Government Relations – Utilizing our over twenty years of experience we provide winning consulting, strategy, and lobbying-related services and solutions for clients to facilitate governmental or public approvals for a wide range of projects and issues. Typical projects include land-use or real estate development projects; city, county, or state governmental approval issues; addressing neighborhood planning or land-use concerns; organizing public involvement and outreach; and developing effective public approval winning strategies.

Media Relations and Communication Strategies – We provide strategic
consulting, planning and execution of bilingual communication action plans and initiatives. We use our local, state, national media relations expertise to develop key messaging and earned media plans to educate the public, elected and appointed officials and the targeted audience. We will raise the level of visibility desired and produce accurate stories to develop and manage successful news coverage results.

Crisis Issues Management – We provide strategic consulting to handle
specific client challenges and issues including crisis communications services, professional facilitation, vulnerability audits, and strategic planning development and implementation that produce effective results and winning strategies.

We also specialize in effective minority recruitment strategies, business development initiatives, and creating opportunities for solidifying a competitive strategy and position for future growth and leadership. We have successfully developed and implemented strategies and programs specifically geared towards HUB, MBE/WBE and DBE outreach and inclusion programs.

Project: The Palms (formerly the Malibu Apartments) Affordable Housing Development –

We continue to serve as the lead consultant to the Mulholland Group providing government relations, public participation, community outreach, and media relations strategies to secure funding and a partnership with the City of Austin, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs and the North Austin Civic Association to redevelop a forty-year old apartment complex into a quality, sustainable, affordable, ADA/Accessible living community. This $ 25 million redevelopment is current under construction and will formally be unveiled in the fall of 2011.

Project: Capital Area United Way – Making the Connection an Examination of Volunteerism in the Greater Austin Area Hispanic/Latino Community

Served as the lead consultant in demographic research and data analysis to develop a volunteer model to engage the Hispanic/Latino community in the greater Austin area. We facilitated community stakeholder meetings, focus groups and surveys and developed a demographic profile of the Hispanic/Latino engaged and identified the top priorities and issues facing the growing Hispanic/Latino community.

Project: City of Austin Hispanic Quality of Life Initiative

Served as the lead consultant to the City of Austin responsible for managing, organizing and facilitating the Hispanic/Latino Quality of Life Initiative was a multi-phased process that included demographic research, trend and data analysis; community engagement and understanding through public forums; community input using print and online surveys; and oversight team review culminating in a final recommendations report.

Project: Westin Hotel Project at the Domain (White Lodging Services/Simon Properties)

Served as the lead consultant to develop a strategic action and implementation plan to meet the City of Austin’s good faith efforts and requirements for the potential use of MBEs and WBEs for the design and construction of the Westin Hotel at the Domain project.

Project: Villas on Sixth Street Affordable Housing Mixed-use Development Project

We served as the lead consultant providing government relations, public participation, community outreach, and media relations strategies to secure a partnership with the East Austin community, City of Austin and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs for the development of a $20 million affordable housing mixed-use development in the heart of East Austin providing affordable housing at 30 to 60 percent median-family income along with retail and commercial opportunities for small businesses and social service programs to improve the quality of life in East Austin. The Villas on Sixth Street has become a state-wide successful model that other developments have attempted to duplicate.

Project: Central Health (Travis County Healthcare District)

Served as a strategic consultant to Central Health in the development of a comprehensive action plan to raise the level of visibility of services provided by this healthcare organization.

Project: Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA), Austin, TX

Served as the lead consultant in the development of a governmental affairs, media relations and communications bilingual outreach plan to garner support and approval for CTRMA’s proposed toll road plan in Central Texas. We facilitated community meetings for public education and stakeholder input. Worked closely with local elected officials to include concerns of constituents in proposed plan.  Addressed community issues for outreach and provided client with community feedback and concerns.  Maintained media relations for client throughout public involvement process and leading up to project approval. Implemented several methods of public relations and public affairs strategy in order to foster public education and secure project success.

Paul Saldaña

In January 2003, Paul Saldaña  co-founded Adelánte Solutions, Inc. a public affairs consulting firm offering  government relations, crisis issues management, public relations, media and communication services. In 2010, Adelante Solutions, Inc. transitioned to Brisa Communications, LLC to expand existing services to include marketing, advertising, creative branding  and real estate consulting services for development and construction clients.

Born and raised in Austin, Texas, Mr. Saldaña has spent more than 20 years in local municipal government, public policy public affairs and political consulting. Most recently as the Chief of Staff for the first elected Hispanic Mayor of Austin, Gus Garcia. As Chief of Staff, he served as the lead policy advisor to the Mayor developing comprehensive public policies and strategies in the areas of public safety, transportation, affordable housing, public finance, water/wastewater issues, economic development, education, and health care.  In addition, he was directly responsible for managing media, community and intergovernmental relations.

Previous experience also includes working as President & Principal of Adelante Solutions, Inc, Vice President of Martin & Salinas Public Affairs and Regional Director for Franchising and Government Relations for Western Integrated Networks (WIN) Telecommunications.

Mr. Saldaña is a firm believer in giving back to the community through volunteer work, service on various Boards and Commissions and being actively involved in issues that enhance and impact the quality of life for all citizens of Austin.  Saldaña currently serves as the Executive Vice Chair for  Legislative Issues on the Board of Directors for the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce.  He previously served as the Chairman of the Board for the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and on the Executive Board of Directors for the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce. In 2007 Saldaña was also among thirty-five national Hispanic Executives selected to participate in the inaugural National Hispanic Executive Leadership Academy at the prestigious University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.

Rueben Cubillos

Ruben Cubillos was associate creative director at Sosa, Bromley, Aguilar — the largest Hispanic advertising agency in the country at the time. Coca-Cola, Burger King, Western Union, Bud Light, and American Airlines made up part of the impressive client roster. It was the advent of Hispanic marketing and a momentous time to be in advertising. But, as is the nature of the business and life, the seasons changed and so did Ruben’s path. For the past seven years, a big chihuahua has fostered the growth of Hispanic Advertising and strengthened relationships among the Hispanic consumer. Our brand-building work for clients such as Jack Daniels, Jose Cuervo and McCormick & Company has earned us well-deserved praise for strategic insights and compelling ideas.

Megan D. De Luna

Megan D. De Luna is currently President of O-SDA Industries in Austin, TX, as well as the Legislative Director of the US Hispanic Contractors Association, also in Austin.

She brings years of experience and a wealth of expertise in the arenas of project management, site planning and market research analysis.

Prior to these positions, Megan worked as an Engineer Associate with Bury+Partners, Inc., in Austin, TX.

All of Ms. De Luna’s career choices have allowed her to shine when it comes to working with teams, communications with management and workers, and advanced design implementation.

Megan graduated from Oklahoma State with a Bachelor of Science in Biosystems Agriculture Engineering.