Maria Magali Noriega
Address: 3112 Janice Rd, NC
Zip Code: 27614
Phone: 919-741-2818
E-mail:
I am a Communications Specialist with a proven track record developing successful coordinated bilingual communications strategies in a variety of media including print, radio and TV as well as new media such as web and online-video. I have expertise in translating and presenting technical and legal content in engaging and informative ways to Spanish speaking audiences with the aim to improve their physical and emotional wellbeing. I have won a First Place Excellence in Communications Award from the N.C. Association of Government Officers in the category of: Broadcast PSA for 2010. This video was transmitted by UNIVISION during the Soccer World Cup. The video is about Cross Contamination and its voice over mimics a typical Latin Soccer game narration. I have also won aFirst Place, Excellence in Communications Award from the N.C. Association of Government Officers in the category of: Feature Writing Spanish for 2010.
Expertise includes:
• Design strategies to promote a safe and healthy community such as: health help programs, food safety, children’s rights, and domestic violence prevention in the Latino community.
•Writing and directing video, TV, radio, YouTube and other web based media productions, such as the UNIVISION PSA.
• Translating English language websites like the NC Office of Citizen Service’s, to promote and inform Spanish speakers of programs like Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, WIC, among other ones.
• Developing web content, for example I was fully responsible for all the contents of websites such as:
• Writing culturally appropriate documents for the Hispanic community, for example: Hygiene Module for farm workers for NC State University-Cooperative Extension Agents.
•Translating white papers, laws, regulations and press releases for Government publications:Proofreadingof NC Governor’s press releases, white papers, NCDHHS and NCDA press releases, FDA and NC Food and Agricultural Safety regulations and recommendations.
•Creating coordinated mass media advertising campaigns through existing low and no-cost media outlets. For example, I conceived, produced and coordinated a campaign for health help programs like Medicaid, free clinics, etc. as an alternative to self-prescription. This included radio PSA, web presence and about one hundred thousand brochures and posters.
Job History
United States
2012 Just As You Meant
I have created my own translation company, and am doing translations from English into Spanish, subtitling, and proof reading. I also teach Spanish all levels.
2010-2011 NC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
I started working for NCDHHSas an Information Communications Specialist III because this was a promotion. The State of North Carolina initiated broad cuts in most departments, completely cutting several divisions including my position. While working here I translated press releases that have been published in all NC Hispanic newspapers, and have also being used by the Hispanic radio stations. I translated the Web Site for the Division of Citizen Services, explaining how Medicaid, CHIP, SNAP, and WIC among other programs work in each NC County(This Division was cut due to budget issues). I wrote a strategy to help the Office of Rural Health promote bilingual pesticides safety training which is helping to get more growers engaged in this program. I improved Rural Health’s video targeting HIV in farm workersand made it more culturally appropriate. I wrotea strategy and 6 radio scripts for the Recruitment Program, to help them in recruiting more doctors and nurse practitioners in NC rural areas. I also wrote six radio PSA scripts for this program, and made deals with several NC rural radio stations to airthem for free. I wrote a strategy for Facebook, showing three different ways that this Department could participate in Social Media when they are prepared to do so.
2005-2010 NC DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE/FOOD AND DRUG PROTECTION DIVISION
As the Bilingual Specialist for NCDA/Food and Drug Protection Division I developed their entire Spanish language communications program. My first challenge was to help in reducing the consumption of self-prescribed antibiotics, birth control pills and illegal pain killers in the Hispanic community. People used to get these drugs in the Hispanic stores. I designed a campaign that combined fear, information and health help programs as an alternativeto self-prescription. For this campaign, I wrote articles that were published for free in all the NC Hispanic newspapers, and wrote and produced four radio PSA that were transmitted for free not only in all the NC radio stations but also in other seven Southern States, and some Central America countries through radio networks. I designed an accompanying brochure and poster and had almost 100,000 printed and distributed throughout the State in Hispanic stores, organizations, churches, clinics and fairs. I also did presentations in organizations and the Mexican Consulate. After two years of this campaign, our inspectors stopped finding these drugs in Hispanic stores.
