Felipe Vera

About Felipe Vera

Manage a multi-million-dollar portfolios supporting the Communications Division.11+ years of experience managing teams, complex schedules, coordinating events, designing curriculum, and providing administrative support.Recognized across the foundation as a leader in applied AI — a “GPT trailblazer” creating high impact tools that improve consistency, quality, and efficiency in communications workflows. Experienced at supporting executives and teams concurrently while proactively managing portfolios, AI initiatives, workstreams, events, and tasks.Create custom AI tools used across the Communications Division, the wider foundation, and regional offices, designed not only to improve efficiency but to address real business challenges, strengthen decision making, and support teams in solving complex, high value problems.Lead AI trainings, workshops, and hands on sessions that help communicators build expert personas, improve prompt quality, and integrate AI safely into daily workflows. Known for making AI accessible, practical, and aligned to team goals. Trusted partner for colleagues seeking AI guidance, support, and innovation — consistently acknowledged for collaborative leadership, initiative, and the ability to translate technical concepts into real world, high value applications.Technical savvy with the ability to develop and manage data, support AI operationalization, and leverage advanced tools across ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude.ai and foundation built agents.Use technology and data to find trends, anticipate risks, improve processes, and surface insights for leadership.Ability to effectively collaborate across departments to ensure project and event success, strengthen cross team AI alignment, and build shared understanding of responsible and effective AI adoption.• Portfolio Management• Artificial Intelligence• Generative & Agentic AI• AI Product Development• Applied AI for Business Strategy • AI Use‑Case Design & Evaluation• AI Training & Enablement • Responsible AI & Governance Foundations• Prompt Engineering & Expert Persona Design• Workflow & Process Automation• Skills & Training for Education and Business• Project Management• Instructional Designer• DEI Project Management• Recruitment Sourcing• Internship Program Coordinator• Administrative Support• Operations Coordinator• Event Planning• Event Management• Registration Specialist• Customer Service• Logistics Management• Data Management• Inclusive Language & Accessibility GPT Development• Cross‑Team Collaboration• Technology Troubleshooting & Support

Experience

1. Senior Program Coordinator

   Gates Foundation

   Sep 2024 — Present · Seattle, WA, US

   Supports the Comms Division by coordinating strategic and operational workstreams, managing a complex multi‑million‑dollar portfolio, ensuring alignment across teams, leaders, and organizational priorities.Develop and deploy custom AI tools used across the foundation, and regional offices. Designs these tools not only for efficiency, but to address real business challenges, elevate decision‑making, strengthen workflows, and support high‑impact communications needs.Leads division‑wide AI capacity‑building through tailored trainings, workshops, and hands‑on sessions that help staff integrate AI safely, responsibly, and effectively. Serves as a trusted advisor for AI adoption, experimentation, and best practices across teams.Collaborates closely with IT, Legal, Knowledge Management, and cross‑foundation partners to ensure AI tools and use cases align with responsible AI principles, data governance requirements, and enterprise standards.Builds AI‑powered solutions supporting message development, persona creation, audience insights, risk review, scenario simulation, and operational triage. Partners with initiative leads to identify opportunities where AI can reduce friction, uncover insights, and accelerate key deliverables.Enhances operational excellence by coordinating schedules, timelines, meetings, and cross‑team execution for priority events and strategic planning cycles. Ensures high‑visibility deliverables are executed with clarity, accuracy, and consistency.Leverages technology, data, and AI‑enabled analysis to surface insights, identify risks, and inform strategic communications planning. Supports leaders and teams in navigating complex audience dynamics, content demands, and cross‑initiative alignment.Strengthens organizational culture through collaboration, transparency, and thought partnership—recognized by colleagues and leadership as a catalyst for innovation, AI fluency, and continuous improvement across the Communications Division.

Education

• University of Phoenix

  Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), Business Administration and Management, General

  2010

• Arizona State University

  Master’s Degree, Music Performance, General

  2008

• Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering

  AI Business Strategy, Artificial Intelligence

• West Texas A&M University

  Bachelor’s Degree, Music Business

  2005

• The University of Texas at Austin

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Music Performance, General

Skills

• Music Education
• Training
• Public Speaking
• Marketing
• Event Management
• Community Outreach
• Demographic Analysis
• Non-Profit Administration
• Curriculum Design
• Teaching
• Team Leadership
• Career Development
• French Horn
• Employee Training
• Curriculum Development
• Event Planning
• Account Management
• Music
• Advertising
• Sponsorship Relations
• Chamber Music
• Leadership
• Grant Writing
• Education
• Fundraising
• Music Business Consulting
• Recruiting
• Management