Julie Mendez has passed

Julie Mendez, Associate Vice President of Tractenberg & Co. and board member of the New York chapter of the Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA-NY), passed away at the age of 33.

Mendez spearheaded the multicultural division at Tractenberg, which has provided guidance for strategic partnerships, PR campaigns, events aiming to speak directly to audiences of varying cultures.

“We were so lucky to have had Julie as such an integral, valued member of Tractenberg & Co.,” said Jacquie Tractenberg, Founder and President of Tractenberg & Co. “In such a short time, she made so many lasting contributions that helped the agency grow and evolve. She was a brilliant publicist, and had the unique ability to speak to a very targeted audience with authenticity and warmth. Her smile and positive attitude were absolutely contagious. We will miss her terribly. This is a huge loss for the agency and the industry as a whole.”

“I have to say that I have been blessed in my career to have wonderful PR representation. Julie Mendez is one of those people,” said Lisa Price, Founder of Carol’s Daughter. “In an industry that sometimes is known for annoying and/or pushy people, Julie was always professional, smiling, efficient, and I could always count on her to be there and get the job done. I cannot believe I am being asked to write about someone so young who is now gone. Love you, Julie. I will miss you so very much.”

“Dear Julie, I don’t understand what happened, but you left us too soon,” Gaby Natale, President at Aganar Media, and Daytime Emmy award-winning host of the SuperLatina T.V. show, shared. “Thank you for your smiles, for so many words of encouragement, your advice, for the good times and business dinners we got to share. You were already an angel here on Earth, and now you are one in Heaven.”

“I’ll always remember Julie’s sweet and kind demeanor,” Angela Sustaita-Ruiz, Co-Founder and Partner at DiMe Media and Hispanicize, said. “She was truly one of a kind with a heart of gold, whose beautiful smile always lit up a room. We’ll miss you, our sweet and precious Julie!”

“Ever since the first moment I met Julie, back in the days when she was at Edelman, she always impressed me with her professionalism and her beautiful smile,” said Jeannette Kaplun, Founder and Chief Content Officer of Hispana Global. “She made everybody feel welcome and at ease. I always looked forward to seeing her at events. Later, she joined Tractenberg and continued shining. She always supported me, and I will never forget that. She also remembered my blog’s anniversary! She always had those “detallitos” that made a huge difference. That is who she was. Not only was she kind to her friends, she was kind to everybody. She proved that you can excel at your job, no matter the pressures or demands, and still be a great, kind human being.”

Mendez started her career in Edelman’s Multicultural practice as Senior Account Supervisor, and garnered extensive experience in developing and implementing communications programs in the beauty and healthcare industries. She also forged long-lasting friendships and alliances during her time there.

Mendez was a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Public Relations and Spanish Language, Literature & Culture. She also had a minor in Management Studies and studied abroad in London. A New York native raised in an Ecuadorean/Costa Rican household, Julie lived in New York City.

She is survived by her mother, sister, niece, and fiancé.

Courtesy of Hispanicize.