CAT CORTES, COMMUNICATIONS LEAD

cat cortes [she/her] is a dedicated Communications Lead with a 13-year career focusing on Communications in the nonprofit sector.

I’m based in Singapore and I’ll be in the Bay Area from 11-22 May 2026.
I would love to meet in-person if I am considered for the role. •ᴗ•

• ✨Revenue generation for social impact ( ꈍ◡ꈍ) ❤︎
  • I worked at The Foundry, a social impact hub that launched in November 2024. Despite not having worked specifically in business development before, I was able to lead The Foundry's Venue Management and Business Development. I was extra mindful about welcoming ground-up civil society or creative and community groups who could not easily find a venue in Singapore. I also implemented a Feedback Form via Airtable, through which we received many 5-star reviews. We were able to meet our monthly revenue target of $20,000, until the end of my contract in January 2026.

• ✨ Shaping communities . ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
  • I conceptualized, branded, and organized, Bettr Coffee's first Late Light Lectures (where the header picture was taken), a casual gathering were an academic is invited to share their research or passion project, to help engage a new type of audience (and increase sales) at Bettr Coffee's first retail cafe in 2025. Though I was working part-time then, the lecture series continues to this day.

• ✨ Website re-vamp (finally)! (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶) ‹𝟹
  • I've worked with the Open Data Charter (ODC) for almost 6 years and in the nonprofit space for over 13 years. Many nonprofits wish for a website update whenever a Communications Manager or Lead like me, is hired. I've been part of many beginnings of a re-vamp, but due to a pivot in priorities, not able to stay long enough to oversee these, except this one with the ODC. In 2023, we launched the ODC's new website. I loved the whole creative process: creating the brief, working with the web designers to make our ideas come to life, finally presenting the options back to the team, and then going live!

• ✨ Global launch during the pandemic ◝(ᵔᗜᵔ)◜ ♡
  • I oversaw the communications strategy and development of The First Edition of the Global Data Barometer’s website as well as the inaugural Report in 2021. They continue to use part of the communications strategy I helped implement including graphics that I adapted and created.

• ✨ Refreshing public engagement ◝(ᵔᵕᵔ)◜₊˚⊹
  • I worked at the British High Commission (2018-2019) and as the Communications Manager for the Department of International Trade and led our Digital Communications strategy. I chose to focuse on more light-hearted and relatable social media content and campaigns, which at the time, was a bold choice in the sector and in a very corporate-minded city-state like Singapore.
  • Below is a video, which I conceptualized and produced, of former British High Commissioner, H.E. Scott Wightman (2015-2019) testing his Mandarin:

• ✨ Enhancing a city with public art ✧｡◝(ᵔᗜᵔ)◜✧*｡
  • I worked for now defunct contemporary art nonprofit, Platform Projects from 2013-2016. In 2015, I helped manage the installation and launch event of a public sculpture titled 'Fifty Wings' by American artist, James Surls at the Singapore Botanic Gardens. I love that I am somehow embedded in one of my favorite gardens in the world.
  • [PRESS COVERAGE in Straits Times]

For the DAIR Hiring Team's consideration—links to
my Cover Letter and CV, which I made via Mailchimp: