Across GALE, Group SJR (WPP), Hill+Knowlton Strategies (WPP) and ICF Next (formerly Olson Engage), I've led integrated marketing strategy, multi-agency teams and senior client relationships across the U.S., Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe — pairing earned media, influencer, talent partnerships, sponsorships and collaborations, social and experiential into work that performs.
BY THE NUMBERS
YoY sales lift during the PR, influencer & partnership program I led
ANGOSTURA® bitters
Impressions from 1,500 media placements in a single year
Puerto Rico Tourism
From a Mexico City strategy sprint to an integrated campaign adopted across global markets
Buchanan's Whisky
Final assets delivered across TVC, social, OOH, PR and experiential after restarting a global campaign stalled for 18 months
Buchanan's Whisky
Impressions across 38+ top-tier outlets from one New York Fashion Week activation
Nonni's Foods
Industry awards & honors, including Cannes Lions and One Show recognition, PRSA Skyline Awards and a SABRE finalist
Awards & Recognition
The best work I've done starts by listening — to the communities, conversations and cultural signals shaping an audience — then turning that insight into stories, partnerships and moments that earn attention and move the business.
Built On Buzz
Placements I've secured over 15 years.
SELECTED WORK
A few of the programs I've led or helped lead. Each one opens into the challenge, my role and the results.
SOME OF BRANDS I'VE PARTNERED WITH
WHAT I BRING
Strategy through execution and the operational rigor to run it profitably.
Culture-first strategy that puts brands at the center of the story.
Messaging that resonates across cultures and communities.
Media, creators and partnerships that move stories farther.
Launches and experiences designed to spark a media blitz.
The business side of great work.
Hi, I'm Elsie Ayala.
Nearly 15 years of PR and integrated marketing for CPG, food & beverage, spirits, lifestyle, travel and luxury brands.
RECEIPTS
Elsie ran our PR program when I was at Nonni's, and she made it look easy. She landed us real coverage in the outlets that mattered, built consumer tasting events that people actually showed up for, and pulled off an influencer popup café during New York Fashion Week that put the brand in front of exactly the right audience. She's strategic, she's meticulous, and she made the work fun. I'd hire her again tomorrow.
Patricia Wong Bridges
Formerly Associate Director of Marketing, Nonni's Foods
Now Senior Director of Marketing, Coleman All Natural Foods
HOW I LEAD
01
Channels change. Culture endures.
Before platforms or placements, I study the conversations, communities and signals that show where a brand can authentically show up.
02
Every move is intentional.
No templates. Every program is built for the brand, the market and the moment, and refined until the details are right.
03
Relationships move markets.
I invest in lasting relationships with media, creators, talent, partners and the teams I lead. They open doors paid reach alone can't.
04
Your goals become my mission.
I embed in the business, anticipate needs before they surface and protect profitability while delivering the work.
05
Culture with conviction.
Multicultural perspectives are the mainstream. I've built diverse teams, led DE&I and culture programs, and made work that respects the communities it speaks to.
RECOGNITION
2025 · Media Lions, Cultural Engagement · Buchanan's #ComoLoDigas
2025 · Out of Home: Billboards & Transit · Buchanan's #ComoLoDigas
2017 · Puerto Rico Tourism Company
2016 · Puerto Rico Tourism Company
2016 · Puerto Rico Tourism Company
2017 · Nonni's Foods
Nonni's Foods
One of five scholars selected from Hill+Knowlton's global network for a placement in the London office (British Airways, LG, IHG, Westfield)
One of a handful selected from WPP's U.S. network to complete diplomas in Strategic Thinking and Winning New Business
Loyola University Chicago
I'm open to senior communications, PR and integrated marketing leadership roles. Let's put your brand at the center of the story.
LinkedIn
