Media Services Manager for H-E-B's Corporate Communications media team helping support our company's internal communication messaging and events.

Senior Research Analyst and Project Manager for H-E-B's Customer Insights Department helping to understand our customers and provide strategic business support for our company.

As a first generation college graduate, education is one of my passions. In my role at Generation TX San Antonio (GenTX SA), I'm honored to align that passion with another, which is journalism. Through public relations, marketing and social media, I tell the story of Generation TX San Antonio's commitment to students, education and the city of San Antonio, as well as share the many success stories of how this non-profit changes the lives of students, parents and families. It makes me proud that GenTX SA is part of Mayor Julian Castro's goal to create a college-going culture.Generation TX San Antonio is committed to making the 7th largest city in the nation a college-going and career-ready community in a single generation. Through that commitment, GenTX SA serves as a hub for community coordination of resources to prepare San Antonio students for college and careers.Through that community coordination, we work alongside a number of partners including The City of San Antonio, The Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, SA2020, San Antonio Education Partnership, cafecollege, Advise TX, P16 Council of Greater Bexar County, Communities in Schools San Antonio, Teach for America, UT Outreach San Antonio and a number of higher education institutions. Major corporate partnerships help support our mission including Clear Channel Radio, Clear Channel Outdoor, CPS Energy, San Antonio Water System and numerous San Antonio media outlets.

Taking the experience from my previous career in TV news, I'm now on "the other side" as many journalists say. It's really a full-circle career experience being the person to cover news events to now being the person pitching those stories. Thankfully, I have a vast understanding of how a newsroom works, what catches a reporter's attention and can find that "news hook." Through my refined knowledge of how reporters, editors and news producers think and operate, I was in daily contact with news media across the region and around the country. Alongside our Dublin team, I worked with a variety of clients and not only helped them seek out story-telling opportunities but also advises them in difficult and crisis situations. Those clients ranged from local and national businesses to tourism and non-profits including San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, Workforce Solutions Alamo, CPS Energy, San Antonio for Growth on the Eastside and Generation TX San Antonio. I'm very grateful to have also gained experience in the philanthropic arena, as we work closely with numerous community leaders in San Antonio including San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro.From traditional media to social media, I also lead our clients in the transition into the social media realm. We provide advice and council for using social media in business, as well as create and manage accounts.

I taught one of two sections of 6th grade at Day Star Bilingual School in the eastern rural town of Juticalpa. I found myself teaching 26 students after deciding to share my education and work experience by helping an impoverished country. As a first-generation university graduate, I know my responsibility is to help others achieve similar educational goals.At this private school, I taught 10 different subjects ranging from English, Math and Science to Social Studies, Art, and Physical Education. I was responsible for day to day planning, grading and evaluation. In my teaching, I also began international projects with an American school and teachers in order to better expose my students to different opportunities.Outside of my classroom, I led major projects within the school. I am the founder and president of Day Star Girls' Club for young female students. Additionally, I led fundraisers for disasters such as Haiti and local organizations such as an orphanage in Juticalpa. I also revised the teacher handbook to create better communication between school directors, teachers and students.

Taking what I learned from a 24-hour news operation, I'm focusing the idea back into affiliate news. I exercise the quick pace, multiple story count and community focus in my newscasts at CBS 42/KEYE-TV. News Director Tim Gardener continued to be a leader for me showing solid journalism with the focus on the importance of serving the public through our industry. Assistant News Director Suzanne Black, now News Director, also taught the need to connect with our viewers. From producing the 6pm news to a 2-hour morning newscast, I am continuously exercising my writing and creativity to bring the best information and coverage to the public every day.

In 2005, I was given the great opportunity to further expand my journalistic experience by working for a 24 hour news channel. It was a very exicting time to get back into news on the heels of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Working as a news producer at Time Warner's News 8 Austin, News Director Kevin Benz, Assistant News Director Michael Pearson and Executive Producer Daniel Bramlette taught me to produce around-the-clock newscasts and supervise and edit reporter scripts. The main lesson I learned at News 8 was focusing on community news. We continuously worked with non-profit organizations in Central Texas and other community organizations. Plus, working in the great Capital City of Texas is the perfect place to expose myself to politics, unique events and personalities. It's the all-eventful Austin, Texas, after all!

At the age of 23, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime. I was hired to produce for a top ten market in Dallas at the beginning of my career. I worked as an AP and Producer for multiple newscasts for KDFW/Fox 34 News. While I was learning from veteran journalists at Fox, like News Director Maria Barrs, reporters Scott Sayres and Shaun Rabb and Managing Producers Chip Mahaney and Patrick Radde, I was gaining my BA at the University of North Texas in Denton. Going to college while working in the 7th television market in the nation, was one of the best experiences in my personal and professional career. I had the chance to compare and contrast working in and learning about my career. There nothing like jumping into a fast-paced market and getting in the door early in your career.

Right out of South Plains College, I began my first position as a television news producer at Fox34. Being from the Lubbock-area, I was thrilled to have my first job at home. As KJTV was a start-up station, it provided an exciting experience for me to build a vision for the newscast and the station. As the 9pm producer, I thoroughly practiced my writing with a daily hour newscast, explored my creativity using a virtual reality studio-set and learned to be a team player with a group of young and eager journalists. That was only highlighted by teachings from veteran journalists, and now good friends and mentors, Executive Producer Sally Post and News Director Jeff Klotzman. Their leadership and loyalty to journalism helped set the foundation for my career. I will always say small markets are the best places to practice your creativity, make mistakes and learn the first steps to becoming a journalist.