Gabriel René

About

I started as an art director in Puerto Rico, working across local and international advertising clients. When the social media era hit, I moved toward digital creative and strategy, and never fully left either side.

I co-founded two small digital agencies, ran political campaigns across the Americas (armored vehicles included), and directed a team of 40 digital creatives with a $2M budget. Along the way I learned to use Salesforce, HubSpot, Excel, and to care about the difference between all three.

For the last several years I've been at de la Cruz, producing digital creative work that has won at Cannes, Effie, Ojo, Cúspide, SME, and others. The work I'm most proud of tends to live at the edge of strategy and technology.

I've been speaking and educating on AI, specifically on human-centered design and implementation, at forums ranging from the El Salvador National Marketing Association to the International Women's Economic Forum. The technology is changing us. Understanding it is not optional.

Outside of work: food nerd, photographer by habit, perpetually curious. Based in Puerto Rico.