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My Portfolio:
Bringing ideas to life

From making complex ideas accessible to creating just for joy—a glimpse into the creative spirit that drives me.

Valeria

PROFESSIONAL

My drive to work at the intersection of policy and communications stems from believing that helping people understand the vital work of our government is essential for democracy - especially now. From creating community newsletters for the Town of Apex to drafting social media content during my Senate EPW Committee internship, I've learned to translate complex information for diverse audiences—whether institutional, community, or academic.

Written Work & Publications

Civic Engagement

Government

Created newsletters for the Town of Apex, making local government information accessible to residents through clear, engaging communication.

My role in assisting the creation of the town's first sustainability program allowed me to collaborate with and learn from the communications department, gaining hands-on experience in municipal messaging and community outreach. Below are examples of two newsletters I created—one internal and one external—showing how I shared updates related to the sustainability program with different audiences within the town, adapting tone and content to meet the specific needs of staff versus residents.

Master's Thesis

Academic

Developed strong research, writing, and data visualization skills through graduate thesis work, focusing on making complex policy topics accessible to broader audiences.

It's one thing to complete a thesis, but it's another to practice presenting it and explaining complex topics in a way that's accessible for different audiences. As one of 10 McCourt Showcase finalists, I was able to do just that—creating a visually appealing poster and presentation that distilled my research into clear, engaging content that could resonate with both academic and general audiences.

Video & Media Appearances

Washington Post Gen Z Interview

The Washington Post

Political
Gen Z: Five Questions

Explore how Generation Z thinks about politics, identity, and the future in this interactive feature from The Washington Post.

Watch Interview →
EarthFest 2022 Video

Town of Apex, NC

Environmental
EarthFest Promotional Video

Assisted in the creation of an engaging video content to promote the Town’s inaugural Earth Day event, highlighting environmental awareness, sustainability advocacy, and strong communication and on-camera skills.

Watch Video →

Social Media & Digital Content

Press Intern, Senate EPW Committee

Graduate Assistant & Student, McCourt School of Public Policy

Georgetown Commencement Reel Screenshot
Commencement Toast
View Reel →
Women's History Month Reel Screenshot
Women's History Month
View Reel →
Thanksgiving Reel Screenshot
Thanksgiving
View Reel →

Server & Bartender, Dacha Beer Garden

Pumpkin Beer Week Post

Embrace the flavors of fall during our PUMPKIN BEER WEEK starting TODAY!! 🍂🍺 Savor any of our EIGHT seasonal pumpkin brews and don’t miss our delectable November food specials featuring roasted pumpkin with burrata and pumpkin arancini 🎃🎃🎃 #PumpkinBeerWeek #rundontwalk

View on Instagram →
Happy Hour Post

missing the weekend already? I know we are!! But you can still have a good time on Mondays with our all day happy hour 🍻 don’t miss out on this amazing deal! #alldayhappyhour #happyhourmood

View on Instagram →
Oktoberfest Reel Screenshot

If you really want to soak in the #oktoberfest spirit, you need to try our food specials. Crispy pork schnitzel, Kartoffelpuffer (potato pancakes), German potato salad -- You get a little taste of the old country with a modern twist. 🇩🇪🍺

View on Instagram →

PERSONAL

My imagination extends far beyond professional work - I've always considered myself a creative person, and I genuinely love making things just because they bring me joy. Whether it's capturing moments from my travels, experimenting with video editing, making jewelry, playing ukulele, or even coding this website, these projects are pure expressions of who I am outside of work. My creative spirit is what drives everything I do.

Personal Videos

Through short films and video snippets, I document the energy and essence of everyday moments—turning fleeting experiences into cinematic memories that capture not just what happened, but how it felt. It's really natural to me to film my day to day, and I find that teaching myself about the editing process a really fun and rewarding part of this medium.

August in Paris Screenshot
August in Paris
View TikTok →
Spring Recap Reel Screenshot
Spring Recap
View TikTok →
Spring Garden Tour Screenshot
A Weekend in DC
View TikTok →

Grand Canyon (2020)

My sweet family trip to the Grand Canyon over Christmas Break

Watch on YouTube →

22nd Birthday (2020)

A recap of my 22nd birthday week

Watch on YouTube →

Graphic Design + Collages

Instagram has become my favorite creative playground—a space where I can experiment with visual storytelling and curate moments into a digital scrapbook. Each post is a little canvas for design exploration and memory keeping.

"The people crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones that do."