Zoraida Velasco

I serve as the Executive Vice President at FloridaMakes; a statewide, industry-led, public-private partnership with the sole mission of strengthening and advancing Florida’s economy by improving the productivity and technological performance of its manufacturing sector, with an emphasis on small- and medium-sized firms. In my role, I work with the executive team and the Board in defining and executing the corporate strategy as it relates to advancing the FloridaMakes’ mission through traditional marketing and communications channels and by building partnerships throughout Florida’s manufacturing ecosystem.
My experience is rooted in community investment and development, spanning across the non-profit and public service industries. Prior to joining FloridaMakes, I completed an M.A. in Law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and an MBA from IE Business School in Spain.
During graduate school I spent time providing business development and government relations consulting services for PCNet, an IT solutions company in Central Florida; worked in Johannesburg, South Africa at the Aspen Network for Development Entrepreneurs; and served as a strategic consultant for the Linked Foundation providing recommendations on an expansion strategy for Tiendas de la Salud, a health services micro-franchise in Guatemala.
My prior experiences include positions at the Office of the Orange County Mayor, the Executive Office of the Governor of Florida, the Orlando Economic Development Commission (currently the Orlando Economic Partnership), and the World Affairs Council.
I earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in international economics and a Spanish/English Translation Certificate from the University of Central Florida and also hold a Bachelor in Business Administration from ICN Business School in Nancy, France.