Communications & Public Engagement Portfolio

Aymara Pineda
Barahona

Strategic Communications · Community Programs · Bilingual EN/ES

Master of Marketing  ·  Bachelor of Business Administration

Building and sustaining partnerships, communicating across audiences and sectors, and coordinating public programs — across nonprofits, public institutions, and social enterprise in Canada and internationally, for over 12 years.

12+ Years experience
80+ Programs / year
EN/ES Bilingual
01

Public Program & Event Coordination

End-to-end coordination of public programming at VanDusen Botanical Garden (2021–2025) — scheduling, logistics, instructor and participant communications, and post-program evaluation. Programs grew from 45 to 80+ annual offerings.

VanDusen Botanical Garden · 2021–2025

Adult Public Programming — Full Lifecycle Coordination

Managed 80+ annual programs — environmental science workshops, botanical arts, and Indigenous Knowledge Keeper partnerships — handling instructors, venues, logistics, and participant communications.

Public Sector Partnership

Vancouver Park Board Collaboration

Coordinated with Vancouver Park Board — VanDusen's joint operator — to align processes, messaging, and programming delivery across both organizations.

Participant Feedback · VBGA 2022 Annual Report

The instructor was super engaging and lively, really knew her stuff, and had very attractive and informative slides.

I enjoyed the session; it was very educational and fun. I got to learn a lot about not only bumblebees but also other insects and plants found at VanDusen Garden.

Source: VBGA 2022 Annual Report, p. 7

Program Equity · 2023

Older Adult Bursary Program

As part of a team effort, contributed to advocating for and launching a bursary program for older adults — reducing financial barriers to program participation. By the time I left VanDusen, bursaries had expanded further to support all adults facing financial barriers.

Source: VBGA 2023 Annual Report

02

Digital Storytelling & Published Writing

Educational content produced at VanDusen Botanical Garden (2021–2025) — short-form video scripts and narration for public audiences, and a co-authored article on adult learning and nature education.

Short-Form Digital Storytelling · 2021–2025

Script writing and narration for an educational video series on Instagram — making ecological science accessible to broad public audiences.

Fungi and Ecosystems reel — Aymara Pineda at VanDusen
Script & Narration · Ecology

Fungi and Ecosystems

Educational reel on the role of fungi in forest ecosystems — mycorrhizal networks, decomposition, and plant health in the Pacific Northwest.

Watch reel →
02 Script & Narration · Botany

Seed Dispersal in Fall

Natural seed dispersal processes — wind, animals, and water — connected to seasonal cycles and local ecology.

Watch reel →
03 Script & Narration · Storytelling

Plant Storytelling — Monkey Puzzle & Bougainvillea glabra

Storytelling connecting plants — including the Monkey Puzzle (Araucaria araucana) and Bougainvillea glabra — to cultural meaning and ecological relationships, for audiences with no prior botanical knowledge.

Watch reel →

Published Writing · 2024

Co-authored article on non-formal nature education and adult learning, published in the SFU Educational Review.

SFU Educational Review Journal Cover

Co-Author · SFU Educational Review

Non-Formal Nature Education & Lifelong Learning for Adults

Draws on experience as a program coordinator at VanDusen to argue for expanding public access to nature-based learning — connecting adult environmental education to community belonging and ecological literacy.

Read article →
03

Bilingual Community Communications · 2020–2021

Volunteer copywriting for the Vancouver Latin American Cultural Centre (VLACC) — a community-based nonprofit serving Vancouver's Latin American community, July 2020 – February 2021. Content in English and Spanish across social media; copy reviewed by the organizational editor.

Facebook · 2021

Afro-Latin@s & Black History Month

Community post on the historical erasure of Afro-Latin@s and the multiracial complexities of Latinidad — drawing on academic research by Torres-Saillant for a broad public audience.

View post →
Facebook · 2021

Environmental Advocacy — World Environmental Education Day

Post connecting environmental activism in Latin America to global climate concerns — the dangers faced by environmental defenders, regional data, and a call for equitable action.

View post →
Facebook · 2021 · Event Promotion

Latin American Authors Reading Group — UBC Collaboration

Event promotional post for a reading group developed with UBC's Latin American Studies program — featuring Isabel Allende and Julio Cortázar, facilitated by a UBC PhD professor.

View post →
Facebook · 2021 · Community Spotlight

Friday Spotlight — Carmen Rodriguez, Chilean-Canadian Author & Activist

Community spotlight on Carmen Rodriguez — Chilean-Canadian author, educator, and YWCA Women of Distinction nominee. Combines biography, literary career, and activist voice to promote her panel discussion To Write is to Resist. To Write is to Recreate.

View post →
04

Brand Building & Media Relations

As co-founder and marketing lead of Madreselva Skincare (2015–2020) — an eco-conscious social enterprise in Nicaragua — I built the brand from the ground up: PR and media relations, social media, website management, and direct client communications.

Madreselva Skincare media coverage Media Coverage · Madreselva

Co-Founder & PR Lead — Media Feature

Madreselva Skincare — Press Coverage

Press coverage earned through consistent PR outreach and community presence. As spokesperson and PR lead, I pitched and managed media relationships for the brand.

Watch coverage →

Press Feature · Confidencial Nicaragua

La cosmética natural se abre paso en Nicaragua

Feature article in Confidencial — one of Nicaragua's leading independent news outlets — profiling Madreselva alongside another natural cosmetics enterprise.

Read article →

Community Growth · 2015–2020

Audience Built from Zero

Grew Madreselva's social presence from zero — 16,000+ Facebook followers and 2,500+ on Instagram through content strategy, community engagement, and paid advertising.

Live Work Sample · Wix

Madreselva Website

E-commerce website built and managed on Wix — product catalogue, Spanish copy, FAQ, and shipping information. Still live.

Visit website →
05

Organizational Representation & Media Presence

Representing Fundación Puntos de Encuentro — a feminist NGO operating across Central America — at international forums and in media. At the organization (2004–2012), I held roles across communications, marketing, and resource mobilization.

Oxfam Canada Gender Justice Summit Media Coverage · Toronto · 2010

Organizational Representative — Media Interview

Oxfam Canada Gender Justice Summit, Toronto

Spoke as organizational representative at Oxfam Canada's Gender Justice Summit in Toronto — discussing Fundación Puntos de Encuentro's communications work and the feminist movement in Central America.

Watch coverage →

Let’s Connect

Open to communications, program coordination, and community engagement roles — in English or Spanish.

Email

aymarapineda@outlook.com

in

LinkedIn

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