Intent
I’m building my professional brand as The Synergist — a creative strategist and MBA student who combines storytelling, communication, and imagination to drive business success.
My background is in creative writing with a specialization in fiction, and I’m currently earning my MBA at CU Denver with a concentration in marketing. I’m passionate about the intersection of creativity, collaboration, and leadership.
On LinkedIn, and on the SynerGist blog, I’m documenting my MBA journey, reflecting on business insights through a creative lens, and exploring how play, curiosity, and narrative make strategy more human and therefore more effective.
Below you will find more of my personal story, my professional experience, and a break down of how it comes together to inspire my brand, right down to my logo.
About Me
I’m Bessana—writer, communicator, and creative strategist shaped by two names and two worlds. My adoptive mother, Daun, gave me a name that braids Bess (her grandmother) with Ana (a traditional Guatemalan name) to honor my roots. She raised me in Denver until her passing from Non‑Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2001. This loss that taught me early how fragile life is, the importance of a stable and safe home, and how vital it is to use our voices with purpose.
I studied Creative Writing at Columbia College Chicago, where I fell in love with teaching, collaboration, and the power of stories to move people to action. That passion pulled me into the nonprofit sector as a volunteer coordinator, teaching artist, and eventually a creative writing school administrator. I learned how to translate narrative into community impact.
When the world changed in 2020, so did my path. I returned to Colorado and devoted a year to drafting a young adult fantasy novel about a teenager who discovers a magic system rooted in ancient Maya history. This was an exploration of identity, inheritance, and the stories we carry.
Professionally, I’ve continued building that bridge between empathy and development. I served at a domestic‑violence organization, then moved into fund development at an affordable‑housing nonprofit. Today I’m the Communications Manager at Rocky Mountain Communities, where I lead storytelling that strengthens partnerships, elevates resident voices, and turns mission into measurable momentum.
Next up: in January 2026 I begin the Denver Flex MBA at the University of Colorado Denver (Marketing concentration) while continuing to work full‑time. I’m documenting the journey—late nights, strong coffee, and all—through the lens of The Synergist: where storytelling meets strategy and fuels meaningful impact.