Fabiana Ruiz Fabiana Meléndez Ruiz is a Venezuelan-American communications expert and CEO of Refuerzo Collaborative, a Latina-owned agency nurturing the stories that reinforce community. She co-founded the agency in 2023 to better serve Spanish-speaking communities and create meaningful campaigns. Fabiana’s work spans across nonprofits, tech, and media, earning media mentions for clients in outlets like Architectural Digest, Well+Good, Business Insider and more. Her work with Refuerzo has earned recognition like the ¡BRAVO! Award and the Austin Young Chamber (AYC) Young Professional Led Business Award. She is also active in numerous organizations, supporting public health, women’s leadership, the arts, and incarcerated women’s reentry. Fabiana has earned accolades like being named an Austin Woman Changemaker by Austin Woman Magazine, a Rising Star by Ragan Communications and PR Daily and she has shared her expertise at various panels and conferences. She holds a degree from St. Edward’s University.