Member Spotlight: Q&A with Carla Cruz
Posted on Sep. 15, 2026 / Member Spotlight / Subscribe 0
C
arla Cruz
Senior Director of Communications, Segerstrom Center for the Arts
Q. Tell us a little about your career journey and what led you to your current role as Senior Director of Communications at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
My career has always centered on storytelling, media, culture, and connecting organizations with the audiences they serve. I began my career in Spanish-language media, helping launch Hoy, the Spanish-language daily newspaper affiliated with the Los Angeles Times. I later served as Marketing Manager at Univision Television, where I developed brand identity and launch strategies for five Spanish-language cable networks in the United States and internationally.
I then joined Loyola Marymount University as Assistant Director, developing marketing and communication engagement strategies for alumni communities, including Black, Latinx, Asian Pacific Islander, and global alumni audiences. Those experiences strengthened my understanding of how thoughtful communications can build connections across diverse communities.
During the pandemic, I often drove from Los Angeles to Orange County and spent time at some of its beautiful beaches, especially Laguna Beach. I found myself imagining a future in Orange County and wondering how I could contribute. I put that intention into the universe, and it manifested into an amazing opportunity to join Segerstrom Center for the Arts. I recently celebrated my fifth anniversary with the Center.
After commuting for about a year, I moved to Orange County and am proud to call it home. In my current role, I draw on my background in media, marketing, and communications to promote the Center and share its stories across Orange County, Southern California, and beyond. I earned a bachelor’s degree with a double major in Communication Studies and Spanish from Loyola Marymount University and a Master of Communication Management from USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. I also studied abroad in Madrid, Spain, through Syracuse University, an experience that deepened my appreciation for language, culture, and international perspectives.
Q. What do you enjoy most about working in communications for the arts and live entertainment?
I love creating and seeing ideas come to life, whether through a published story, an interview, a photo shoot, a campaign, or a live event. My experience working in both print and broadcast has shown me the power of storytelling and the impact that visual elements can have in making a message engaging and memorable.
At the Center, I especially enjoy using behind-the-scenes access and interviews to give audiences a closer look at the artists, performances, and creative process. These stories help connect audiences with the artistic life of the Center beyond the stage.
Whether a story appears on TV, online or in print, it becomes part of the Center’s history and remains available for others to discover in the future. Working in the arts allows me to combine strategy, creativity, journalism, media relations, and cultural storytelling in ways that feel both immediate and lasting.
Q. Is there a campaign, performance, event, or project you’ve worked on that has been especially memorable or meaningful to you?
There have been so many memorable projects that it is difficult to choose just one. This season, however, I am especially proud of the Center’s ¡VIVA! The Spenuzza Series and our first-ever Artist in Residence, multi-Grammy Award winner Arturo O’Farrill.
These initiatives reflect Segerstrom Center for the Arts’ commitment to celebrating Latin music, culture, and artists while creating meaningful opportunities for audiences to connect with this work. It is deeply rewarding to help tell the story of these programs and to see the Center continue expanding the ways it serves and engages Hispanic and Latino communities.
As a Latina communications leader, I feel particularly honored to help share and amplify these stories.
Q. What’s one lesson you’ve learned throughout your career that has shaped the way you approach communications today?
I have learned to take strategic risks, not random risks and to pair creativity with preparation. Planning ahead is essential, but so is having the flexibility to pivot when circumstances change.
Strong preparation, thoughtful decision-making, and careful coordination can help manage challenges before they become larger issues. At the same time, no plan is perfect. You learn from your mistakes, adjust your approach, and keep moving forward.
I have also learned to recognize the value of the work and relationships I have built over time. Being selected this year by Orange Coast Magazine as one of its “Kickass Women” in Arts and Entertainment was a meaningful acknowledgment of my work and of the impact communications professionals can have in elevating the arts and the communities they serve.
Every project offers an opportunity to learn, refine the strategy, and sometimes try something again in a new and better way.
Q. What has being part of OCPRSA meant to you, and what do you value most about being connected to Orange County’s PR community?
When I moved from Los Angeles to Orange County, I was looking for a community of like-minded professionals who shared my passion for communications, public relations, journalism, and media.
I attended an OCPRSA media mixer and immediately felt welcomed. I had the opportunity to meet members of the local media and connect with communications professionals who understood both the possibilities and the challenges of an evolving media landscape. I remember thinking that it was a community I wanted to be part of.
What I value most is the opportunity to learn, build relationships, support colleagues, and encourage the next generation of communicators. My schedule can be demanding, but I try to be as supportive as possible and encourage others to become involved, build their networks, and continue growing in their careers.
OCPRSA represents the kind of professional community that makes Orange County’s communications industry stronger.
Q. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, is there a tradition, influence, or part of your heritage that you especially enjoy celebrating or sharing with others?
I love Hispanic Heritage Month because it gives us an opportunity to highlight the many contributions, traditions, creativity, and accomplishments of Hispanic and Latino communities. At the same time, I believe culture is something we live and share every day, not only during one month of the year.
Both of my parents are from El Salvador, and September is especially meaningful because El Salvador celebrates its Independence Day on September 15. I enjoy seeing my parents get excited about the celebrations, food, music, and festivals that take place during this time.
Throughout my life, I have often been one of only a few Latinos in the room. I learned not to exclude myself, but instead to embrace the opportunity to share my culture and help others understand it. Sometimes that happens through food, family traditions, language, music, art, or conversation. My heritage is part of who I am, how I connect with people, and how I approach my work every day.
Q. Outside of work, what’s something your fellow OCPRSA members might be surprised to learn about you?
I love traveling to see my favorite artists perform live. If a favorite band or musician is coming to town or touring in a city I am visiting, I make the concert experience into a mini vacation. I am also creative at heart and enjoy drawing, painting, and exploring culinary and baking arts.
Another passion of mine is classic cars. My dad taught me about classic American muscle cars. When he came to this country at age 16, his first car was a 1966 Ford Mustang Hardtop Coupe. He later gave it to my sister, and she recently passed it down to my nephew.
My dad also gifted me a 1966 Ford Mustang GT, which is where my own passion for classic cars grew. In our family, you had to be committed to higher education before receiving one of the cars – a tradition my nephew recently continued when he graduated from university and received the Mustang from my sister. Today, I enjoy attending car shows and learning more about the history and design of classic automobiles. We are a family of classic-car collectors, so the passion is truly part of our family history.
Whether I am at a concert, working on a creative project, traveling, or attending a car show, I enjoy finding experiences that inspire me and keep me connected to the things I love.
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