Who We Are

Dedication. Connection. Transparency.

35 years strong. Still evolving.

At RMM Group, you’re not just a client, you’re the blueprint. Every strategy is built around your goals, your audience, and what actually moves the needle for your business. We stay ahead of the curve because we’re in the trenches with your customers. We spot trends early, adapt fast, and keep your brand relevant where it counts, online and offline.

From concept to execution, we handle it all. Design, print, distribution, the full spectrum. Lower costs, faster turnaround, bigger impact.

Ready to create something that stands out? Let’s build it together.

John “Gungie” Rivera

Chief Idea Officer

Bryan Vallejo

Creative Director

Cristine Niswander

Team Member

Elliott Kartler

Team Member

Layla Handy

Team Member

Nathan Persson

Team Member

Nayerlie Lopez

Team Member

Join our team

We’re looking for people to join the team to start as interns and who are as excited as we are to help build the platform that empowers the future generation of creators to be successful online.

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Check Out our media kit

See what we’re all about. Our media kit highlights our work, our clients, and the marketing strategies that have driven real results for businesses like yours.

John “Gungie” Rivera

Chief Idea Officer

John “Gungie” Rivera is considered one of the finest conductors in the music and nightlife space. His journey began in the Castle Hill section of the Bronx, where he witnessed how music brought his family together.

“Gungie,” the first word he ever uttered, became his moniker early on. The name became synonymous with introducing various venues to the masses so they could enjoy new genres of music in hip-hop, freestyle dance and Latin music.

John “Gungie” Rivera started his career as a DJ, familiarizing the world with the classics we enjoy today. His passion for music and his ability to bring people together quickly led him to become one of the most sought-after nightclub promoters in New York City history.

Beginning his journey in the late 1980s, John “Gungie” Rivera dominated the nightclub scene for three decades. That path placed him as the “Go-To” if you needed your night club to become a hot spot, your record played, your band put on a stage or wanted the best entertainment experience New York had to offer.

Never satisfied with complacency, John “Gungie” Rivera transitioned to a career as a well-respected Music Industry executive. He produced hits and eventually landed his own recording label, “Prestigio,” under the Sony Discos umbrella. “Gungie” immediately struck Gold as label CEO when his first artist, introduced under the “Prestigio” title, became one of the fastest-selling independent artists in Sony Discos Distributed Label to go Gold.

“Gungie” tied all his contributions together when he formed Prestige Productions, a Marketing company which boasted industry-leading clients from television, radio, and Corporate America. Prestige Productions also became one of the most prominent concert promoters in the Latin and urban genres in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Japan.

Despite all the success and accolades that “Gungie” has achieved, his most rewarding accomplishment is giving back to his community, especially youth. That is why he became a board member of The Guardian Angels, a nonprofit volunteer organization that embraces passivity to prevent crime, assist the homeless and those suffering from mental illness.

When the political world approached “Gungie’s” company to engage a younger demographic to vote and understand the issues that impact today’s youth, he leveraged the power of music and created “Salsa the Vote.” The campaign empowered young people by involving them in decisions that affect their future. In the late 90’s and early 2000’s “Gungie’s Salsa the Vote registered over 20,000 people to vote at all of his night club and concert events. “Gungie” also organized marketing and fundraising campaigns for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, produced the annual galas for Promesa Foundation, and was part of a Latino division for the charitable organization LIFEBeat.

Out of his love for the arts and cultural engagement, “Gungie” has worked with the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater and co-produced plays for Teatro SEA, a bilingual nonprofit organization founded in Puerto Rico that produces socially conscious and educational productions for children and young adults. Some of the company’s famous plays include The Roberto Clemente DC-7 play and La Gloria, a play honoring the life of Celia Cruz and other iconic Latin singers.

Always eager to enrich his community with Latin culture, John “Gungie” Rivera became a restaurateur, launching Babalu, which featured dishes from all Latin countries. The restaurant’s chef was one of Gungie’s clients, renowned Celebrity Chef, Alex Garcia, also known for the duo cooking show with Chef Aaron Sanchez on the food network.