My next challenge was to promote Food Safety in the Hispanic community. I did so through articles published for free in all of the NC Hispanic newspapers. I also produced many food safety radio PSA, which were aired for free in all Hispanic NC radio stations. I also promotedFood Safety through weekly radio interviews, occasional TV interviews, two web sites and YouTube videos that I produced. My most popular video on YouTube is about Cross Contamination and has so far about 30,000 views (in Spanish), and about 18,000 views in the English version. It was specially edited to be transmitted during the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The voice over mimics the typical style of a Latin soccer game narration. I won a First Place, Excellence in Communications Award from the N.C. Association of Government Officers in the category of: Broadcast PSA for 2010 for this video. I also won a First Place, Excellence in Communications Award from the N.C. Association of Government Officers in the category of: Feature Writing Spanish for 2010 for one of my articles: “Let’s learn to read the labels teaspoon by teaspoon.” I also offered talks about Food Safety in different Hispanic organizations. I used pre and post-tests in my talks and always found improvement in their knowledge. When I started to work on Food Safety Hispanics showed no interest in this topic. After five years of campaigning, I received an average of 10 phone calls a day from Hispanics inquiring about Food Safety. Also, As part of the NC Food Safety Fresh Produce Task force I wrote the Hygiene Module that the Cooperative Extension Agents use to teach Food Safety to growers and farmworkers. I represented NCDA at the NC Governor’s Hispanic Latino Affairs Advocacy Group and helped to develop policies for the consideration of the Governor.
Honors & Awards
First Place, Excellence in Communications Award from the N.C. Association of Government Officers in the category of: Broadcast PSA for 2010. This video was transmitted by UNIVISION during the Soccer World Cup. The video is about Cross Contamination and its voice over mimics a typical Latin Soccer game narration.
First Place, Excellence in Communications Award from the N.C. Association of Government Officers in the category of: Feature Writing Spanish for 2010. It was given to me for one of my full-page articles: “Let’s learn to read the labels teaspoon by teaspoon”.
Ecuador
2005 (July- October)Mariana de JesusFoundation– Quito this was my last job in Ecuador before I moved to USA, I worked as a Consultant till one day before my trip to USA. I designed a mass media campaign that I called: “One Classroom per day Everyday” the goal was to raise funds for building 365 classrooms during the 2006 year in rural schools that were in seriously bad condition. They went beyond expectations and built 472. Already in the USA I remained in contact with them during 2006, and offered friendly free support with this campaign I had designed for them.
2005- 2002Observatory of the Children and Teenagers Rights – Quito.
This job was a promotion. I edited articles, and did research to be included in their monthly magazine “Observatory”. I designed and produced a campaign that targeted the Congress. One year had past and they had not yet passed the bill to protect children from domestic violence. I based my campaign on famous people talking to the Congress from their own perspectives. I had an Olympic Gold Medal runner, singers, famous soccer players, actors, a policewoman, and a Monsignor asking Congress to pass this bill. After three weeks of my campaign the bill finally passed and became law. The last thing I did for them was a structural analysis of the organization and defined their strategic communication guidelines for the development of children’s rights in Ecuador.
2004 Faith and Joy – Quito. I designed, wrote, produced and directed a twelve chapter radio drama series called “School and Life”; about children’s rights. I reviewed the scripts with children and encourage them to offer suggestions. These programs were disseminated in all Latin America “Faith and Joy” radio stations.
Published Articles
2005 UNICEF – Quito-Ecuador
One article published in different newspapers, to promote a UNICEF’S children’s campaign titled: “Niño Esperanza” (Hope for the Children). The article name is: “Juan Carlos is Niño Esperanza”.
2005 Observatory of the Children and Teenagers Rights OBSERVATORY– Quito-Ecuador
Two articles publish in January 2006, in the book: “Children and Teenagers Rights in Ecuador”.
Teaching Experience
2004 Ecuadorian International Center for Latin America Studies (CIESPAL)– Quito-EcuadorInternational Workshop: “The Radio in the society of the Information: Tools for the journalists of the Future”.Responsible for the English workshop: “Radio Scripts and the Magic of Radio”.
2004 Ecuadorian International Center for Latin America Studies (CIESPAL) – Quito-Ecuador Responsible for the workshop:“The Journalist Writing”, for members of the Ecuadorian Air Force.
Talks
2005“The Magic of Radio in Ecuador Today” – Quito-Ecuador
Organized by UNESCO and the Central University of Ecuador.
2004“Alternative Radio Experiences – Quito-Ecuador Organized by theNational Union of Centers. Presented to non-profit organizations dedicated to educational programs.
EDUCATION
University of Lima - Lima Peru
Bachelor Degree in Science of Communications
Lima-Peru
Cambridge University – England
Oxford First Certificate in English
Lima-Peru
Radio Netherlands – Venezuela
Diploma of Completion the Course: “Production of Alternative Educational Programs”.