Rosanna Castro is a communications professional with nearly 15 years of experience in crafting and executing award-winning integrated communication campaigns and strategies.
Since 2016, she's led all internal and external communication efforts at Florida International University's Center for Children and Families (CCF), a premier clinical research center dedicated to improving the lives of over 3,000 children and families annually who are struggling with mental health issues. The faculty at CCF secures around $50 million in federal grant funding each year, publishes over 120 research papers, and provides training for hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students, along with thousands of professionals.
In this role, she collaborates closely with the center’s directors, leadership team, and nearly 40 faculty affiliates to develop and implement effective communication strategies that align with the center's mission, supporting its three pillars: research, clinical services, and training programs.
She leads public relations efforts, which include developing and distributing press releases and writing stories for FIU News. Managing media relations is also a key aspect of her role, where she secures national and local coverage, handles media inquiries, and maintains strong relationships with media outlets.
Rosanna directs all marketing initiatives for the center, crafting promotional materials to recruit families for services and research studies. Additionally, she creates and shares company-wide messages, drives employee recognition and engagement initiatives, and drafts messages and speeches for the center's directors.
Another critical responsibility includes managing the center’s digital platforms, where she develops and executes digital strategies for social media and oversees the center's website. She also identifies and executes advertising opportunities and plans center-wide events to enhance visibility and increase engagement.
Collaboration with external partners is essential; she manages initiatives with partner organizations such as The Children’s Trust and Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and works with various departments at FIU, including the College of Arts, Sciences and Education, the Department of Psychology, FIU Foundation, Alumni Relations, and more.
In addition to these responsibilities, she oversees workflow and provides direction to junior staff, managing administrative duties such as budget management and reporting to ensure the center operates efficiently.
Before joining CCF, she worked with Fortune 500 companies and renowned brands such as HBO Latin America, Nicklaus Children's Health Foundation, Sony Electronics, Thalia, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Bahamar Resort, and Merrill Lynch Wealth Management.
A notable career highlight was supporting PR efforts for the landmark $60 million pledge by Jack Nicklaus, which led to the renaming of Miami Children's Hospital to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. She coordinated public relations for the foundation's major fundraising events, including their signature Diamond Ball gala, honoring Dwayne Wade, Romero Britto, and Armando Christian Pérez (Pitbull).
Another significant achievement was working with HBO Latin America to spearhead regional PR initiatives for major programming, including Game of Thrones, True Blood, and Veep, as well as original programming in Latin America.
Rosanna earned a Bachelor of Science in Communication and Psychology from the University of Miami.