# Alex Garrido > Alex Garrido is Assistant Vice President for Marketing Strategy & Innovation at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and a part-time marketing instructor. His work connects marketing strategy, consumer psychology, analytics, and the practical use of AI. Based in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas, he also creates public tools and hosts and curates the Marketing Science Lab and Empathy Node podcasts. ## Public reference - [Public profile](https://www.mralexgarrido.com/profile/): Short biography, official links, and public facts. - [Résumé](https://www.mralexgarrido.com/resume/): Current role, experience, education, and recognition. - [Projects](https://www.mralexgarrido.com/projects/): Independent public projects. - [Students](https://www.mralexgarrido.com/students/): MARK 4360 resources and current course access. - [Teaching philosophy](https://www.mralexgarrido.com/teaching/): The Make-It-Yours Learning Loop. - [Speaking](https://www.mralexgarrido.com/speaking/): Past sessions and speaking inquiries. - [Structured profile](https://www.mralexgarrido.com/profile.json): The public profile as JSON. - [Expanded plain-text reference](https://www.mralexgarrido.com/llms-full.txt) Updated: 2026-09-20. Self-published. ## Education - Master of Science in Business Analytics, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, 2021. - Bachelor of Science in Psychology, The University of Texas-Pan American, 2010. ## Professional experience ### Assistant Vice President for Marketing Strategy & Innovation The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Current role. Connect marketing strategy, digital communications, analytics, and innovation across university marketing work. ### Part-time marketing instructor Robert C. Vackar College of Business & Entrepreneurship, UTRGV. Spring 2023 to present · concurrent teaching role. Teach MARK 4360: Social Media & E-Marketing. Bring marketing practice into the classroom through applied projects, discussion, and the Make-It-Yours Learning Loop. ### Director of Digital Marketing & Marketing Analytics UTRGV. From September 2018 · previous role. Led digital strategy across web, social media, integrated communications, and analytics. Work included recruitment campaigns, institutional web development, dashboards, and digital services. ### Social & Digital Marketing Manager UTRGV. January 2017 to September 2018. Managed digital engagement and recruitment marketing, combining campaign creative, audience strategy, and performance analysis. ### Social Media Manager UTRGV. August 2015 to January 2017. Built institutional social channels, developed governance and training, and supported community management and crisis communications. ### Online & International Marketing Recruiter The University of Texas-Pan American. July 2013 to August 2015. Developed digital recruitment, search marketing, and international outreach campaigns. ### Web Designer & Online Marketing Consultant Alexwebmaster.com. June 2011 to July 2013. Created websites, search optimization, and online marketing programs for small businesses and academic clients. ## Public projects ### Marketing Science Lab Listen & learn. https://www.marketingsciencelab.org/ Marketing research, translated into ideas you can use. An audio companion for students and practitioners interested in why people think, choose, and act. I host and curate this project to connect marketing science with everyday practice. Explore episodes and their accompanying research on the publication. ### Red Ant Digital Tools & experiments. https://redantdigital.com/ A collection of practical digital tools and experiments, including utilities for creating, communicating, and learning. I build small tools around practical tasks in creating, communicating, and learning. Red Ant Digital brings those experiments into one collection. ### Empathy Node Listen & learn. https://empathynode.substack.com/ A space for exploring empathy, human experience, and the questions that connect us. I host and curate conversations about how we understand ourselves and one another. It is the human side of my interest in behavior and technology. ### MetaNumerology Creative explorations. https://metanumerology.com/ An interactive exploration of numerology, patterns, and personal meaning. A creative project for exploring symbolic interpretation and personal reflection through numerology. ### AstroMeta Creative explorations. https://astro.metareiki.org/ An astrology project exploring interpretation, cycles, and self-reflection through an interactive experience. An exploration of astrology as a symbolic language for thinking about cycles, perspective, and personal meaning. ### Peptify Tools & experiments. https://peptify.app/ An independent app project focused on personal tracking and organizing information. A software project exploring how tracking and organizing information can make it easier to review over time. ### Philosophical music Creative explorations. https://open.spotify.com/album/6zsHxcErYNBsZecWx5uajA A different way to explore ideas. Philosophical themes and creative experimentation, expressed through music. Listen to my first album on Spotify. This is the musical side of the same curiosity that drives my other projects. ## Teaching The Make-It-Yours Learning Loop: frame the problem, co-create possibilities, reconstruct the idea, discuss the reasoning, refine the work, and transfer the learning. A research-informed teaching philosophy, not a separately validated experimental intervention. Current course requirements are in Brightspace. ## Speaking archive - June 2024: Mascot as a Marketer: Integrating Persona in University Branding. Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). View slides: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/mascot-as-a-marketer-case-branding-conference-2024/271974438 - April 2024: The Future Is Now: How AI Is Revolutionizing Journalism. Texas Managing Editors Conference. View slides: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/the-future-is-now-how-ai-is-revolutionizing-journalism-texas-managing-editors-conference-2024/271974569 - October 2023: AI: The Silent Revolution in Advertising. American Advertising Federation – Rio Grande Valley. View slides: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/ai-the-silent-revolution-in-advertising-aaf-rgv-2023/271974515 - June 2023: Utilizing Web Analytics to Uncover Recruitment Gaps and Increase Conversions. Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). View slides: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/utilizing-web-analytics-to-uncover-recruitment-gaps-and-increase-conversions-case-all-districts-conference-2023/271974476 - June 2022: Using Web Analytics to Optimize your Recruitment Funnel. Texas Association of Graduate Admission Professionals. View slides: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/using-web-analytics-to-optimize-your-recruitment-funnel-txgap-2022/271975905 - September 2021: Enabling Social Commerce. McAllen Chamber of Commerce. View slides: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/enabling-social-commerce-2021-mcallen-chamber-of-commerce-2021/271975941 - June 2020: Prospective Student Engagement. Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). View slides: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/prospective-student-engagement-2020-case/271975956 - February 2019: Finding Your Social Media Unicorns & Keeping Them Alive. Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). View slides: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/finding-social-media-unicorns-and-keeping-them-alive-case-district-4-2019/271975973 - February 2019: Social Media for Hispanic Non-Profits. Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce. View slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18X1lm9-qIH7J1wY7l0-Q99asmebcMmRF_G7DzDP2o50/edit?usp=sharing - November 2018: The New and Complicated Status of Facebook. Mission Economic Development Corporation. View slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1obFBlKPAz6FCqLx-BymbnbZUTUE28_do5432bFVJ4OY/edit?usp=sharing - June 2018: Social Media Recruitment Strategies for 2018 & Beyond. Texas Association of Graduate Admission Professionals. View slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1366X4naNiSQGcX5oQpNg6PCi44Fxc0N70qWqY9L1Hdo/edit?usp=sharing - March 2018: Snapchat as a Recruitment Tool. Texas Social Media Conference. View slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1YkzZdG5XBXxQcTTtahaUGcbFAPXhZzo5jk9SlhfS574/edit?usp=sharing - November 2017: Talking to the Right People: Quick Insights for Social Media. Mission Economic Development Corporation. View slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1s2eOFUOYFtfJsdHKkOsaFZ3MsdfXJQTKhQZgOYd0uow/edit?usp=sharing - April 2017: Community Colleges on Social Media - Social Media Strategies that Work. Texas Association of Community College Marketers. View slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1wd5V9ekW3L0K_N5h1fdPvJhtGm6qib1sr_Uv5KkDbUM/edit?usp=sharing - July 2016: The 4 Secrets of Effective Paid Social Media Campaigns. Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). View slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1LblTwga6AwXxLe0D8NFPma76kfFYieOY9NVYuHGWj40/edit?usp=sharing - June 2016: Social Media as a Recruitment Tool. Texas Association of Graduate Admission Professionals. View slides: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/social-media-as-a-graduate-recruitment-tool/62868834 - July 2015: Being Viral: Creating the Right Conditions to Make It Happen. Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). View slides: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ROTSfqhcAtWOs_piZLsbe0W-k2MGkYGcnEkJ9kJC28c/edit?usp=sharing ## Awards and recognition - 2023: Accessibility Ambassador Award. UTRGV. Individual honor: Alex Garrido. Recognition for work in digital accessibility. - 2023: CASE Circle of Excellence, Silver. Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Team honor: UTRGV institutional website redesign team. National recognition for the institutional website redesign. - 2021: Most Innovative & Engaging Social Media Award. Texas Social Media Research Institute. Team honor: UTRGV COVID-19 Vaccine Portal project. Recognition for the digital initiative supporting access to COVID-19 vaccinations. - 2021: Team Excellence Award. UTRGV. Team honor: COVID-19 Response Communications team. Recognition for collaborative university communications during the pandemic. - 2019: Team Excellence Award. UTRGV. Team honor: Graduate Recruitment Marketing team. Recognition for the team’s graduate recruitment marketing work. - 2018: Chancellor’s Excellence Award. The University of Texas System. Individual honor: Alex Garrido. Professional recognition from the UT System. ## Official profiles https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexgarrido/ https://github.com/mralexgarrido https://x.com/MrAlexGarrido This profile contains public professional information and independent projects. Alex’s personal projects and views do not speak for UTRGV. Historical career information comes from the May 2025 CV; the current role was updated in September 2026.