillo as Creative Director, who brings over two decades of experience in leading large integrated campaigns and creative teams. Prior to Cactus, Villacarillo led creative efforts for major brands like ESPN, Microsoft, Capital One, MillerCoors, and more, with previous roles at The Martin Agency, DDB, and Saatchi & Saatchi.
“Standing out isn’t enough anymore. The work has to mean something. It has to tap into real insight and connect in a way people actually care about,” says Villacarillo.
Together, the hires of Pereira and Villacarillo reinforce Cactus’ integrated model, which combines brand strategy, creative and media.
