ABOUT

Hi,
I’m Irene

And I’m glad you’re here.

I’ve been in marketing and civic leadership roles for more than 20 years in tourism, advertising and economic development. I’ve been in your shoes, and I can help.

Before founding Irene Alvarez Consulting, I served as COO of the Columbus Partnership, providing strategic planning and day-to-day operational leadership for the Partnership and its teams, including One Columbus and Smart Columbus. This included oversight of marketing, communications, DEI, and community engagement initiatives.

Before that, I was managing director of marketing and communications for Columbus 2020, now known as One Columbus, a top economic development group in the country. I led the strategy and execution of all marketing and communications programs. We received dozens of national and international marketing awards and helped set a new standard of excellence in economic development marketing.

I also co-led the development of the Columbus brand, which became a national model for community branding collaboration.

- StoryBrand Certified
- Unreasonable Hospitality Certified
- Global Brand and Identity Project, Brookings Institution
- Young American Leaders Program, Harvard Business School
- Bachelor of Science in Communications, Ohio University
- Governing Board Member, Children’s Hunger Alliance
- Investor, Fortuna Bank
- Columbus Business First’s Forty Under 40
- Columbus Business First’s People to Know in Media and Marketing
- Development Counsellors International’s 40 Under 40 in Economic Development

Hire Irene

I’m Driven By

Resistance to overcomplicated marketing

There can be nonsense in this business. I’m going to help you cut through it.
Opportunities to trailblaze

Know you “need marketing” but don’t know where to start? Have something new you’re not sure how to tackle? I’ll guide you forward.
The power of alignment

Getting everyone on the same page – whether your internal team or external stakeholders – is a gamechanger for your mission. I help everyone row in the same direction.
A passion for places

I love working with people who help communities reach their full potential. If you know, you know: There’s simply no better work to do.
Optimism

Civically-focused work is for those who believe in possibilities. We get to create the future we want for the places we love, rather than leaving that future to chance.
Lightbulb moments

I’ve guided teams through change, advised leaders evaluating strategic decisions, and coached marketers on new approaches. When you say “aha,” my day is made.