I l❤ve storytelling, photography, and coding.

Hi! 👋

I'm 👩🏻‍💻 Elena (she/her).

I'm a first-generation Canadian from Mexico living in📍southern Alberta, Canada, close to the world's largest known glacial erratic.

I combine my professional experiences and knowledge with my creativity and desire for positive change to create meaningful, informative, and motivating work.

With over a decade of professional experience in ten countries across three continents, I've worked as a media and communications specialist for different organizations in the humanitarian and international development sectors.

I've written about and have managed strategies and digital products on a wide range of topics like human rights and governance, environmental sustainability, HIV education and prevention, press freedom, gender equality, and cooperative agricultural entrepreneurship.

I'm responsible for planning and developing communication products and narratives to engage and mobilize various audiences around Oxfam Canada's mission and vision.

I'm passionate about harnessing media and communications as tools to amplify voice, facilitate meaningful participation, and foster social change.

I see code as an ideal complement to these tools. It enhances storytelling and makes sense of information in exciting and engaging ways.

☞ Want to work with me? I'm available for small freelance opportunities. Let's talk!


What I Do

  • Content development
  • Strategy for communications and/or social media
  • Training on media and/or social media
  • Social media/product management
  • Writing, revising, editing, and copywriting
  • HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
  • Research and fact-checking

☞ Unsure about what you need? I can help with that too. 😉

My Interests

  • I'm passionate about journalism and photography, international affairs and development, digital culture, intersectionality, shine theory, and human rights.
  • I'm an enthusiast for (Mexican) street food, baklavas, and (usually red) wine.
  • I also dig Afrobeats and fútbol (I have a special place in my heart for Liverpool's manager, the charming Jürgen Klopp, because, how could one not?).

Education

University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies, Toronto, Canada (2020-2021)
⤷ Certificate of Digital Strategy and Communications Management

Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Calgary, Canada (2019)
⤷ Certificate of Website Development

Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden (2008 - 2009)
⤷ Master of Arts in International Migration and Ethnic Relations

University of King's College, Halifax, Canada (2001 - 2006)
⤷ Bachelor of Journalism Combined Honours with Political Science