Who we are

Palabrería is owned and led by Dayani Centeno-Torres and Lisa Zayas-Canizares, who also comprise the firm’s Board of directors. We are proud to be 100% female and Boricua-owned.

Dayani Centeno Torres

As a licensed public relations professional, Dayani brings to each project her experience in strategic communication and her background in social transformation spaces. She makes sure that the clients’ strategies are designed from a systemic approach and that they effectively address the nuances of their audiences.
She founded Palabrería many years ago as a content production service (a source of words), and has been transforming it into a more complete and comprehensive service firm. In 2015 she founded Voz Activa, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting community-centered development.
She has a certificate from the International Center for Interdisciplinary Studies in Communications for Development; a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras campus, and an MA in Journalism from Syracuse University in New York. She also has training from the Presencing Institute (MIT) in Theory U, a methodology for generating change and leadership applicable to companies, organizations and social systems. Dayani is also the only Caribbean graduate of the first cohort of Presencing Institute’s Ecosystem Leadership Program (2019).
She has been a visiting professor in the communications departments of the University of Puerto Rico at Río Piedras and the Gurabo and Carolina campuses of the Ana G. Méndez University.
She has served on the board of directors of the Puerto Rico Public Relations Association on several occasions, and in 2018 she led the Excel Award jury panel. In 2007, Dayani and Lisa were honored with the Association's Excel Award in the Press Program category.
In 2019 she received the Shine Professional Women Award in the Business Sector category.

Lisa M. Zayas Cañizares

An ongoing contributor for Palabrería before becoming a partner in 2011, Lisa brings her strategic insight and understanding of how to build effective narratives that foster understanding among audiences.
She divides her time between Puerto Rico and Florida, markets in which she manages projects for community, social, and political organizations that promote equity and social justice. In addition, she supports clients from other sectors with content development, internal relations and effective media, crisis and issue management.
She has a bachelor's degree in public communication from the University of Puerto Rico, and a public relations accreditation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). Her interest in supporting social transformation has led her to take courses with the Acumen Academy (moral leadership) and the Presencing Institute (Theory U).
She volunteers for multiple professional and community organizations, including PRSA, the Association of Public Relations of Puerto Rico (ARPPR), Acumen Academy, Puerto Rico Business Network Alliance of South Florida, and La Mesa Boricua in Florida.
In 2013 she was recognized as a Distinguished Public Relations Professional by the Puerto Rico Public Relations Association.

Lusiann Iturbe Ortiz

She combines her experience as a licensed public relations professional with her work in artistic and cultural projects, bringing fresh and creative proposals to Palabrería and our clients.

Iraida J. Cintrón Dilán

A licensed public relations professional, Iraida has extensive experience in the institutional and government fields, and shares her understanding of the needs of organizations and the media with us and our clients.

María Elena Villar, PhD

Vanessa Umpierre

Her background in advertising and graphic design allows Vanessa to turn ideas into agile, effective pieces.

Virgen Rodríguez, AIGA

As a graphic design consultant, Virgen performs a thorough analysis of each project that comes into her hands to assure that her creative proposals communicate purposefully.