New Audiences New Communications
- 612-729-5900
- info@NewPublica.com
NewPublica was founded in 2014 by Alberto Monserrate and Melisa Lopez Franzen as a way for government agencies, companies, organizations, and nonprofits to reach multicultural audiences. Since its inception, NewPublica has become the preferred firm for multicultural communications consulting in Minnesota. The work that is done encompasses and utilizes diversity, engagement, and creativity. NewPublica has developed long-term, mutually-beneficial relationships with members of BIPOC communities that have allowed the company to be both recognizable and trustworthy.
We are a proudly diverse team with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, skills, and talents. We’re excited for the opportunity to work with you!
Expertise:
Alberto Monserrate is the Co-Founder and CEO of NewPublica, where he leads the firm and works directly with clients on crisis and reputation management, media relations, and public affairs. With twelve years at the helm of NewPublica and a career built on high-stakes communications work, Alberto is the advisor that organizational leaders turn to when the pressure is on.
He works closely with CEOs and senior communications and marketing leaders at businesses and nonprofits, bringing a direct, strategic perspective to the challenges that matter most. His counsel is grounded in real-world experience and a deep understanding of what it takes to protect and advance an organization’s reputation in complex environments.
Alberto’s roots in media and community give him a perspective few communications professionals can match. Before founding NewPublica, he co-founded Latino Communications Network, where he oversaw three publications and two radio stations, building an influential media presence in essential communities across the region. That foundation continues to inform how he thinks about audience, narrative, and impact.
His public service record is equally distinguished. Alberto was elected to the Minneapolis School Board in 2010 and served as its chair for two years. He has served on the boards of the Minnesota Broadcasters Association, Minnesota Business Magazine, MinnPost, Sahan Journal, Citizens League, and Great Minnesota Schools, reflecting a sustained commitment to civic life and community leadership.
Alberto studied Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, and History at the University of Minnesota, a multidisciplinary background that shapes his nuanced approach to communications and public affairs.
Outside of work, Alberto is an avid international traveler who has explored much of Latin America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.
Professional Work: Radisson Hotels International, Ameriprise Financial, Wells Fargo Advisors, Latino Communications Network, Minnesota Senate
Expertise: Carmen Monserrate is the Vice President of People and Operations at NewPublica, where she oversees the internal engine that keeps the firm running at its best. From contracting and invoicing to employee recruitment, retention, and performance, Carmen ensures that NewPublica’s people, processes, and policies are positioned to deliver on the firm’s client promise with consistency and excellence.
Her client work spans government and nonprofit sectors, with a broader industry background that includes healthcare, financial services, education, environmental health, manufacturing, and technology. That range reflects a career built on adaptability and operational command across diverse and complex environments.
Before joining NewPublica, Carmen spent over two decades in corporate sales, operations, marketing, executive recruiting, and manufacturing and product supply chain at a Fortune 500 company. That depth of experience gives her a command of organizational systems and business operations that is both practical and strategic, and positions her as a steady, trusted leader within the firm.
Carmen holds a BS in Mathematics and a double MS in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from Penn State University. She is a certified Executive Recruiter and a graduate of the Elevate Hennepin HR Next program, credentials that reflect both her technical rigor and her commitment to developing people and organizations.
Outside of work, Carmen tutors Math at the high school and middle school level and teaches part time at Exploration High School in North Minneapolis. She is also an avid traveler and outdoor enthusiast, most at home biking, hiking, or finding any reason to be in nature.
Professional Work: Xerox Corporation, Patrice & Associates Hospitality Recruiting
Expertise: Sarah Kruger is the Vice President of Client Services at NewPublica, where she leads teams in delivering high-impact strategies that help clients navigate complex challenges and achieve transformative results. She specializes in crisis and reputation management, legislative strategy, and coalition building, with a particular strength in guiding clients through high-stakes situations that require precise coordination across public relations, legal, and stakeholder teams.
Sarah’s client work spans advocacy organizations, civic engagement groups, and corporate clients, consistently operating at the intersection of public affairs and strategic communications. She brings a practitioner’s instinct to every engagement, shaped by a career that includes serving as Chief of Staff at FairVote Minnesota, managing political campaigns, and leading communications efforts for large federal funding programs. She has run for public office and co-founded a political action committee supporting campaigns across rural Minnesota, giving her a firsthand understanding of the political and community dynamics that shape effective public affairs strategy.
That experience is complemented by a rigorous academic foundation. Sarah holds a BA in Government and Spanish from Smith College and a Master of Research in Political Science from Pompeu Fabra University. She previously taught at the Barcelona Institute of International Relations, and her studies and professional experience span political systems and democratization across Spain and the Dominican Republic, perspectives that inform her nuanced approach to essential communities engagement and coalition work.
Outside of work, Sarah is an avid gardener who finds meaning in cultivating the right conditions for things to grow, an approach that mirrors her work with clients and communities alike.
Expertise:
Nick French is the Director of Client Services at NewPublica, where he leads the firm’s portfolio of public and private clients with a focus on account leadership, intercultural communication, strategy, and project management. A seasoned communications professional, Nick brings both the strategic depth and operational command that complex, high-stakes client work demands.
His background spans corporate communications, critical qualitative research, and intercultural training at some of the country’s most recognizable organizations. Nick has led intercultural communications training at Walmart, Ecolab, and Mitsubishi Power Global, and has directed research engagements with DEED Paid Leave, Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union, Wilder Research, and CJ Schwan’s. He has overseen projects with total budgets of upwards of $2 million, managing across rapid deadlines and multi-year strategies with equal steadiness.
At the center of Nick’s practice is a genuine commitment to helping clients connect with essential communities in ways that are authentic, culturally intelligent, and strategically sound. He approaches every engagement with the conviction that meaningful communication requires deep understanding of the people and communities being reached.
Nick holds a BA in Communications with a Health Communications emphasis from South Dakota State University, where he also completed graduate-level work in Communications and Media Studies. He is PMP certified, bringing a rigorous project management discipline to the creative and strategic demands of his role.
Outside of work, Nick enjoys cooking, traveling, and touring nationally as a competitor in queer recreational sports leagues, playing dodgeball and kickball.
Client Experience: Walmart, Ecolab, University of Minnesota Foundation, Minnesota Department of Transportation, Mitsubishi Power Americas, National Opinion Research Council at University of Chicago, Magellan Health, Riverside Research, Callan, Central Arkansas Water
Expertise: Marian Sanchez is the Event Manager at NewPublica, where she brings over two decades of experience producing high-impact events that connect people with culture, community, and brands in meaningful ways. She oversees the creation, planning, and execution of events for a wide range of clients, and also serves as editor of NewPublica’s virtual Minnesota Hispanic Directory, a resource providing essential services and information to Spanish-speaking communities across the state.
Marian’s event portfolio speaks for itself. She has produced landmark events including Taco Tour on Lake Street, Minneapolis Cinco de Mayo, and the Lake Street Festival, each drawing tens of thousands of attendees. Her work spans galas, conferences, festivals, fashion shows, and cultural celebrations, executed both locally and internationally, with a consistent focus on experiences that leave lasting impressions.
Her work is deeply rooted in essential communities. Marian has developed platforms for emerging designers from Peru, Mexico, and Colombia, bringing the richness of Latin American culture to broader audiences and building bridges across communities. She has led community empowerment initiatives supporting women and older adults through workshops, fairs, and events, and served as General Manager of Latino Communications Network, where she built experience at the intersection of media, communications, and community engagement.
Marian studied Law at Universidad de San Martín de Porres in Peru, and has built a distinguished career grounded in more than twenty years of practical expertise in event production, marketing, communications, and community work.
Outside of work, Marian channels her passion for culture and connection into traveling the world and designing personalized private tours to Peru, staying inspired by the places and people that continue to shape her work.
