Professional Summary
Malena has served in various roles for corporations, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations.
She utilizes her training in different styles of management to support creative visions and help ground them into reality through process, strategy and execution.
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Various Clients, International | Feb 2021 – Present
• InkTheory Apparel – Conducted an internal assessment and market research. Facilitated interviews and a collaborative process to develop a 30-day go-to-market strategy. Developed hiring and onboarding system. Oversaw permitting process for Certificate of Occupancy.
• The Portal Venue (Austin, TX) — Built full operational infrastructure for a startup event and hospitality venue: pricing strategy, contracts, booking systems, staffing strategy, and membership model.
• Wildseeds Ranch Community (Southern CA) — Conducted stakeholder interviews and needs assessment for a co-living community; refined financial model, communal roles and revenue programs. Increased revenue 95% YOY in 2025.
• WeDeepen Love Club (Austin, TX) — Managed digital operations and member management. Developed volunteer and affiliate programs; produced a high ticket 4-day Love Immersion retreat for 30+ participants.
• Castle Quest (Italy) — Transformed a client's vision for historic estate investment into a fully executed 21-day scouting expedition across three regions of Italy. Built all public-facing infrastructure: website, application, and logistics for an international group.
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Submersive, Austin, TX | Aug 2024 – Jul 2025
• Supported early-stage development of an immersive art bathhouse startup founded by a Meow Wolf co-founder; worked directly with CEO on creative vision, operations, and business development.
• Led logistics and contractors for conversion of an 8,000 sq ft warehouse into office and technical prototyping space for AV and water equipment testing.
• Managed hiring processes, SOPs, vendor relations, purchasing, and coordinated a featured panel at SXSW 2025 (100+ attendees).
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DBR Lab Artist Collective. Arizona State University. Aug 2018 - May 2023
• Supports student artists with mentorship, professional development, marketing and performance opportunities
• Produced and stage managed two performances in New York (2019, 2022) plus three virtual performances during the pandemic
• Designed logo and developed website for professor, Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR)
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Keen Independent Research. March 2021 - Feb 2024 (half-time)
• Served as lead consultant on a light festival feasibility study: qualitative research, stakeholder engagement, cultural understanding, and key recommendations.
• Supported arts and culture master plan development for multiple city and state clients, translating community identity and cultural values into actionable creative strategy.
• Led brand refresh; designed user-friendly templates in Word and PPT for proposals, reports and data presentation. Increased proposal success rate within the first quarter.
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• Produced a 14-day work retreat in Guatemala for a startup company with 25 participants from around the world, May 2022
• Produced a 90-day coliving residency in Berlin, hosting over 90 residents and interviewing more than 120
• Produced a 30-day work retreat at Lake Atitlan, Guatemala for a property assessment project, 30 participants
• Managed all logistics for the attendee experience end-to-end. Developed application, interview and vetting process. Created a welcome guide and served as liaison for venues, guests and chefs.
• Led development of membership program and growth strategy; recruited 500 members in 3 months. Facilitated OKR and KPI planning processes to guide strategic planning.
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ABI Create, July 2020 - Jan 2021 (continued project-basis)
• Coordinated logistics for custom fabrication projects, managing client relationships and contractor agreements
• Oversaw the bidding and acquisition process for sub-contractors
• Managed the hiring, scheduling, contract and payment process for a rush LED park build, recruited 40+ contracted builders
• Facilitated City permitting process and staff check-in for a New Years Eve festival in Las Vegas in 2022
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National Accelerator for Cultural Innovation. Arizona State University. Nov 2019–June 2020
• Coordinated the accelerated redesign of the MA in Creative Enterprise and Cultural Leadership website and curriculum, working under professor Johanna Taylor
• Organized the process and led the development of a website to present 30+ faculty research projects in the arts
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CounterAct: Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative. Arizona State University. Tempe, AZ. Feb–Oct 2018
• Coordinated an arts-based sexual violence prevention program, working under co-directors Nik Zaleski and EJ Johnson
• Managed 11 initiatives, including a conference, seed grant program, theatre program, student focus groups, student ambassadors and university events
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Flagstaff Arts Council. Flagstaff, AZ. Feb 2015–Aug 2016
• Managed marketing initiatives for 10+ community programs, inclusive of:
6 annual gallery shows
Seasonal concert series
City-funded art & science grants
Annual arts awards gala
Weekly summer events in downtown
Monthly ArtWalk map and ad sales
Weekly radio show
Community events calendar
Artist workshops
• Designed a full-color book to document the Fires of Change exhibition. Select artists received forest fire educational training and had one year to produce art as an initiative to inform the public about fire safety
• Trained and managed a team of college interns in photography, marketing and graphic design
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Deckers Brands. Aug 2012–Feb 2015
• Managed two eCommerce sites as primary liaison for the brands while tracking and preparing weekly metric reports
• Supported major initiatives for UGG Australia and Teva during peak sales seasons
• Coordinated end-to-end product photography process for 7 shoe brands
• Trained in agile project management
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Graphic Design & Apparel Printing. Dec 2007–Aug 2016
• Provided graphic design, apparel printing and marketing services for small businesses on a contracted basis
• Contracted part-time design work with a medical products company, providing advertisements, presentations, training manuals and product information sheets while following strict brand guidelines (2009–2011)
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• Launched an ethically-made apparel line featuring print designs by twelve artists; developed brand identity, business plan, and vendor strategy from concept to market.
• Designed merchandising displays for vending booth sales. Managed wholesale accounts.