Marielena Castellanos, Senior Associate

Marielena Castellanos is a Senior Associate at Aqua Community Relations. She has nearly 20 years of communications experience, and joined the Aqua (Humanability) team in 2015. Marielena is fluent in English and Spanish, and has provided bilingual community relations support for several Aqua projects owned by the City of San Diego and the Otay Water District.

Marielena considers her greatest strength to be her ability to inform the public with meaningful stories for radio, television and the web. Her skills include working with members of the media, writing, conducting and analyzing research, and managing special events. She held staff/press secretary positions with local elected officials and US Senator Barbara Boxer. A multi-media journalist, she also managed promotions and sponsor relations for Maya Entertainment and the San Diego Latino Film Festival.

Marielena earned a double Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Ethnic Studies from the University of California Berkeley, and completed a year-long Gloria Penner Fellowship at KPBS radio and television. She currently writes, produces and anchors a daily live news program at KSDS radio in San Diego.

In her spare time, Marielena enjoys making beautifully decorated cakes for her friends and family members, hiking along San Diego beaches and trails, and spending time at local dog parks with her whoodle Pico.