Rita L. Garza Email & Phone Number

Houston, Tx, Us

North America

Consulting for industry-leading clients such as Chick-fil-A, Medtronic, Talos Energy, BBVA USA, Emergency Assistance Foundation, Urban Resource Institute, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and the Houston Area Women’s Center, among others, to develop and launch brand-differentiating strategies leveraging Organizational Development, Executive Coaching, Change Management, Corporate Citizenship, Employee Engagement, Integrated Marketing Communications, Corporate Communications, and Diversity Equity & Inclusion.Founder & Principal, Rhythm Strategy Consultancy LLCNational Certifications: WBENC (Women-Owned) and MBE (Minority-Owned)

Houston, Texas

- Led the Corporate Citizenship and Reputation (CCR) division in seven U.S. states (9,000 employees, 600 branches). Directed CSR programs: community & employee giving, employee engagement & volunteer programs ensuring Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) compliance and appropriate alignment with global headquarters in Madrid, Spain.- Designed integrated Diversity & Inclusion strategy to include bench-marking systems to create metrics and goals for Talent & Culture, Procurement, and Community Involvement.- Directed the production of 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 Annual Sustainability Reports, meeting Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 3.1 then G4 standards.- Led BBVA USA's inclusion in global headquarter's submission to UN Global Compact.- Developed integrated processes to improve alignment with Marketing and Communications departments resulting in increased CSR visibility and media coverage. Led the sustainability reporting and reputation risk practice.- Launched and managed national, 19-member Community Advisory Board to engage executive-level community stakeholders.- Managed BBVA Foundation $8.5 million budget, 600+ grantees nationwide and employee-giving program, BBVA Charity, disbursing additional $1.5 million to community nonprofits.- Led development and management of all CSR divisional media and special events, elevating the standards and performance. Reengineered the Volunteer Summit, an annual training conference for more than 150 internal attendees ranging from front-line staff to market presidents.- Served as key member of national team tasked with course-correcting the bank’s regulatory compliance issues after a “Needs to Improve” rating in 2014, returning the bank to a “Satisfactory” CRA rating in March 2016.- Improved division infrastructure, streamlined operational systems and modernized procedural tools to increase individual, team, and departmental efficiency and performance during a period of rapid growth and expansion of CCR division.

Greater New York City Area

- Developed integrated division responsible for the positioning, visibility, and revenue generation in a transformational year of separating from a 30-year partner. Building the appropriate infrastructure, in a start-up environment, to support the new strategic plan, growth strategy, and national thought leader positioning, resulting in a comprehensive re-brand, marketing material, digital/social media, comprehensive communications (employee and external) and corporate outreach strategy.- Created and managed comprehensive communications, marketing, and brand strategy resulting in elevated visibility and appropriately targeted alliances among elected officials, government agencies and community leaders to generate support for service expansion, additional funding, and modified policy.- Launched corporate sponsorship initiative to leverage corporate responsibility and employee engagement programs resulting in relationships with BBVA Bank, Purina, AVON, among others.- Served as the chief architect designing and managing the first-ever domestic violence program in New York City to accept victims and their pets into shelter, People and Animals Living Safely (PALS).- Produced an innovative multi-layered organizational strategy to accelerate brand awareness, positioning and funding through the groundbreaking PALS initiative, additionally supported by a media event resulting in first-ever media placement in mainstream outlets including WNYC, The Associated Press, local affiliates: ABC, CBS, FOX, NY1, News12, Daily News, Staten Island Advance, Telemundo, NY1 Noticias, 1010 WINS, etc.- Launched Leadership Team meetings with appropriate content, training exercises and presentations to align with organizational messages, business accomplishments and company updates.- Led the organizational strategy, development components and infrastructure to introduce and manage accelerated change, build a high-performance work culture and manage external consultants.

Greater New York City Area

- Developed first integrated marketing communications division responsible for external affairs, digital/social media and marketing, internal/employee communications, department architecture, staffing, and strategic planning for national thought leader positioning, corporate partner outreach and brand development beyond the human services beat into business, fashion, entertainment and lifestyle media.- Launched effective public relations strategy, with regular placement in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NY Post, NY Daily News, Queens Courier, Staten Island Advance, WNYC, WNBC, WCBS, WABC, NY1, News12, Telemundo, CNN Español, including national programs such as Nightline and the CBS Early Show.- Supported agency’s legislative and budget advocacy on the city, state and federal levels with briefing documents, press releases, agency statements and press event participation.- Responsible for employee communications and Executive Office support with speeches, public statements, op-eds, media appearances, presentations, etc.- Developed and implemented innovative national thought leader Forum to showcase the results from an intervention model developed by Safe Horizon and the Yale Childhood Violent Trauma Center including the release of the joint White Paper, “Hope and Healing for Child Abuse Victims.” The Forum included national experts in childhood trauma and was attended by city officials, health care providers, social workers and others active in addressing the problem of child abuse.

