WHO WE ARE
About Oaknell Partners
Oaknell Partners is a digital marketing agency for independent medical practices. We help practices build their online presence through website design, search and AI visibility, and Google Ads.
Co-founders Jeff Balian, John Nahas, and Sully Mrkva bring backgrounds in healthcare research, business operations, and engineering. Our work connects patient-friendly websites with ongoing search improvements and targeted advertising. Meet the team below.
CO-FOUNDER & CMO
Jeffrey (Jeff) Balian
Jeff Balian is a Los Angeles native who graduated summa cum laude from UCLA in June 2026. Now in his gap year before medical school, he leads multiple nonprofit initiatives to increase access to specialized medical care and has helped raise over $600,000 for hearing care in Armenia.
His published research in health economics and quality improvement at UCLA has revealed a growing amount of care moving to high-volume, specialized institutions, leaving private practice as an increasingly challenging business model. His father has been a practicing community physician for over 20 years, giving Jeff a firsthand view of the challenges private-practice physicians face, particularly in brand marketing and patient outreach. Through community partnerships, he hopes to translate these insights into revitalizing practices in an era of centralized medical care.
CO-FOUNDER & CEO
John Nahas
John Nahas is Co-Founder and CEO of Oaknell Partners. He is one of the largest operators of fuel and convenience retail locations in Southern California and invests in commercial real estate. He is also a partner at Rayon Partners, an AI (artificial intelligence) consulting and implementation firm. There he evaluates market feasibility and helps turn client business needs into practical, scalable technology initiatives. Having run multi-location businesses himself, John understands what independent practices are up against, and he focuses on technology that reduces administrative burden, protects margins, and brings in more patients.
During his undergraduate studies, John founded Delta Debate Academy and grew it into the largest online debate camp in the United States. He then led the company through its acquisition by the National Symposium for Debate (NSD), where he now serves as Director of Business Development. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, where he founded the Berkeley Venture Capital Club.
CO-FOUNDER & CTO
Sully Mrkva
Sully is a Computer Engineering graduate of Virginia Tech (summa cum laude) and is completing his M.S. this year. His technical background is in networking and cybersecurity, and he is preparing to begin a career in cybersecurity and software engineering with the federal government. At the Virginia Tech Hume Center, he conducts research on secure systems and has built solutions for organizations including NASA and the Joint Warfare Analysis Center, spanning web development, hardware engineering, and AI-driven cybersecurity.
Sully pairs that technical depth with strong communication and leadership skills. For five years, he has helped lead the nation's largest summer and in-season debate programs, coaching students and managing operations at scale. That experience taught him how to break down complex problems, explain them clearly, and keep people aligned. At Oaknell Partners, he brings the same approach to helping private practices adopt secure, reliable systems and work more efficiently.
