Jacqueline Cisneros - Publicist At Large

Jacqueline Cisneros is always willing to jump at new opportunities as you never know where they might lead.

For the 23-year-old Pepperdine graduate, giving up concert tickets to listen to a public relations professional speak was the jump of a lifetime.

That night led to a job offer at Taco Bell’s Headquarters in Irvine and a future in brand public relations.

The communication studies major said that the meaning of success is different for everyone, but by the world’s standard she has achieved great success in her career. “I have always had the drive to be the best version of myself,” she said.

Cisneros is a public relations coordinator in the communications department at Taco Bell. In a day, she may engage in crisis communication, respond to tweets, brainstorm a new product idea, taste the unreleased products, and on one occasion even plan a bachelor party for a well-known rapper at the headquarters.

From the beginning, Jacqueline has always had the support of her family. She grew up in the same house where her father was born and raised. Stability and a reliable family network is paramount to her. She said this has translated into her fear of the unknown, but this has not seemed to hinder her much.

After high school, Jacqueline attended Pepperdine University as a photography major. After her first year, she questioned everything about her major and decided it was not for her. “I thought all the things I liked to do would translate into one major,” she said. A teacher recommended she consider public relations and being in a state of unknown, she did. It worked out for her.

Getting where she is today has taken more than just one jump.

 She said she has always been willing to say yes to opportunities, even if she did not feel qualified at the time. Accepting opportunities from interning at the admissions office at Pepperdine, to planning events at the same university, to now managing public relations campaigns and traveling the nation to support the public relations staff at Taco Bell is a dream come true for Jacqueline.

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She said, “A lot of things were happy accidents.” A lot of these “happy accidents” came from saying yes to many opportunities without any idea where they might take her.

When asked if she had any advice for someone aspiring to be in her position she said, “Some things in life you can’t foresee, so any way you can equip yourself with tools will help. Tools such as networking, finding a mentor, saying yes a lot, and always working hard.” She said that people are always willing to talk about themselves, so get them talking and learn something new.

Jacqueline always had the drive to be the best version of herself, but she said if she could do it all over she would tell herself, “Sometimes it’s important to sweat the small stuff and sometimes just let it roll off.” Above all, Jacqueline said being genuine, professional, and always being willing to go the extra mile in her work has had the biggest impact on getting where she is today.

For Jacqueline, more than a few jumps into the unknown is what it took to achieve her dreams.