Professional Work: Utku LLC, Latino Communications Network, Gente de Minnesota
Expertise: Hamza is a results-oriented accounting professional with broad experience in a deadline‑driven environment. He has a proven track record in consistently and effectively delivering accounting services that enhance the company’s purpose and profitability. At NewPublica, Hamza demonstrates his experience in reconciliations, AP/AR, reporting, P&L analysis, and the management of general accounting functions.
Professional Work: Kaah Express, Jones Lang La Salle
Expertise: Isabella Silva-Biotti is a Communications and Content Manager at NewPublica, where she develops and implements multilingual messaging and outreach strategies for essential communities across Minnesota. She manages end-to-end communications campaigns with a focus on immigrant, refugee, and Latino communities, bringing both professional expertise and lived experience to work that demands genuine cultural fluency.
Isabella specializes in strategic communications and equity-centered storytelling, grounded in rigorous market and audience research. Her ability to move fluidly across languages, cultures, and communities makes her a trusted partner for clients who need communications that go beyond translation to achieve true resonance. She has led multilingual campaigns, facilitated cross-cultural focus groups, and served as a community liaison for immigrant-led organizations and local counties, building a track record of outreach that is as strategic as it is community-centered.
She works primarily with government agencies, nonprofits, and philanthropic organizations on multicultural communications, public outreach, and community engagement campaigns throughout Minnesota and the Midwest. Her bilingual capacity and her background as the daughter of Argentine-Chilean immigrants navigating systems in Minnesota give her a perspective on essential communities that cannot be taught.
Isabella holds a BA in Journalism from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She also serves as an elected Curator of the Minneapolis Hub of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community, a network of young leaders driving civic impact across more than 500 hubs worldwide, a distinction that reflects her commitment to leadership that extends well beyond the office.
Outside of work, Isabella is a devoted local food explorer and reviewer. Find her at @gopherfoodie.
Expertise: Mateo Peralta is a Lead Communications Specialist at NewPublica, where he drives digital marketing and communications efforts across multiple client accounts while supporting strategy, campaign execution, and client relationships. He also mentors team members and leads internal initiatives spanning social media and website development, bringing both creative vision and operational discipline to his work.
Mateo’s expertise covers digital marketing strategy, social media management, website development, and content creation across written, visual, and multimedia formats. A particular strength is his ability to translate complex ideas into clear, compelling communications that reach the right audiences and move them to action.
He works frequently with small businesses, nonprofits, and public-sector organizations, supporting projects that range from digital marketing campaigns to community-focused outreach initiatives. Much of his work centers on helping clients build stronger, more authentic connections with essential communities, an area where his combination of strategic thinking and creative execution consistently delivers.
Mateo’s growth at NewPublica reflects both his talent and his commitment to the craft. He joined the firm as a Communications Intern and has progressed to Lead Communications Specialist, gaining hands-on experience in digital marketing, client management, content development, and cross-functional collaboration across communications, public engagement, and public affairs projects.
He holds a degree in Consumer Behavior and Marketplace Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, along with certificates in Entrepreneurship and Digital Studies, a background that informs his audience-first approach to marketing and communications.
Outside of work, Mateo is a photographer and live music enthusiast who has covered concerts and written reviews, bringing the same eye for detail and storytelling to his personal pursuits as he does to his professional work.
Professional Work: Minneapolis Parks & Recreation Board, Recreation & Wellbeing – University of Wisconsin-Madison
Expertise: Madeline Randall is a Graphic Designer and Social Media Specialist at NewPublica, where she creates visual communications that help organizations connect with their audiences clearly, meaningfully, and accessibly. Her work is grounded in the belief that good design is compelling and opens doors for people to engage with ideas and information that matter to them.
