About Us

Jason J. Coochwytewa

Identifies As: American Indian, Native American, Hopi, Isleta
Preferred Pronouns: he/him/his

Jason is Hopi and Isleta and is deeply connected to Native American communities throughout the U.S. He is also a marketing wizard who has been with UC since its inception. Jason was named Chief Executive Officer of the agency in 2021, previously serving as Chief Operating Officer. His creative marketing skills, combined with keen attention to production detail, gives our clients exactly what they’re looking for: direct connection to their intended markets with campaigns that resonate and are on time and within budget.

Lisa Urias

Identifies As: Mexican American, Chicana
Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers; Ms./Señora

Lisa founded Urias Communications in 2006 and previously served as its CEO. She is a fourth-generation Mexican American with a strong commitment to her Latina roots and to ensuring her community is respected and honored. She began her career in international marketing before establishing UC to give corporations and large organizations the opportunity to connect with increasingly diverse markets in the U.S., authentically and successfully. Lisa is clearly a go-to leader, sitting on numerous boards and commissions, and providing an important voice for multicultural communities. She has created one of the most successful agencies in the region.

Ise Castro

Identifies As: Latinx, Latina, Latin American

Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers

Ise is passionate about studying the unique identity dynamics of Latinx culture and celebrates ambiculturalism and individualism in all its forms. She loves Frida Kahlo but is also a Janeite, and as a kid rocked violin in orchestra and mariachi. Ise came up the marketing ranks at the third-largest digital cable television, telecommunications, and home automation services company in the US, strategizing the first bilingual campaign for the company and winning an EMMA industry award for innovation. She is also an experienced product manager in the health beauty industry with a penchant for brand building.

Melissa Kaszuba

Melissa is a passionate communications professional who loves helping clients tell their unique stories. Before joining UC, Melissa started her career in the public affairs sector in Washington, DC, where she helped manage a variety of client teams and wore many hats. Her eclectic skillset includes research, writing, event planning and campaign management. Melissa is a proud New Jersey native and has a bachelor’s degree in Communications with a specialization in public relations from Rutgers University.

Carmen De Alba Cardenas

Identifies as: Mexican-American 

Pronouns: She/Her

Carmen is passionate about strategic communication and public relations. A recent graduate of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, Carmen’s experience includes working for a drug & alcohol rehabilitation company as a public relations intern where she was responsible for developing press releases and communication pieces, pitching stories to local media, and assisting with both internal and external communications tasks. Carmen aims to use her experience and skill set to deliver high-quality results for our clients. 

Shirley Springer

Identifies As: Hispanic
Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers

Shirley is a bilingual and bicultural individual with a natural curiosity for learning and mastering new skills. As a Spanish translation specialist for the agency, her education and bicultural upbringing, in particular, have allowed her to contribute to UC with translation and transcreation services. In addition, she provides account support with a variety of clients, bringing with her previous experience and education to assist the firm in various capacities. Her attention to detail, resourcefulness and communication skills allow her to better support the team and clients.

Becky Antioco

Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers

Becky is a storyteller at heart. Through brand development, copywriting, blogging, and magazine writing, she’s been helping organizations tell their stories for more than 25 years.
She has worked with leading brands in multiple industries – including insurance, finance, wellness, travel and tourism, education, and automotive – to develop and maintain the right tone and voice to effectively communicate with their target audiences. Prior to working with Urias Communications, she was the creative services manager and editor in chief for AAA Arizona, and communications manager for the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association. Becky has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

Jolie Hicks

Preferred Pronouns: she/her/hers

Jolie has over 30 years of experience in media planning/buying and account management, on both sides of the business aisle – agency and client. She develops strategic media plans targeted to the specific markets our clients need to reach, and utilizes sophisticated tracking tools to provide detailed monthly reporting on campaign performance measures. Jolie received a Bachelor of Science in advertising from Arizona State University and has worked on a wide range of accounts from automobile dealerships to state and city tourism accounts.

Heather Provenzano