Our Team

Rachel Ortega

Communications Manager

Rachel Ortega serves as a Communications Manager at SAM, where she develops effective messaging and branding to meet the communications and marketing goals of partner associations. 

She joined SAM in 2025 with 10 years of experience in marketing, project management, and content strategy. She has led major website redesigns, managed multi-channel marketing campaigns, and crafted compelling web and email content for nonprofits, universities, and SaaS companies alike. Rachel is known for her positivity, upbeat attitude, and ability to translate complex ideas into clear, engaging content.

Outside of work, she volunteers with Inside Books Project and a hospice, and champions her love of coffee by managing social media for a local Austin coffee shop.

Rachel earned her bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from The University of Texas at Dallas. She has lived in Austin since 2018.

Outside of work, I love... writing short stories, trying new cuisines, bar trivia, reading, and spending time with friends.  

My workplace superpower is... positivity and adaptability. I stay upbeat and solution-oriented even in tricky situations. I make sure others feel heard, and I can pivot quickly when plans change.

Assessments: Individualist (Predictive Index); NFP/Campaigner (16Personalities); Woo, Adaptability, Strategic, Communication, Positivity (Strengths Finder)

What inspires me about working with associations: I love to work with passionate, mission-driven people. Helping each association tell its unique story and advance its goals is a creative challenge and rewarding responsibility. 

My unique skills or passions: I'm extremely organized. I love to categorize and color-coordinate and label everything. I'm also an excellent creative communicator, having written multiple short stories and poems since I was young. 

Favorite SAM core value: Build trust. Making others feel heard and understood is critical to working together and achieving common goals. We work better when we can share openly and hold each other accountable.