Read biographies of feature guests for the Marketing, Media and PR Networking Forum being held Thursday, June 08 at SHAY Chicago.
MODERATOR
Sandra Torres, News Reporter, CBS 2 Chicago
Sandra Torres is bilingual journalist, currently working as a general assignment reporter for CBS Chicago.
She returned to Chicago in November 2015, after a working in Milwaukee as a multi-media journalist for CBS 58 (WDJT-TV). She also worked for sister station, WYTU as a producer and co-anchor for Telemundo Wisconsin.
Prior to her time in Milwaukee, Torres worked in Chicago at NBC Chicago (WMAQ-TV) from 2010-2012, as a morning news content producer. Before that, she worked as a general assignment reporter and fill-in weather anchor at Telemundo Chicago (WSNS-TV).
While at WSNS, she also appeared on network shows, including Noticiero Telemundo and Al Rojo Vivo.
Torres began her broadcast career at Illinois State University in Normal at TV-10 News, where she anchored, reported and was a photojournalist for the school’s television station. After graduating from ISU, she interned for WMBD-TV in Peoria and then worked for the Illinois Center for Broadcasting in Lombard as a television instructor.
Torres, who was born and raised in Cali, Colombia, moved to Chicago’s northwest suburbs when she was 13 years old. She’s fully bilingual, proud of her culture and extremely passionate about issues that relate to the Hispanic community.
You can follow Sandra's work on Facebook: Sandra Torres
Twitter: @SandraTorresL
Or Instagram: @SandraTorresCBS2
DISCUSSION PANELISTS
Mark Flores, Vice President, Olson Engage
Mark Anthony Flores is currently a Vice President at Olson Engage. He started his career in Chicago Latino media working for Extra Bilingual Newspaper as an account executive before moving on to the Tribune and Hoy Newspaper as a marketing manager. After working on the traditional media side for three years, he moved on to work for one of Chicago's largest Latino nonprofits, the United Neighborhood Organization (UNO) as Communications Director.
In 2005, he also started his five year appointment as Commissioner of Latino Affairs under Mayor Richard M. Daley's Chicago Commission on Human Relations where Flores, along with a board of commissioners, adjudicated discrimination cases that came in front of the commission.
While at UNO he was responsible for cause marketing, public relations, content development and branding initiatives. He also began an events company, M?rk Productions which promoted Latino based networking events and political fundraisers.
Mark joined Olson in early 2011 when he was recruited to run the MillerCoors Latino Public Relations initiatives as an account supervisor. In his time at Olson, he has led multicultural efforts for clients such as Target, PepsiCo, McDonald's, Wrigley, Super Cuts, Alzheimers Association, and has been involved in a number of products under the MillerCoors portfolio. Most importantly however, Flores has spent his tenure at the helm of Olson Multicultural to cultivate talent and grow the practice from a 3 person team running two accounts, to an eight person team contributing to twelve larger accounts.
Today Flores runs the American Light Lager business for Olson which is primarily made up of three general market teams for Miller Lite and the Coors Family of Brands. This is in addition to his continued role as the multicultural practice lead where he navigates the opportunities presented by the recent partnership with ICF International. Opportunities presented by this partnership include incorporating the multicultural practice into larger government, utility and aviation projects. His team recently won the Cross Boarder Express as its first aviation client and continues working for the Energy Providers of Southern California in the energy sector.
Outside of work, Flores is an accomplished artist who has displayed his work at the Mexican Museum of Fine Art's located in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood twice, and recently completed a project for Rick Bayless' Fronda Frontera located in Wicker Park and continues doing private commissions for long time collectors.
Sheena Quinn, Director of Public Relations, Chicago White Sox
Sheena Quinn joined the Chicago White Sox as the Director of Public Relations in December 2014. In this role, she oversees the team’s communications strategy, annual fan convention called SoxFest and multicultural community outreach. With her guidance, the White Sox rebranded the organization’s Spanish-language platforms, including a transition from “Los Medias Blancas” to “Los White Sox” in 2016.
Prior to joining the White Sox, Quinn spent 10 years at Public Communication Inc., where she oversaw the communications plan for the Shedd Aquarium. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and Public Relations from Marquette University.
Ozzie Godinez, CEO, PACO Collective
Ozzie Godinez is the Co-Founder and CEO of PACO Collective, the fastest growing cross-cultural marketing agency in the Midwest. A natural entrepreneur, Godinez has helped PACO grow from a two-person operation to a company with over 50 diverse employees and gross revenues of almost $20 million.
Godinez has emerged as an authority on cross-cultural marketing by establishing new techniques on marketing to the new America.
Natellie Ibarrientos, Media Manager, Adaptly
Natellie Ibarrientos is a Media Manager at Adaptly, the agency that enables the world's biggest advertisers to scale campaigns across paid social platforms.
Her role combines many of her passions: data, technology, analytics, and innovation. Natellie uses her expertise to optimize cross-platform performance of brands including Progressive, Target, and Express. She collaborates with her team to deliver data-driven insights — an essential piece to understanding the mind of a consumer.
In her prior role at ZenithOptimedia, Natellie executed digital, TV, and radio buys for a variety of Fortune 500 companies. She became a market specialist for key regional markets and successfully negotiated competitive advertising rates to maximize return on investment.
Natellie is an advocate for Latina empowerment and currently serves as an alumnae mentor for Gamma Phi Omega International Sorority, Inc. She is also a graduate of DePaul University with a bachelor’s degree in public relations and advertising.
Salvador Maldonado, Account Manager, U.S. Hispanic Market, Google
Salvador Maldonado graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor’s degree in History and French. After graduation, he joined Google in Mountain View then shortly moved to Mexico City to join Google’s nascent Hispanic team. For the last 7 years, in Mexico City, then NYC and now Chicago, Salvador has been consulting with agencies and clients on digital strategies to reach multicultural audiences across Google’s platforms.
Outside of work, Salvador enjoys traveling, listening to music, spending time with his family and friends and used to dance ballet folklorico in college (Mexican traditional dances).
Isabel Villegas, Brand Manager Multicultural Marketing, MillerCoors
Isabel is currently a Marketing Manager at MillerCoors, focused on retail marketing for Commercial Center of Excellence. She is an accomplished focused multi-lingual brand strategist & multicultural marketing expert with strengths in multi-cultural market development, retail/shopper marketing, brand strategy, experiential, communications, & social/digital media strategy.
For nearly 19 years, her experience has included creating & launching campaigns, brands, platforms, & leading cross-functional teams to produce results; as well as cultural insights, strategic planning, integrated marketing, promotions, sports/entertainment & sponsorship development. Some of her Jack Morton accolades include creating the music platform for Alltel Wireless to help build brand awareness & drive sales; Leading the McDonald’s team & the sponsorship of the Mexican National Team; leading Target’s multicultural event strategy plan; the Samsung’s Galaxy S product launch.She was also the Director of Marketing & Broadcast, for the Major League Soccer team, Chivas USA, where she directed all marketing aspects of this unique soccer brand.
Prior to, she was the Sr.Manager of Hispanic Marketing for the Chicago Fire (MLS), responsible for integrated marketing communications to better serve the Fire’s Hispanic fans & partners.
Isabel’s community activities include serving as a Regional Director for the Northwestern University Alumni Association and a founding member & Advisor to the Latino Alumni of Northwestern University. She received her BS from Northwestern & lived a short sabbatical in Italy during 2006, which included participating in the World Cup in Germany.
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