Carmen L. Coya

PRESIDENT & CHIEF MEDIA STRATEGIST

Carmen Luisa Coya is a media relation consultant with over 20 years serving in the arenas like Public Relations, Broadcast TV & Radio production. Coya has collaborated on projects for clients such as MTV Networks (Latin, North American and Europe), P&G, Coca Cola, Ebony Magazine, National Alliance for Hispanic Health, Atlanta Visitor’s Convention Bureau, National Society of High School Scholars, United States Tennis Association. Prior to launching Effective Media Group in 2006, Carmen served as Public Relations Specialist for AARP State of Florida based in their Miami office. She collaborated with the national launch of “Segunda Juventud,” AARP’s first Spanish publication and produced AARP Florida’s first 30-minute weekly television show, which aired on PBS. Carmen’s media experience includes serving as one of the launch producers for MTV Networks Latin America, where she worked on “Maná Unplugged,” which earned a Grammy and three Latin Grammy Awards. She has worked as a video editor for “Through the Eyes of Andrew,” a National Emmy Award-winning documentary for FOX affiliate WSVN. As Executive Producer, Carmen has assisted in the launch of Pan American Sports Network, a 24-hour sports channel broadcast in Latin America and the Caribbean. Coya worked on documentaries that chronicled the lives of sports greats like Tiger Woods, Venus and Serena Williams, Maradona, and Pele and that were enjoyed by millions from Mexico to Brazil, and to the farthest reach in Argentina. Coya is also noted for her work on projects like Formula One, Wimbledon, World Cup Qualifiers, World Cup, CONCACAF, Masters, U.S. Open, World Series, World of Rugby, and Extreme Sports.

Even Coya’s peers recognize her media expertise and put it to use. She has been asked by CNN domestically and in Spanish, Headline New as well as Telemundo and Univision to serve as guest commentator on relevant news stories. Coya has had the blessing to work with such notables Claes Nobel, Dr. Bernice A. King, and Reverend Samuel Rodriguez (NHCLC).

She also serves as a spokesperson on issues impacting that touch the Hispanic community such as immigration, Child Sex Trafficking, civil rights, and education. The highly acclaimed First Kingdom Management a recognized firm in the industry for some of the top names in the civil rights movement represents her as well.

Carmen’s community involvement has been showcased in active roles within Atlanta and the state of Georgia. She played the leading role in Latinos for Kasim for the winning Mayor of Atlanta, Kasim Reeds in 2009. Her media out reach in the Hispanic community for the 2010 US Census for the City of Atlanta helped boost their numbers. She also worked along side of Drop Dead Gorgeous, a 501c3 that created awareness on the issue of commercial sexual exploitation of children. Carmen’s passion for the fight against child sex trafficking earned her seat to the Governor’s Task Force for the state of Georgia to fight this crime in 2010. Her work in the fight against human trafficking has allowed her to serve as a spokesperson for the cause from coast to coast.

Carmen received her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism from Florida International University. She also has earned her Masters in Arts and Religion in Theology from Liberty University and is currently is finishing her Master’s in Divinity on Theology there as well. Ultimately her goal is to pursue her Doctorates in Ecumanism at the Pontifical University, St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome, Italy. Coya has been a member of GALAJ (Georgia Association of Latin American Journalists), National Latina Business Women Association, GALEO (Georgia Association of Elected Latino Officials), National Academy of the Arts and Sciences, is a certified Ambassador of nonviolence 365 for The King Center, member of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority and past member of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She is fluent in both English and Spanish and has working knowledge of Portuguese, Italian, Hebrew, Greek, and French. As a hobby because of her husband she is picking up Dutch just for fun. She and her husband have returned from sabbatical and are now members of Prince of Peace Catholic Church.