Alec Damiano: Musician, Artist, and Communication Specialist

Alec Damiano is a passionate musician, graphic artist, and skilled communicator from Nogales, Arizona. Her musical journey began at age four, singing and playing violin in a mariachi group, eventually expanding to a wide array of instruments including guitar, piano, and bass.

An accomplished writer from a young age, Damiano has published poems and narratives, and won various writing and journalism contests throughout her academic career. She graduated summa cum laude from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, where she also wrote for State Press Magazine.

Damiano founded the solo project Black Monarch in 2013, and later the band Varkan in 2014, where she sings and plays guitar. Varkan has released an album, signed with Metal Assault Records, and opened for renowned international metal acts like Grammy nominees Death Angel, Doro, and Angra.

In her professional career, Damiano has worked in video production, public relations, communications, marketing, and technology. She served as Employee Communications Specialist at Fender Musical Instrument Corporation, contributing to internal communications and event coverage. There, she won the 2020 Ragan Employee Communications Award for Best Intranet Video. Damiano currently serves as Branding and Technology Manager at the Association for Career and Technical Education of Arizona (ACTEAZ).

She holds an MBA with a music business concentration from Southern New Hampshire University, in collaboration with Berklee Online.

Damiano currently resides in Glendale, AZ with her two dogs and many instruments.