Influential Woman · Arts Museum Non Profit

Pamela Hernández Hower

Director of Marketing and Communications, El Museo del Barrio

New York City, NY 10029

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Bachelor's of Communications with a minor in film Degree Mexico City Degree 2009 Degree Master's in Arts and Cultural Management at Pratt Degree 2013 Degree Digital Marketing class at Columbia University Degree 2020 Member Art Table (Board Member) Member Women in Power at 92nd Street Y (Fellow Member Last year)

Her Story

About Pamela

I have been working in the nonprofit arts and culture sector for over 15 years, and I currently serve as Director of Marketing and Communications at El Museo del Barrio in East Harlem, New York City, a position I have held for 2 years. My work is really about putting the word out of who we are, what we do, our programs, and trying to invite as many people as possible to learn about what we do and learn about the Latin culture. I have always gravitated towards the arts since I was little, and while I'm not an artist or a performer, I'm always behind the scenes. I love art and culture because I think they're very inspiring, they're uplifting, and I honestly feel like they help with people's health, mental and well-being. I wanted to work in something that I could see myself, unlike my parents who are accountants and whose work is very abstract. I can see what I'm working on, like doing a show, and then I can say, okay, that's what I'm working on. One of my most significant professional achievements has been leading the recent rebranding of the museum, which hadn't had a new visual identity for decades. We did a wonderful partnership with Pentagram, which is a really amazing design firm that has helped a lot of nonprofits with their branding. We launched it earlier this year with a new logo, new colors, updated the website, and made everything bilingual across all channels to show who we are and what we aspire to be and be a little bit more inviting to people.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Pamela

01What do you attribute your success to?

I think I've had wonderful mentors throughout my life. My mom, my sister, my family, and also wonderful colleagues throughout my life. I feel like they've inspired me and helped me get to where I am today.

02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?

The best career advice I ever received was to follow your intuition. I feel like when I have to make something, like a difficult decision or something fast, like a crisis, I'm always trying to follow my gut instinct. Yeah, your instinct, that's what guides me.

03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

It's a beautiful profession. But I think it's advocating for yourself to grow. And try to, you know, learn by doing, and trying to take as many opportunities as you can. That makes sense, too, to the person.

04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

I think it's always funding, you know, as nonprofits, we're funded by the public or by government, and it's really trying to make sure that people understand our work so they can participate and donate. That's always a challenge in the nonprofit sector.

05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

I would say equity. Like, I'd like to see transparency, equity. I think those are the values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life.

Keep Exploring