Paula Machado
Bilingual . Public Relations . Communications . Community Relations
About Paula:
Paula Machado is an award-winning bilingual journalist and communications professional. She currently serves as the Communications Manager for the YMCA of Central Florida.
Machado broke into the media market after graduating with a Journalism & Spanish degree at the University of Central Florida. She gained valuable experience as a reporter for Univision, anchor/reporter for Infomás and as Spectrum News 13's first-ever Hispanic beat reporter.
Machado then decided to follow her entrepreneurial spirit and launch her own marketing communication agency, Fire Ant Communications. Here, she developed strategic marketing and communication plans and produced videos, working with companies such as Disney, Disney Cruise Line, Walmart, Great Minds in STEM and more.
Machado is also a leader in the Florida Public Relations Association and the Hispanic Heritage Scholarship Fund of Metro Orlando. She was also one of the youngest national board members of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
Machado recently received UCF's prestigious 30 Under 30 award and La Prensa's Young Female Leader award for her outstanding work in the community.
In her free time, Machado loves traveling the world with her fiancé and playing with her adorable Boston Terrier, Manolo.