Madeline’s expertise centers on accessibility and inclusive design, editorial and layout design, and visual systems development across print and digital platforms. She has a particular talent for taking complex content and shaping it into formats that guide audiences through a story with clarity and purpose. That skill is especially valuable for clients working to reach essential communities, where thoughtful, culturally aware design can make all the difference.
Her client roster reflects the breadth and mission-driven nature of her work. Madeline has designed for organizations including HAP, CAPI, the City of Saint Paul Public Works, MiLLA, and Health Partners Little Moments Count, spanning nonprofit, public sector, and community-focused initiatives. Her professional background in editorial and magazine design, brand identity development, and visual communication across platforms gives her a strong foundation for work at any scale.
Madeline holds a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Media Arts and English from Hamline University, where her studies emphasized visual storytelling, design systems, and the power of communication to expand access and understanding.
Outside of work, Madeline volunteers with local animal rescues and supports welfare organizations through advocacy and creative work, finding ways to put her design skills toward causes she cares about deeply.
Expertise: Sandra Rodriguez is a Multicultural Media Buyer at NewPublica, where she identifies and purchases advertising space across platforms with a singular focus: reaching diverse communities in ways that are culturally relevant, linguistically appropriate, and strategically effective. Her work ensures that every campaign placement reflects a deep understanding of the audiences it is designed to serve.
Sandra specializes in allocating advertising budgets to maximize reach and resonance across diverse demographic groups. She leverages her expertise in cultural nuances, language preferences, and media consumption habits to identify, negotiate, and place ads in in-language media, including television and ethnic digital platforms. The result is campaign performance optimized for genuine cultural relevance and community impact.
Her client work spans nonprofit, for-profit, government, and public affairs sectors, giving her a broad perspective on how different organizations communicate with and within essential communities. Sandra understands that effective multicultural media buying is a discipline that requires ongoing attentiveness to how communities consume media and what messages earn their trust.
Sandra’s background in administrative support and clinical coordination speaks to her organizational precision and her ability to manage complex, detail-driven work across multiple stakeholders. Those skills translate directly into the focused, methodical approach she brings to media planning and buying at NewPublica.
Outside of work, Sandra enjoys spending time with her family and unwinding with a good book at the beach.
Professional Work: Latino Communications Network, Pamela Coleman Office of Eurology, Justo Gonzalez Office of Eurology.
Expertise: Sami Banat is a political strategist and public affairs professional with demonstrated success in campaign leadership, public policy development, and legislative engagement. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Macalester College where he pursued study of Political Science, Classical History, and Middle Eastern Politics and Civilization. He is a published scholar in the field of post-colonial studies and global constitutionalism.
Sami’s experience began with significant involvement in local, statewide, and national political campaigns. Through his time in college, he led three local campaigns to victory for incumbent and brand-new candidates. During that time, he also led public policy reform in the Office of Mayor Melvin Carter and served in the Office of Congresswoman Betty McCollum focused on human rights and foreign affairs.
Sami is the Public and Legislative Affairs Manager at NewPublica, where he oversees projects shaping legislative advocacy campaigns, political engagement and organizing, and strategic communications. He also leads media relations and earned media campaigning for NewPublica’s clients. In addition to these skills, Sami leads research-based projects from design to analysis.
Outside of NewPublica, Sami serves on the Board of Breakthrough Twin Cities, a local non-profit focused on helping students of underrepresented communities gain college access.
Expertise: Nelson Serrano is the Community Engagement Coordinator at NewPublica, where he leads outreach initiatives spanning canvassing, community surveys, and brand activations, while analyzing and reporting on their impact. His role has grown to encompass a broader communications scope, and he is increasingly involved in video content production and strategic communications planning, reflecting both his versatility and his creative instinct.
At the core of Nelson’s work is a genuine fluency in people. He specializes in interpersonal communication and field research, with a talent for surfacing meaningful data through direct community engagement. That ability to translate human behavior into actionable qualitative and quantitative insight is a direct product of his psychology background, and it consistently shapes the recommendations and strategies he brings to clients.
