My name is Ally Santiago, and I recently graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in Fashion Business Management. When I think about my time as an intern at Nativa, it honestly feels like the moment everything started to click for me. It was not just an internship to fill a line on my resume. It was an amazing learning experience.
Nativa stood out because it was multicultural, hands on, and a place where interns actually get real responsibilities. From the start, I could tell I was part of the team, not just watching from the sidelines.
Most of my work at Nativa was focused on influencers, and starting my first campaign with Schwarzkopf was such a big learning opportunity for me. Being trusted to support a campaign for a major brand gave me a whole new level of insight on marketing. I got to see everything behind the scenes and understand what it really takes to run a campaign from beginning to end. On top of Schwarzkopf, I also worked on the Dial campaign, where I helped with communication with agents, built out a content calendar, and helped manage their posts, which taught me a lot about staying organized and consistent. I also supported Herradura influencer work, which gave me even more exposure to different types of brands and audiences. All of this made me feel like I was doing meaningful work, not just learning theory.
One of the reasons I love Nativa so much is because we focus on multicultural marketing, especially within Hispanic communities. As a Hispanic woman, that means everything to me. I am not just helping brands advertise. I am helping them speak to people who feel like home to me—my family, my friends, my culture. Being able to use who I am and where I come from in my work makes it feel personal and honestly really fulfilling.
A huge part of what made my experience so valuable were Eric and Gaby Erikson, who gave me real life experiences that I could never get from a classroom. They trusted me with real tasks, pushed me to grow, and let me learn by actually doing the work. They gave feedback in a way that helped me improve without making me feel discouraged, and they always made sure I understood the why behind what we were doing.
Another part of the internship that I loved was the networking events. They were actually fun, and they helped me get comfortable talking to professionals, learning from them, and building real connections. Those experiences made me feel more confident about stepping into the business world.
Overall, my time at Nativa helped me build real skills, understand what I enjoy in marketing, and feel confident about the path I am on. I am grateful I started my career here—especially at a place that values multicultural work and genuinely cares about serving Hispanic communities the right way.
For more information on what it’s like to work as an intern with the Nativa internship program, check out other blogs posted by past interns!
