Hey there. My name is Valentina Botero. I’m an audience journalist that specializes in social media management and community engagement.

I was introduced to journalism from a young age, and since then I have worked to make the content I create accessible to all communities. As an intern and a fellow at the Tampa Bay Times, I spent my time creating Spanish content to reach our Latinx/ Hispanic community on different topics. Now, I am an assistant audience editor at the Independent, a UK-based online newspaper. In this audience-driven role, I manage social accounts, boost articles by using SEO and advise teams across the newsroom on social strategy best practices.

After graduating with a degree in journalism, I spent several months working at Florida’s largest newspaper, the Tampa Bay Times. Over time, I became more fascinated in addressing challenges digital news faces, from misinformation to lack of accessibility.