Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Languages
Timeline
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Luis De La Melena

Luis De La Melena

Vancouver,BC

Summary

Versatile and impact-driven generalist with 8+ years of experience across operations, service strategy, research, and leadership. Adept at problem-solving, building cross-functional systems, and executing under pressure. Led high-growth projects in hospitality, designed strategic insights for university and policy teams, and managed teams with a focus on performance and culture. Recently pivoted into digital marketing and analytics with certifications in HubSpot and Power BI. Trilingual and highly adaptable — thrives in fast-paced startup environments.

Overview

5
5
years of professional experience

Work History

Graduate Researcher & Instructor

The University of Texas at Austin
08.2024 - 05.2025
  • Designed and taught undergraduate courses on social movements and communications, engaging 80+ students each semester.
  • Produced actionable insights for university teams and non-profits through research, policy briefs, and multilingual presentations.
  • Recognized for excellence in teaching and leadership, fostering collaboration across departments.

Tree Planter

Ontario & BC Reforestation Projects
04.2020 - 07.2024
  • Planted ~500,000 trees over four seasons, consistently ranking in the top 10% of planters for speed and efficiency.
  • Developed grit, logistical problem-solving, and teamwork while working 10–12 hour days in remote environments.
  • Documented experiences through storytelling, honing narrative skills and a reflective approach to challenging projects.

Operations & Service Manager

Les Enfants Terribles
10.2022 - 03.2024
  • Overhauled operations at a legacy hospitality venue, driving a 220% sales increase and 50% boost in customer retention.
  • Created and implemented service protocols and training programs that improved team efficiency and customer satisfaction.
  • Partnered with owners on brand strategy and marketing initiatives to align the customer experience with the company’s vision.

Intern, Policy Strategy & Communications

Hudson Institute
06.2022 - 08.2022
  • Competitively selected (2% acceptance rate) for the Hudson Institute fellowship; completed 100+ hours of seminars on political strategy, communications, and crisis management alongside 30 top‑performing U.S. students—sharpened analytical thinking and storytelling skills.
  • Collaborated in small teams to develop policy and messaging solutions for 6+ simulated crisis scenarios; delivered eight strategic recommendations to foreign‑policy leaders, influencing security decisions and driving improvements across five projects.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Political Science

Concordia University
Montreal, QC
05-2024

Doctoral Studies in Government -

The University of Texas At Austin
Austin, TX
05-2025

Skills

  • BizOps & Strategy: Process Design, Customer Insights, Project Coordination, Team Leadership
  • Data & Tools: Power BI, Excel, Visio, HubSpot, Canva, Notion, Google Workspace, Miro
  • Communication: Strategic Storytelling, Stakeholder Engagement, Trilingual (FR/EN/SP)

Languages

Spanish
Native or Bilingual
French
Native or Bilingual
English
Native or Bilingual

Timeline

Graduate Researcher & Instructor

The University of Texas at Austin
08.2024 - 05.2025

Operations & Service Manager

Les Enfants Terribles
10.2022 - 03.2024

Intern, Policy Strategy & Communications

Hudson Institute
06.2022 - 08.2022

Tree Planter

Ontario & BC Reforestation Projects
04.2020 - 07.2024

Bachelor of Arts - Political Science

Concordia University

Doctoral Studies in Government -

The University of Texas At Austin
Luis De La Melena