Today, John “Gungie” Rivera is the CEO of the Rivera Marketing and Media group, which offers media buying, digital marketing, creative services, public relations, political consulting and artist development. RMM Group also secures endorsement deals for high-profile TV, film, media, and sports clients.

For almost two decades, John “Gungie” Rivera has owned NYC Tastemakers, a daily news and culture publication highlighting the voices of the next generation of writers, creators, and thinkers.

John “Gungie” Rivera’s greatest passion is his devotion to the Cristian Rivera Foundation, over which he presides. In 2009, he tragically lost his six-year-old son, Cristian, to a rare brain stem tumor known as Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). The disease primarily affects children under the age of nine. There is currently no cure for this inoperable cancer.

“Ever since Cristian passed away, I have committed myself to help find a cure for this deadly disease,” Rivera said. “My hope is that no other family would have to go through the grief of losing a beloved child.”

Rivera has dedicated his life to finding a cure for DIPG. He assembled a high-profile board to help him achieve this goal. Actor’s Kenan Thompson, Luis Guzman, Malik Yoba and Berto Colon, Media personalities AJ Calloway and NBC Anchor Darlene Rodriguez, Music Mogul, John “Jellybean” Benitez, and Sports figures such as MLB Player Gio Urshela and Boxing Champ Edgar Berlanga are just some of the high-profile board members. As of November 2024, the organization has contributed over $3.5 million to research and family support for those impacted by DIPG.

Inspired by his son Cristian’s positive and encouraging spirit, “Gungie” authored and published his first children’s book, Cristian’s Journey, to spread Cristian’s message of benevolence and love despite tragic circumstances.

Among the hundreds of partnerships, projects, and businesses that John “Gungie” Rivera has been involved with, it is his children, Cristian, John Christopher, and Sophia, who bring him the most joy and remain the most important part of his life. Hard work and discipline have made “Gungie” successful, but it is happiness that keeps him going. Over the course of his career, Rivera has left an indelible mark on the nightclub, concert, and record markets. With the Cristian Rivera Foundation, he is poised to change the world.

Bryan Vallejo

Creative Director

Bryan Vallejo is an instrumental member of the Cristian Rivera Foundation. Bryan attended the Borough of Manhattan Community College where he received his Associate’s in multimedia programming. He continued his education at the Institute of Pittsburgh for animation. Bryan has always had a passion for drawing and creating images so that they can come to life. One of his biggest accomplishments was the opportunity to illustrate “Cristian’s Journey” written by CRF Founder, John “Gungie” Rivera. Bryan is grateful for the potential that John saw in him, as well as his role in CRF.

Cristine Niswander

Team Member

Cristine is a Marketing and French major at the University of San Diego. She has experience in student government, tutoring, and community service, and is excited to learn more about the marketing field through hands-on experience within the RMM group. Cristine enjoys reading, drawing, and exploring new places.

Elliott Kartler

Team Member

Elliott is a recent graduate of Colorado State University with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts-Graphic Design. He is currently based in Denver and lives with his cat, Scrambles. Elliott is known for his (sometimes questionable) taste in music, love of Garfield, and signature pan-fried steak. With a deep interest in the intersection of information and art, he is always looking for fresh ways of creating. He is excited to dive into the world of marketing and learn from the talented people at RMMG. When he isn’t designing, Elliott can be found painting, drawing, gaming, or partying with friends.

 

Layla Handy

Team Member

Layla is an intern at RMM Group and a current college freshman majoring in English. She has a strong passion for writing and enjoys reading in her free time. Layla also values spending quality time with her family.

Nathan Persson

Team Member

Nathan Persson is a student majoring in graphic design at Virginia Commonwealth University. He has a background in drawing and is interested in all kinds of art. He’s excited to join the RMM group and try his creative skills in a professional environment.

Nayerlie Lopez

Team Member

Nayerlie Lopez is a senior at Arizona State University majoring in Digital Audiences. Passionate about graphic design and storytelling, she loves helping brands and individuals share their narratives through compelling visuals and strategic marketing. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she values authentic connection and socially conscious creativity. Nayerlie is eager to expand her marketing expertise with the RMM Group while creating content that genuinely resonates with people.