Nelson collaborates with clients across transportation, local services, nonprofits, and brands seeking field activation, bringing the same curiosity and rigor to each. His work is especially well suited to essential community engagement, where authentic, on-the-ground connection is the foundation of any effective strategy.
His academic training at Carleton College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 2025, gave him a strong grounding in research methodology, social dynamics, and human behavior. Film coursework rounded out his skillset, providing hands-on experience in storytelling and filmmaking from concept through completion.
Outside of work, Nelson is a musician with an eclectic taste and a deep love for the independent and small venue music scene in the Twin Cities. He performs under the name Freji, and you might catch him at an open mic near you.
Expertise:
Alfredo Martel is the Managing Director of Agency Operations at NewPublica, where he ensures that the firm’s people, resources, and processes are aligned toward delivering on its client promise with excellence and reliability. Working alongside the senior leadership team and CEO, he drives strategic planning, organizational effectiveness, and the development of leadership competencies across the firm. He also represents NewPublica to prospective clients, conducting deep listening sessions to understand their needs and identify how the firm can best serve them.
Alfredo’s expertise spans strategic management, brand management, enterprise operating systems, service quality assurance, leadership coaching, and organizational design. That breadth reflects a career spent leading at the highest levels across multiple industries and geographies. He has served as Chief Marketing Officer, Chief Operations Officer, and Chief Executive Officer in both domestic and international contexts, with experience spanning advertising, consumer packaged goods, wholesale food and commodity distribution, food and beverage operations, private equity business turnaround, and strategic management consulting.
What distinguishes Alfredo’s approach is his ability to help leadership teams think strategically while remaining operationally grounded. He brings the same discipline and rigor to internal firm operations as he does to client-facing work, creating the conditions for sustained, high-quality performance across the organization.
Alfredo holds a BS in Communications from Cornell University, an MBA in Strategic Management from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College, and an Executive Leadership Certificate from Cornell University. He is a Hogan Assessment Certified Consultant and an EOS-Traction Practitioner.
Expertise: Luis Moreno operates at the intersection of strategy, culture, and communication — and has spent nearly two decades proving what’s possible when all three align. A seasoned Strategic Communications and Public Engagement Consultant, Luis has built his career across seven Fortune 500 companies, earning a reputation as a trusted advisor who delivers clarity in complexity and results that last.
His expertise is broad by design. From brand development and reputation management to crisis communications and multicultural intelligence, Luis brings a 360-degree command of the communications landscape. He has guided corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies across healthcare, financial services, consumer products, food and beverage, and technology — meeting each client with a strategy as unique as their challenge.
Central to Luis’s practice is a deep fluency in essential communities. Fully bilingual in English and Spanish, he crafts engagement strategies that are culturally intelligent, community-centered, and built to resonate.
Before joining the firm, Luis held progressive leadership roles across manufacturing, financial services, education, and consumer products, leading large cross-functional teams and driving talent development at scale. That corporate depth is the foundation of his practical, outcomes-driven approach.
Luis holds a BBA in Design, Marketing, and Advertising, an MBA in Marketing and Strategy from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, and is a Public Policy Fellow from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. He also serves as Adjunct Faculty at the University of Minnesota across undergraduate and executive education programs.
Outside of work, Luis enjoys traveling, exploring global cuisines, and spending time with his family and their dog.
Professional Work: Cummins Engine, Ecolab, General Mills, Land O’Lakes, GE
Expertise: Orion loves people and languages. He is fluent in English, Spanish, French, and German and knows words and phrases in multiple other languages. His unique ability to retain and understand languages is unmatched. At NewPublica, Orion helps review and edit articles for Latino Communications Network publications. He is focused, engaged, and loves working and collaborating with others!
Professional Work: Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC), Kaposia.
2909 Bryant Ave S, Suite 301
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-729-5900
2909 Bryant Ave S, Suite 301
Minneapolis, MN 55408
612-729-5900
