This is the 105th article in Bears Doing Big Things, a weekly column celebrating the stories of notable M-A alumni.
“I find a lot of joy in bringing people together and strategizing ways to improve our communication within the City of San Mateo,” Nadia Moreno ’18 said. “I talk with people from all different backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses, and it makes me incredibly happy to help them solve their everyday issues.”
Moreno is a Communications and Engagement Coordinator for the City of San Mateo, where she supports public outreach through social media, event coordination, and strategy for promoting city programs across various departments.
She grew up in Redwood City as a first-generation Mexican American. “This came with a lot of beauty, but a lot of challenges,” she said. “I am really lucky that I grew up with a lot of cultural richness and diversity. My family placed a big emphasis on community, faith, and staying connected to our roots.”
Coming to M-A from Redwood City, Moreno was shocked by the school’s size and overwhelmed by the culture shift. “I went from my small community in Redwood City to this big, beautiful high school in the middle of Atherton, so that was definitely an adjustment for me,” she said. “I saw the world through a bilingual lens—I spoke two languages and would often translate documents and emails for my mom at home—and that really shaped how I saw the world.”
At M-A, Moreno gravitated towards the arts and creative classes. She participated in jazz band and choir, and her favorite class was ceramics with Mike Burton-Tilson. “He is such a sweet teacher. In the stressful environment of social life in high school, his class really touched my creative side and left such a lasting impact,” Moreno said.
“I am super grateful that I got to go to M-A and see and experience different perspectives. While it was overwhelming at first, I realized it was just a patchwork of different communities. There was a lot of energy on the campus, and I loved that there were so many different ways to get involved,” she added.
Following high school, Moreno attended Cañada Community College, where she earned an Associate’s Degree in communications. “I remember being really scared. I even thought kind of negatively toward community college, but boy was I wrong,” she said.
“Community college was such a transformative experience for me because I got to make decisions for myself and find out what I was really passionate about.” There, Moreno got involved in student government and student equity programs—all of which sparked her love for communications.
After two years at Cañada, Moreno transferred to UC Berkeley. She participated in the LatinX Business Student Association and pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Media Studies. “The transition was a bit challenging at first,” she said. “I felt lost because I didn’t grow up in a family with a lot of resources or educational opportunities at hand, so I really did a lot of it on my own and tried to seek opportunities and find resources just through googling.”
“Those experiences taught me to be very self-reliant and helped me become super independent in my work today,” Moreno added. “If you have grit, you can really make it.”
Moreno’s time at Berkeley deepened her interest in communications. “I knew I loved communications and connecting with people, but it wasn’t until I started doing media-related projects in college—like content writing and visual design—that I saw how impactful communications can be in real life,” she said. As college came to a close, Moreno began researching local government roles and public service opportunities, drawn to the idea of using her skills to serve the community.
Moreno earned a job with the City of San Mateo as a Communications and Digital Media Technician. In this role, she designed graphics for their social media platforms, wrote newsletters, and supported media strategy and outreach. “I’m not necessarily selling a product or building something, but I am using my communication skills to help inform the public and better our city,” she said.
Moreno is now a Communications and Engagement Coordinator for the City of San Mateo, where she serves the public through digital media and event promotion while helping various departments like the City Clerk’s Office and Public Works to promote their programs and services. She also runs an interdepartmental Communications and Engagement committee with representatives from all across the city. “We find ways to make sure that the information made by the city is being pushed out to residents in the best way possible,” Moreno explained.
“My favorite part of my job is interacting with residents and making sure that our information is accessible and honest,” she said. “I feel so proud to have broken barriers as a first-generation student and to be giving back to my community every day.”
Moreno’s advice to current M-A students: “Don’t be afraid to explore different paths. Success is not linear at all. I learned that everyone is on their own timeline. Don’t compare yourself to others when it comes to academics because it really is a journey. If you don’t know what you want to do right after high school, really consider community college. It transformed my life, and I know it can transform other people’s.”
To those interested in pursuing a career in communications: “Your voice really does matter, and you can make big changes with it, so use it to your advantage. Go out, talk to people, and you will learn a lot.”
