Heidi J. Rodríguez
Marketing & Communications Manager | Public Information Officer
407-748-0165 | heidijrodr@gmail.com | heidijrodriguez.com | LinkedIn - HeidiJRod
Education
M.S., Criminal Justice, Analysis of Criminal Behavior – University of Cincinnati, OH, 2014
Graduate Certificate, Emergency Management & Homeland Security – University of Central Florida, 2011
B.A., French & Francophone Studies – University of Central Florida, 2010
B.A., Broadcast Journalism; Minor: Multicultural Anthropology – University of Central Florida, 2008
Languages
Spanish: Native
French: Fluent (reading, writing, speaking)
Brazilian Portuguese: Intermediate (reading/speaking), Beginner (writing)
Italian: Intermediate (reading/speaking), Beginner (writing)
Training and Certifications
Certificate, Applied Generative AI – Johns Hopkins University, May 2026
Law Enforcement Executive Development Association (FBI LEEDA) Media Relations Certification, 2021
National Alliance on Mental Illness: Crisis Intervention Team Certification, 2014
FEMA Independent Study Certifications: Crisis Communications and Public Information, 2011
Core Competencies
Citywide Strategic Communications • Public Relations • Crisis Communications • Media Relations • Internal & External Communications • Executive Messaging • Storytelling & Content Strategy • Digital & Multimedia Content • Event Management & Institutional Branding • Video Production • Vendor & Budget Oversight • Community Engagement & Stakeholder Trust • Web Content Management • Data Analysis • Digital Accessibility
Professional Experience
Marketing & Communications / Public Information Manager
City & County of Denver – Human Rights & Community Partnerships | 2022–Present
Lead the development, execution, and evaluation of citywide internal and external
communications strategies supporting organization goals and community engagement across 5 divisions and 10 mayoral commissions, reaching 700K+ community members.
Serve as primary spokesperson, preparing press releases, media statements, executive talking points, and coordinating media relations.
Analyze analytics and engagement data to improve communications effectiveness, achieving 200–600% increases in digital engagement monthly.
Act as a core member of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during activations, providing crisis communications leadership and serving as the primary Spanish-language media spokesperson.
Supervise and mentor communications staff and project teams, providing performance evaluation, coaching, and professional development.
Ensure ADA and accessibility compliance across digital and print communications and collaborate with IT and web teams to enhance user experience.
Public Information Officer
Orlando Police Department – City of Orlando | 2020–2022
Developed and implemented strategic communications plans for community outreach, crisis
response, and transparency initiatives.
Advised the Chief of Police and Mayor during large-scale and critical incidents, writing news releases, talking points, social media, and web content.
Managed media relations, serving as department spokesperson and coordinating international media coverage on high-profile cases.
Achieved record-breaking digital engagement, growing social media followers to 100K+ within six months.
News Editor
NBC/Telemundo 31 – Orlando, FL | 2015–2020
Led daily editorial planning, story development, and production strategy for a large newsroom.
Oversaw all coverage at fast-paced environment, managing teams at scenes of disasters, emergencies, and community issues, ensuring accurate, ethical, and AP-style reporting.
Coordinated teams under tight deadlines, reinforcing leadership, collaboration, and accountability.