Meet Our Ceo Merit Lee
Captain of the Ship
My Team
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ClickUp
Sail Boat
Digital Design Solutions was founded in 1996 by Merit Lee, to provide top-notch web solutions that fit any business’s needs. In doing so, Merit became a pioneer in web design, graduating with a degree in Internet Technology and Design in the second graduating class at San Francisco State University taught by leaders in the industry such as Microsoft and Photoshop designers. The company has evolved into an award-winning full-service web design solution, becoming the premier source for E-Commerce development and management. We work all forms of website design, site maintenance, custom programming, marketing, Search Engine Optimization, and content development. Over the past 28 years, we have facilitated the growth of 300+ clients throughout the country, representing a variety of industries. Our focus is on finding a balance between functionality and innovation, as well as design and seamless usability. We understand that optimizing your digital marketing presence is the key to brand awareness, lead generation, and conversions. We take time to understand your business through our initial discovery meeting and what constitutes success for you. With this information, we create well-informed unique strategies and solutions tailored to your business goals. We don’t just build your website, we position you for success. Merit’s hobbies include: boating, paddle boarding, and kickboxing. Merit and Russ live in St. Augustine, Fl. Something no one knows about Merit: She designed a poster that was launched into space on a satellite! Her key to success is that she believes in communication and having the integrity to follow up on what she says she will do!
Our WORKS... Team
Tara Jones
Creative Director
Tara Jones
Creative Director
Education
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Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
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Institution: Boston University
Professional Experience
Tara brings to the table a wealth of experience that spans across various pivotal business functions including:
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Project Management: Expertise in driving projects from inception to completion within tight deadlines, ensuring every aspect is handled with finesse.
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Product Marketing: Adept at positioning products in the market, Tara has a knack for developing marketing strategies that resonate with target audiences.
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Client Services: Known for her exemplary customer service skills. Tara ensures all client needs are met with professionalism and personalized attention.
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Sales Support: Provides robust support to sales teams through material development, data analysis, and strategic planning.
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Logistics: Exhibits strong capabilities in managing supply chains and operations to streamline process efficacy.
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P&L Support: Skilled in financial oversight, Tara contributes to profitability by managing budgets and cost with a detail-oriented approach.
Key Attributes
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Dynamic Personality: Tara's vibrant persona enables her to connect with clients and colleagues alike, fostering strong relationships.
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Boundless Energy: She approaches challenges with a tireless enthusiasm, pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
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Remarkable Creativity: With an inventive mindset, Tara consistently devises unique solutions and compelling web design aesthetics.
Leadership
As a valued team leader and group facilitator, Tara excels in steering her team towards collective success. Her capacity as an individual contributor is also noteworthy, showcasing her ability to excel independently as well.
Her attributes have been crucial for Digital Design Solutions especially when tasked with:
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Developing cutting-edge website designs under compressed schedules without sacrificing quality.
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Implementing responsible cost-control measures to ensure project affordability and profitability.
Tara's unwavering commitment to excellence solidifies her role as a cornerstone of the Digital Design Solutions framework.
Lynne Kittle
Client Liaison
Lynne Kittle
Client Liaison
Lynne Kittle joined Digital Design Solutions in 2022 as Director of Sales Development after retiring from a 38 year career in Dentistry.
Lynne brings a vast knowledge in marketing Dental practices and management skills to Digital Design Solutions. She enjoys meeting clients and creating relationships with them to better understand their businesses through their digital presence and needs. She meets regularly with several networking groups to spread knowledge regarding Web site development and marketing.
Lynne uses her organization and management skills to develop client relationships and be the liaison between our clients and the DDS team members.
Tonja Kvammen
Director of Operations
Tonja Kvammen
Director of Operations
Ashley Thibodeau
AI Expert | Futurist | Executive Web Architect
Ashley Thibodeau
AI Expert | Futurist | Executive Web Architect
Meet Ashley, affectionately known as the "Web Lord" (yes, really) - an AI expert and futurist based in Worcester, Massachusetts who's been transforming the internet from bland to brilliant since the golden age of MySpace.
