Master of Professional Studies - Humanitarian Services Administration
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT01-2011
Annelise Palacios
Honolulu,United States
Summary
Communications and public relations specialist with 10+ years of experience developing and executing digital campaigns, media outreach, and stakeholder communications for nonprofit and international partners. Experienced in content management, social media strategy, podcasting, and public speaking—skilled at producing clear, compelling messages for diverse audiences, and collaborating across teams to hit deadlines in remote settings. Passionate about environmental, coral reefs & whales, and ocean resilience communications.
Skills
- Public relations & networking
- Liaising & negotiation
- Social media & Google Analytics
- Community engagement
- Training & coaching
- Continuous learning mindset
- Leadership skills & Emotional Intelligence
- Creative thinking & resourcefulness
- eCommerce apps & plugins
- Content creation & Grant Writing
- CRM, Canva, Mailchimp, Hootsuite
- Video & audio editing software
- Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack
Education
Professional Training & Endeavours
TRAINING:
Translation & Interpretation (Business & Medical), UC San Diego
Google Digital Marketing & E-Commerce
Coral reefs restoration management, International Coral Reef Initiative
Renewable Energy Technologies & Sustainability, INCO Academy
Strategic Communications, RARE & The Nature Conservancy
Wastewater Pollution, Ocean Sewage Alliance & NOAA Coral REEF Conservation Program
Management Effectiveness for Marine Protected Areas, NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program
One Planet - One Ocean, From Science to Solutions, SDGAcademyX & Ocean MOOC
ENDEAVOURS:
Volunteered at Monteverde Biological Reserve Cloud Forest, Project: website translation
Volunteered at Alliance of Forest Workers & Harvesters, Project: program evaluation for workers rights
Published Personal Development eBook
Published social media content (written, video, and pocast formats) for coral reefs awareness
Member at Reef Resilience Network, Coral Restoration Consortium, and Reef Environmental Education Foundation
Membership at Pacific Whale Foundation
Volunteer at Coral Restoration Consortium, Project: tracking tool for reefs bleaching, Communications Committee
Work History
Social Media Administrator & Property Manager
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand
, United States
05.2021 - Current
- Managed comprehensive services for diplomats, and maintained strong contractor relationships.
- Achieved a 90% satisfaction rate through effective housing and property maintenance coordination, with a base budget of $250k per asset.
- Executed logistics abroad and facilitated immigration processes for international delegations.
- Planned and executed cross-platform social media campaigns (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn) for policy and climate-change initiatives; increased campaign impressions to 6.9K, and improved organic engagement rate by 80%.
- Supported fast-paced hospitality operations for INDOPACOM, the Office of Foreign Missions partners, local authorities, and international foreign ministers.
Founder
The Happy Spark Designer LLC
, Worldwide
01.2012 - Current
- Built and managed e-commerce website (WordPress + WooCommerce) and published campaign landing pages; monitored site traffic with Google Analytics to optimize creative content and referral sources
- Achieved 77% client satisfaction through enhancing personal development coaching techniques and lifestyle design.
- Produced a podcast and long-form content to grow the audience; used social ads and an organic social strategy to drive $200K in revenue and sustained engagement.
- Designed a few clothing accessory collections using digital design tools such as Photoshop, InDesign, and Canva.
Public Relations & Traveling Specialist
American Tours International
, United States
03.2019 - 08.2019
- Developed and delivered effective public relations strategies to support high-volume travel claims.
- Coordinated travel arrangements for clients using industry-standard booking systems.
- Managed vendor relationships to ensure quality service delivery.
- Resolved customer inquiries and issues through effective communication strategies.
- Achieved a customer satisfaction score of 80%.
Languages Trainer
MeinSchulProjekt Startup
, Germany
04.2015 - 10.2017
- Conducted transformational immersion weeks for autistic children, achieving 90% success in group dynamics and self-development for over 200 students.
- Created engaging teaching materials, including course syllabus, handouts, and worksheets.
- Developed and executed lesson plans tailored to specific objectives and student levels.
- Conducted immersive cultural training and provided successful language instruction for diverse student groups.
- Provided translation services for special projects as needed.
Social Media Customer Service Agent
Abramo Deutschland GmbH
, Germany
02.2017 - 08.2017
- Company Overview: Ecommerce Customer Service - European market.
- Established eCommerce business operations, enhancing client satisfaction and engagement.
- Assisted diverse customers with hundreds of inquiries daily, and resolved issues effectively.
- Communicated product information and promotions about 50 luxurious brands using social media platforms.
- Utilized CRM software to track customer interactions and feedback.
- Handled escalated complaints and provided timely resolutions.
Public Relations Country Representative
IMAHelps
, Peru
11.2012 - 11.2013
- Successfully engaged the media, the Vice President of the country, and institutional leaders to expedite the release of $8,000 in medical cargo with an overdue deadline.
- Represented the organization during annual preparation negotiations with the government and local partners to facilitate project success.
- Coordinated media outreach and delegation logistics for the non-profit; drafted press releases, briefing notes, and event media lists.
- Cultivated strong relationships with local partners, stakeholders, the media, and government representatives for collaboration
Latino Community Preparedness Liaison (interim program management)
American Red Cross
, United States
01.2011 - 02.2012
- Trained over 1,000 individuals on health and safety through public presentations across six counties.
- Developed training materials to boost volunteer engagement and readiness.
- Managed disaster response training and community outreach initiatives.
- Facilitated cross-departmental meetings to align objectives and enhance collaboration.
- Acted as a resource for volunteers, promptly addressing questions and concerns.
- Collaborated with local organizations to strengthen community partnerships and resources.
- Assisted in planning events to promote disaster preparedness awareness, including 1 million fundraising campaign.
- Partnered with senior management to identify improvements in existing systems.
Languages
- English
- Spanish
- German