Meet Marcia Gomez | President of Blank Canvas Communications, UM Faculty and VP of Client Service for Wander PR

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marcia Gomez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marcia, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Working for a higher ed institution that focused on the arts allowed me to expand my abilities into a segment that I hadn’t yet. I love working in this field. I realized that I could combine my love of education and public relations by offering my services to multiple organizations – in the arts industry as well as other industries. It allowed me to broaden my knowledge, skills and passion.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I’ve been working in the communications and marketing field for over 20 years. It’s been quite a journey, with experiences in media, higher education, business and the arts.

Before starting my own boutique communications firm, I had the pleasure of serving as the director of campus relations for Miami International University of Art & Design. In that role, I was responsible for overseeing a wide range of activities, including public relations, traditional and digital marketing, social media, events and strategic community partnerships. It was an exciting and challenging position that allowed me to make a real impact. One of the things I really enjoyed about working there, was showcasing the amazing talent of my students. I was always blown away by their creations and their process for creating.

Since 2006, I’ve been an active member of the Miami chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, and in 2015, I had the honor of serving as its president. It’s been a great platform for networking, learning and giving back to the profession that I’m passionate about. This is an organization that is near-and-dear to my heart. Having started with the organization as a member of the Ev Clay endowment committee really fueled my passion for helping the next generation of communicators get the most out of their education. I am particularly proud of my involvement with that committee; after becoming involved,  we grew the fund to be the largest endowment of any of the 110 PRSA chapters in the country. And, as of this year, PRSA Miami has awarded $366,500 in scholarships to 185 public relations students.

Apart from my boutique agency, I also run client services for Wander PR and on top of all that, I’m also a full-time lecturer for the School of Communication at the University of Miami. I love sharing my knowledge and experiences with the next generation of communication professionals.

As you have likely noticed, I stay very busy – and that’s how I like it. I’m truly grateful for the opportunities I’ve had throughout my career, and I’m excited to continue making a difference in the world of communications.

And, on a personal note, and a role that is by far the most rewarding (and often, the most difficult), I’m a mom to two children, Liam and Emma – they keep me grounded and full of hope for the future.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start our day at the beach in Key Biscayne (less busy)- Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. Spend several hours there and then head to Wynwood for lunch at one of the restaurants – Joey’s I believe is one of the oldest ones in the area – it is Italian and very yummy. Or we could head a little north to Buena Vista Deli or Limoni.

We can then head to Little Havana, for a cafecito or Abuela Maria-flavored ice cream from Azucar —

In the evening – we can go to Coconut Grove for dinner at GreenStreet Café or any of the other eateries in the area. Afterward, take a stroll along the waterfront at the Barnacle Historic State Park, where you can catch beautiful sunset views.

other options can include:
If in Winter, we can take guided airboat tour in Everglades National Park, where we can see wildlife like alligators, birds and other wildlife in their natural habitat.

We can also hang in Coral Gables – check out one of my favorite bookstores – Books & Books, but I also like going to Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. It’s so relaxing (of course, if it’s summer, I may skip this as it can get very hot in Miami). If it’s summer, I may go to the PAMM, ICA or other indoor museum…

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This is a tough one, because it is truly a long list. I would say that I have truly enjoyed and evolved with every organization I’ve been a part of. But, specifically, PRSA Miami, is an organization that is very special to me. I became involved in 2006 as part of a scholarship committee for the Ev Clay Scholarship. The committee was responsible for reviewing scholarship entries and awarding the scholarships to 8 deserving students studying PR from local colleges and universities (MDC, Florida Memorial, FIU and UM). While this was how I got involved with the organization, this involvement shaped me as it started my involvement with PRSA Miami. Over the next 18 years, I have been an active member of the organization, but also an active board member and on its leadership including having led the organization as its chapter president in 2015. One of the most important aspects (that started with that initial involvement) is the PRSA Miami’s Ev Clay Endowment Luncheon which takes place very year in the fall and is where the deserving students are awarded the scholarships and where we also award PR and industry professionals. In 2010, I assumed responsibility for planning that event and served as its co-chair until 2022. During my tenure, the event transformed from merely breaking even or raising minimal funds to becoming a major fundraising initiative. In fact, it’s now the most significant endowment among all PRSA chapters in the country. We’re immensely proud of these accomplishments. And, as of 2023, we’ve granted scholarships to 185 students, amounting to over $366,500, spanning 36 years. Additionally, this journey has blessed me with lifelong friends who’ve profoundly influenced both my personal and professional life.

I have also been very lucky to have worked in a variety of positions in media and higher education. My higher ed trajectory started as an adjunct at MDC back in 2006. Later, I also worked at Miami International University of Art & Design where I oversaw PR and marketing for almost 12 years. And, I also worked at FIU as an adjunct – this was especially impactful as I got a chance to teach alongside a previous professor, Margo Berman, who I’ve always admired.

As of four years ago, I transitioned into my current higher ed position with the University of Miami. This is yet another example of how PRSA Miami, and specifically, the Ev Clay Endowment Luncheon, impacted my life as it was during that event in 2018, where a colleague and mentor asked if I would be interested in teaching full time. So, shout out to Heidi Carr from UM!

In 2018, after deciding to leave MIU, I opened Blank Canvas Communications – a boutique PR firm that helps clients in various industries – but with a focus in the arts. In this role, I’ve been able to work with numerous clients as an extension of their communications teams – for example, Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, GMCVB, Brevo Theatre, MDC Live Arts, Spark Cooperative amongst others. It has been a very fruitful and exciting experience to help clients reach their communication objectives. But, it has also allowed for me to develop and expand my career in working with other marketing and public relations agencies – including Wander PR and Forethought Marketing. In particular, at Wander PR, I’m responsible for overseeing client relations and operations for the agency. Wander PR represents clients in the hospitality and lifestyle industries – which has also allowed me to expand. In particular, my peeps there including the leadership –are an impressive bunch – truly a dream team of communication professionals. And, my work with Forethought Marketing is also notable – having worked with yet another dream team – this time in marketing — even including a previous student of mine from FIU!

And, in 2023, I expanded my business to include professional development workshops. Boost PR Lab was created to help communication professionals stay up-to-date with workshops on pitching, writing and, everyone’s favorite – AP Style. I was recently a speaker at PRSA’s Sunshine District Conference with a session on AP Style in late July. This is an area that I will continue to focus efforts on as it combines two of my passions – teaching and PR.

In addition to my professional life, my personal life has also been extremely impactful in my development and professional trajectory. Being a mom of two (Liam and Emma) has really pushed me to learn patience and unconditional love. My husband, who is my biggest fan and cheerleader has been someone I can always rely on. And, my mother, sister and late father – have always been a constant and ensured I’m always grounded. Personal friends have also had a deep impact in my life – sharing the celebrations and the harder times.

Website: www.blankcanvascomm.com

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/marciagomez

Twitter: @MarciaGomez

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlankCanvasCommunications

Image Credits
Google link for images: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1X0BNfTOWSE4sHlWas5FHk96KjfKgiXAp?usp=share_link Credit is for PRSA Suncon images in the folder – Jackie Marie Photography – Jacqueline caponelli Other images can be used without credit.