Meet our Strategic Communication Master's Program Alumni

In today’s content-inundated landscape, strategic communication is crucial to the success of businesses, government, and nonprofits alike. Our students learn the practices and tools that are revolutionizing communication and how to use them, while building mass communication skills needed to lead in this rapidly evolving field. Recent graduates have landed their dream jobs at major companies like Intel, Oracle, and Spotify. Meet some of our strategic communication alumni below:

portrait of Natalia Orozco
Changing the world with nonprofit communication strategy
Through the Strategic Communication Master’s program, Natalia Orozco ’21 upped her strategy game and made a contact that helped her land her dream job as a director at Spitfire Strategies.
Maeve Conner
Maeve Connor ’22 uses strategic communication for social change
With a passion for social-change communication and the skills she gained at the SOJC, Maeve Connor is helping people experiencing homelessness in Portland.
MJ Jackson
Alumni Profile: MJ Jackson ’21 turned her passion for the outdoors and transportation into a strategic communication career
Using the skills she acquired in the areas of branding, communication theory and messaging, MJ Jackson realized her dream of a career in the great outdoors.
Olyvia Chac-Nguyen
Alumni Profile: Olyvia Chac-Nguyen’s path from clinic receptionist to witty copywriter
Alum Olyvia Chac-Nguyen infuses her clever copywriting with brand strategy, leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Tiara Darnell laughs at her computer while petting her cat.
Alumni profile: Tiara Darnell ’17 and ’18 on transforming concurrent degrees into a career path
The first SOJC grad to get a master’s in both strategic communication and multimedia journalism, Tiara Darnell parlayed her skills into a successful career in podcast production.
Student using their laptop.
Strategic communication alumnus wants people to become kids again
For his capstone project, Enton Lok used immersive media to heighten users’ feelings of empathy and connection with young people through Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest.
Jules Walters, strategic communications master's student, working inside the Portland White Stag Block
City councilor by day, strategic communication student by night
By day, Jules Walters was a city councilor for West Linn, Oregon. By night, she tackled her master’s degree in strategic communication.
Jen Luecht
Alumni profile: Jen Luecht, Strategic Communication Master’s
Jen Luecht co-founded her communication shop on the principle that female leadership and strategic business can shape communities. Her master’s in strategic communication has helped realize the goal.
Brenda Buratti
Alumni profile: Brenda Buratti, Strategic Communication ’14
Already an experienced marketing and communications specialist, Brenda Buratti sought a master’s degree in strategic communication to add “teacher” to her career portfolio.
Lucila Cajas
Alumni profile: Lucila Cejas
Argentinian native and self-described film buff Lucila Cejas parlayed the qualitative research expertise she gained through her Strategic Communication Master’s degree to connect with the Gen Z audience for a major animation studio.