Gabe Moreno

Meet Gabe!

Gabriel Moreno was born in Bucaramanga, Colombia, and moved to Utah at age 12. He began his studies at Salt Lake Community College before transferring to the University of Utah, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Strategic Communication. Since then, he has built a career across various communication roles and is currently the Marketing and Outreach Manager for Salt Lake County Health Department—the most populous county in Utah. In this role, he focuses on using communication to promote and protect community and environmental health across the county.

 

Q: Why did you choose to study at the University of Utah and why did you choose to study Communication?

A: I grew up in Sandy, Utah, and wanted to stay close to home. I started out at Salt Lake Community College and transferred to the University of Utah. When studying at Salt Lake Community College, I participated in student government and had my first introduction to marketing and communication. I learned to love the creative side of business and decided to pursue a bachelor’s in strategic communication.

 

Q: What did you enjoy most about being a humanities student?

A: I enjoyed getting to rub shoulders with students across the different fields within the Humanities. Conversations with those studying philosophy, history, or international studies offered diverse perspectives and enriched my way of thinking. 

 

Q: What advice would you give to current humanities students to make the most of their time on campus?

A: Get involved! Join or start a club, and participate in campus activities. I highly recommend finding a mentor during your time in school. Professors are a great resource for mentorship. Lastly, don’t let school get in the way of your education.

 

Q: What impact has your education from the College of Humanities had on your life?

A: My degree from the College of Humanities prepared me well for the real world. The coursework boosted my confidence and allowed me to form meaningful connections with both classmates and instructors. The professors were incredibly supportive, always willing to write recommendation letters and connect me with their networks, making the transition into the professional world much smoother.

 

Q: What advice do you have for graduating students as they start to explore a career and life after college?

A: My advice would be to find a mentor before you graduate. Look to your professors and let them be your guide. The College of Humanities faculty and staff are well connected and can give you a leg up in the market.

 

Q: What is the best professional advice you’ve received so far?

A: “Never serve anything you’re not willing to eat yourself.” 

 

Q: What is your favorite part about your current role as the Marketing and Outreach Manager with Salt Lake County Health Department?

A: One thing I enjoy about my current role is that I get to learn new things every day! Every day is different and diverse. One day I could be working on proactive messaging, like reminding the public to eat their veggies and to exercise, and the next I could be working on reactive messaging, like a mosquito-borne disease being detected in our health district for the first time, and what residents and visitors should know in order to protect themselves. There’s never a dull moment.

 

Q: How do you currently make an impact through your work or other activities?

A: As a public health communications professional, I feel I have the opportunity to reach people and influence behavior to improve health outcomes. One example that comes to mind is when our team received a grant from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) to enhance equity in overdose prevention. With this funding, we developed a bilingual digital campaign to inform Salt Lake County youth under 24 years old about the dangers of fentanyl and opioid drugs. Our goal was to prevent overdoses among young people, and I believe the campaign made a significant impact and ultimately saved lives.