Origin Story
Ashley's journey began in 2007 when she discovered her superpower: making websites people actually want to look at. Starting as a freelance designer crafting custom MySpace profiles (remember those?), she accepted payment in cookies - literally. While her payment preferences have since evolved, her mission remains unchanged: making the internet a more beautiful place to browse, one pixel at a time.
Plot Twist: The Wandering Web Lord
After high school, Ashley followed her artistic calling to England, apprenticing as a tattoo artist and diving deep into watercolor painting. But like a moth to a glowing monitor, she found herself redesigning her tattoo studio's website while traveling with her mentor. A pattern emerged: whatever industry she entered - hospitality, medical, fitness - she'd inevitably become "the computer expert" who everyone turned to when the website needed help.
Taking the hint from the universe (and probably from tired colleagues asking "Ashley, can you fix this?"), she made it official.
Level Up: Academic Domination
Ashley attacked her education with the same intensity she brings to debugging code at 2 AM:
- Enrolled in Computer Information Science at her local community college with a stellar 3.89 GPA
- Landed an internship as a freshman (after getting special dean permission) to overhaul the Worcester District Attorney's office database and portal systems
- Not satisfied with mere excellence, she enrolled in Full Sail University's accelerated Web Design and Development program in 2020
- Graduated as Valedictorian in May 2021 - while working full-time in the medical field during a global pandemic (because apparently, she doesn't believe in doing things the easy way)
Current Quest
Today, Ashley is an AI expert and futurist who geeks out over every intricate component that wires a web application together - from project management to design to the code that makes it all sing. She's worked as a Web Director in the fast-paced fitness industry and brings that same energy to every client project.
Whether you need someone to build your digital empire from scratch, optimize your existing web presence, or simply explain why your website is doing that weird thing - Ashley's got you covered.
Ready to level up your digital presence? The Web Lord is accepting new quests.
No longer accepts cookies as payment, but caffeine-based bribes are always appreciated.
Peter S
Administrative Assistant
Peter S
Administrative AssistantWith over 10 years at Digital Design Solutions, Durga Prasad S is an experienced Web and Graphic Designer and Administrative Assistant. He specializes in logos and web design templates, blending creativity with functionality to help businesses create memorable online identities.
Durga Prasad is passionate about supporting his team and improving workflows, offering both design expertise and practical solutions. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family and farming and his love for cows.
Brent Whitlow
Project Manager
Brent Whitlow
Project Manager
With over 25 years of experience in web development, Brent has been crafting digital solutions since the internet's formative years. His journey began in the late 1990s, developing web-based training programs for Fortune 500 companies. Driven by an insatiable curiosity and passion for technology, he taught himself the fundamental building blocks of web development: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Throughout his career, Brent has adapted to the industry's rapid evolution, mastering everything from hand-coded websites to contemporary development frameworks and tools. While technology continues to advance, his core philosophy remains unchanged: building enduring client relationships through exceptional design and development work that consistently exceeds expectations.
Danielle Jasiewicz
Administrative Assistant
Danielle Jasiewicz
Administrative Assistant
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Socorro Lee
Office Manager
Socorro Lee
Office Manager
Socorro Lee (O for short), office manager at Digital Design Solutions, is a 9 year old Balinese cat. He was originally born in New Orleans and moved to St. Augustine, Florida in 2014. After getting kicked out of obedience school, Socorro decided to join the family business and take his career to the next level. Socorro is not your typical office manager. He has a bad habit of sleeping on the job. He also shows up to work on his own time and demands that he take a lunch break every day at noon. You may also find him talking to you in the background during important client calls. Though he is stubborn and direct on what he wants and expects, he brings lot’s of love, snuggles and smiles to the entire team at DDS.
About Us
Digital Design Solutions was founded in 1996 by Merit Lee, to provide top-notch web solutions that fit any business’s needs. In doing so, Merit became a pioneer in web design, graduating with a degree in Internet Technology and Design in the second graduating class at San Francisco State University taught by leaders in the industry such as Microsoft and Photoshop designers. The company has evolved into an award-winning full-service web design solution, becoming the premier source for E-Commerce development and management.
“I believe that a strong team is the product of effective leadership. We take pride in our exceptional level of service, as our team is united not only amongst ourselves but also with our clients. Consequently, we possess a genuine passion for elevating our clients’ businesses to new heights.”