Greater New York City Area

- Designed communications strategies, unique events, and publicity initiatives for all major assets for USTA corporate, including global brands (US Open, Fed Cup), community programs, external affairs, advocacy, diversity, philanthropy, corporate partners, environmental initiatives, and internal communications. Managed dept. team, two PR agencies, and 17 virtual local-market staff. Led three task forces to address organizational priorities. Annually exceeded performance goals.- Directed the USTA environmental and sustainability strategy with a national thought leader agenda, led a 16-person task force resulting in 20+ US Open annual initiatives: partnerships with sponsors such as Evian, Mercedes Benz; PSAs with Billie Jean King, Venus Williams; integrated digital/social media; secured Alec Baldwin to extend USTA brand and environmental commitment in lifestyle, food, entertainment and green media.- Represented USTA at the UN Environment Programme in Spain.- Traveled extensively, U.S. and globally, with Fed Cup team leading all aspects of team events: media relations, corporate/community partnerships, athlete/talent appearances, events, and sponsor activation.- Regularly placed USTA initiatives, US Open stories, affiliated celebrities on The Today Show, CBS Early Show, Fox & Friends, CNN, NPR, The Associated Press, Reuters, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NY Post, NY Daily News, Washington Post, LA Times, El Diario/La Prensa and in top 50 markets.- Selected to two White House briefings to develop partnership strategy for Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Childhood obesity campaign.- Served as public & media spokesperson.- Created ground-breaking 2007 Opening Night event, “African American Female Firsts,” to honor 20 pioneers in sports, entertainment, arts, and politics resulting in record attendance and top global media coverage. Participants included Aretha Franklin, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Roberta Flack, Phylicia Rashad.

Austin, Texas

- Re-engineered statewide health disparities/education division targeting the Hispanic and African American markets in Texas through strategic planning, infrastructure building, and personnel development resulting in appropriately aligned organization structure and processes with outlined support systems and technologies, increased productivity and measurable outcomes. Created national models and exceeded division goals.- Developed integrated marketing communications strategy for statewide implementation, including direct mail, large-scale events, branding, collateral development, multicultural programs and PSA campaign.- Served as public and media spokesperson.- Created statewide grassroots ecosystem to build and sustain relationships with community leaders, media, elected officials, state/local government agencies, alliances and healthcare partners resulting in increased visibility, publicity, community briefings, legislative policy and collaborative task forces in six major markets.

Austin, Texas

- Enhanced public relations, marketing and community relations efforts resulting in heightened image and visibility of agency through targeted and strategic outreach. Served as liaison with the media and as agency spokesperson.- Managed conversion to online email marketing to build and sustain constituent relationships, conduct special event fundraising, mobilize volunteers and build donor databases.- Designed fund-raising strategy through major donor campaign, donor relations, corporate sponsors, direct mail and foundation giving, resulting in 30 percent increase in annual special event revenue.- Developed sustainable volunteer program leveraging corporate employee engagement programs and affinity groups to lead organizational initiatives to reduce internal staffing and promote corporate partners and corporate responsibility.

Austin, Texas

- Developed infrastructure of corporate communications department, including public relations, media and analyst relations, crisis communications, executive speaking opportunities, award submissions, employee communications, intranet website and external PR agency management for start-up broadband company.- Served as internal consultant to executive management team, provided communications counsel on company issues and consistent messaging. Provided on-going media training and coaching.- Directed development of corporate materials/collateral, brand strategy and internal brand roll-out.- Served as chief liaison with the media and industry analysts, spokesperson when appropriate.

Colorado Springs, Colorado

- Directed strategic planning and execution of effective public relations programs resulting in increased company awareness and image to key audiences for large, four-service, multi-divisional utilities company.- Served as chief liaison with the media and as company spokesperson when appropriate.- Served as internal consultant to executive management team, providing communication counsel on company issues and consistent messaging. Provided on-going media training and coaching.- Developed community outreach efforts and employee volunteer program from initial analysis through execution resulting in community recognition and awards in first six months and ongoing.- Developed, implemented and managed award-winning corporate philanthropic and sponsorship programs to achieve customer loyalty and corporate responsibility goals through annual social investment of more than $350,000 to community non-profit organizations and key community events.

Greater New York City Area

- Managed Coca-Cola social impact initiative through Holiday Caravan events and promotion in six north and southeast cities developing partnerships between the Coca-Cola Company, local bottlers and the Boys & Girls Clubs resulting in six events per market effectively joining together both corporate and charitable components.- Responsible for all Caravan event marketing, logistics, communications, media, promotion, and community connection/outreach programs.

Austin, Texas Area

- Managed operations, staff and budget for multi-year City of Austin contract - a unique nonprofit/public sector partnership to increase tourism market share in the Hispanic/Latino market.- Designed and managed national convention program and Latin American public relations, marketing and media campaigns, achieving program goals by 110 percent with local economic impact of more than $10 million; division received $17,000 contract bonus.- Managed media relations, served as internal and external spokesperson to local and national partners.- Directed development of marketing materials, publications, and collateral.

Master Of Public Administration - Mpa, Public Administration

Activities and Societies: National Urban Fellow - graduated with honors.As a National Urban Fellow -- one of 25 students selected.

Bachelor Of Journalism, Public Relations