Who IS Cristina?
It all started when…
I discovered I had a knack for PR and Social Media when I was in high school and threw myself into Key Club, a community service organization. It started out as an extracurricular, and turned into so much more - it turned into the way I would discover my career. I became the PR committee chair and launched my PR career. In high school it was small stuff - making marketing materials, talking with local newspapers, social media posts, etc. When I got to college and realized I hated Physics, I decided to give Communication and PR a try again and rediscovered my love for the field.
From there, I dedicated my time to incorporating into everything I did. I managed to convince my ROTC Colonel to make me the Public Affairs Officer so I could write press releases and coordinate media articles. I created social media pages to help increase ROTC’s enrollment and spread the word. I was able to show true, tangible results of students who showed interest thanks to our efforts. I managed to obtain an amazing internship in the Empire State Building where I was essentially treated like an Account Coordinator with the responsibilities of pitching, compiling media data, research and more. It was incredible and the rush I felt was even better.
Rutgers Graduation, 2014
Upon graduating I was not automatically able to find work since it’s rough for a college grad, but I was able to eventually land a job doing PR, social media and SEO - the trifecta. I knew I was gathering skills I would be able to carry with me throughout my career and managed to make myself a well-rounded media maven. I was laid off from two jobs I was passionate about, which is always something recruiters are curious about when they see I “jumped around” a lot. While I was upset at first, this only motivated me to get back up and work harder, which is where I am now. I’m looking for a place that wants me for more than a few months and is willing to invest in me, the way I am willing to invest in them.
On top of career successes and struggles, I have experienced the same in my personal life. I have had to overcome diversity and obstacles as a leader many women now face in the workforce considering I was the first female to commission into a combat arms branch in the PA National Guard. I was met with resistance, but I persevered - the same way I do in my professional career. I try to tackle every challenge in life head-on, and I apply these principles to my work as well. Resilience and perseverance are never in short supply if you have me on your team and it helps that I channel all my creative energy into the things I am most passionate about.
Between my role as a military leader and leader in my community, I regularly put my spare time to good use. My current project? Chartering Monmouth and Ocean county’s first Aktion Club (division of Kiwanis) so that community members with special needs can take part in philanthropic service. My other passion project is the Women in Combat Collective (more info coming soon), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting women in and attached to combat units with resources they need to succeed. See? My career started with my love of service, and to this day inspires me to keep going and when I find I’ve completed one project, I’m always ready for the next.
where am i now?
I currently work with Single Throw Marketing in Wall, NJ as an Account Manager. There, I work with brands and organizations to help them expand their digital presence when it comes to web development, SEO, social media and everything in between. I’m also a graduate student at Rutgers University studying Digital Media with an intended graduation date of December 2020.