Javier Mendoza is a strategic communication and community affairs leader with more than 20 years Fortune 500 leadership experience in roles at Hotwire Communications, Frontier Communications, SoCalGas (Sempra Energy), Molina Healthcare, Boeing and Universal Studios. He began his career in journalism working for leading Los Angeles daily newspapers and his PR career with Universal Studios.
With an ability to develop creative solutions, build consensus, and lead teams in high-stakes situations, Javier works well across all organizational levels from executive leaders, to peers, to external groups, and key stakeholders. Javier has developed and executed national communication, marketing, and digital plans; led successful community engagement, change management campaigns and crisis communication efforts; and secured media coverage in national outlets.
Javier is currently director of marketing and community affairs for Hotwire Communications western region (AZ, CA, NV). Prior to joining Hotwire, Javier headed public relations for Frontier Communications where he led communications strategy for the national telecommunications company’s $10B Chapter 11 restructuring, its $1.2B divestiture of business units serving 600,000 customers, and multiple labor negotiations affecting 10,000+ union-represented employees.
As senior manager for SoCalGas, the largest natural gas distribution utility in the U.S. and largest business unit of Sempra Energy, Javier was entrusted to lead a team responsible for proactive media relations and crisis communications support for two multi-billion dollar growth and infrastructure projects, environmental and legislative issues, emerging technologies, pipeline safety, energy efficiency and low-income customer programs. He served as a spokesperson for the utility and as lead for outreach to Hispanic press. Javier was also a leading partner in developing outreach and community response for SoCalGas’ Porter Ranch gas leak.
Previously, Javier was director of corporate marketing for Molina Healthcare where he developed the brand identity and scaled a customer base for a health services provider with operations in 15 states. Before that, as public relations manager for Prescription Solutions he helped a startup unit of United Healthcare launch the company’s national Medicare Part D services. Earlier, as director of communications for Exult, Inc., he created successful communications initiatives for a provider of human resources outsourcing to multinational corporations. As media relations manager for a 45,000-employee unit of Boeing, Javier was responsible for communications for programs including Sea Launch and the International Space Station.
Javier has been active in the Public Relations Society of America and served as member of the Southern California Public Radio Leadership Council. He serves on the Board of Directors for New Life Beginnings, a Long Beach, Calif. woman-led and family focused 501c3 dedicated to helping homeless women with children and victims of human trafficking and domestic violence break free of the poverty cycle. He also served on City of Long Beach Digital Inclusion Roadmap Task Force and the City’s Complete Count Committee for the 2020 Census.
As an adjunct professor at Long Beach City College, Javier taught journalism for more than 20 years, including news writing, public relations, mass communication, magazine production, digital design and photojournalism. He has also taught journalism courses at Long Beach State and UCLA Extension.
Javier has a master’s in communications from California State University, Fullerton and a bachelor’s in journalism from California State University, Long Beach.