To enhance engagement and alignment across the Observatory, ALMA’s Internal Communications leadership is transitioning from Human Resources (HR) to the Education & Public Outreach (EPO) team. This change integrates internal and external communications into a single group, ensuring a more cohesive and impactful approach.

ALMA Director Sean Dougherty emphasized the importance of this transition: “Internal communication is crucial in keeping our staff informed, engaged, and aligned with ALMA’s mission. By transferring its leadership to the EPO team, we integrate internal and external communications, ensuring a cohesive, engaging, and effective approach. The EPO team specializes in storytelling, engagement, and clarity—key elements in fostering a stronger connection between ALMA and its people. This change will help us create more dynamic, accessible, and impactful communication for our community.”

HR Manager Rafael Mena reflected on the role of Internal Communications within ALMA’s workplace culture: “Effective internal communication is essential to fostering a positive and engaged work environment. I remember when, back in 2018, we decided to create the Internal Communication capability at ALMA after feedback that we had much room to improve. Even though we can still improve, we have advanced a lot in creating a better communication across the organization. We are now starting a new stage in our communications, and we all need to make efforts to achieve the goal of a better-connected ALMA. And we can start that effort by answering the communication survey! We want you to participate in the co-building of a better workplace!”

As the Acting Manager of EPO, Nicolás Lira Turpaud shared his vision for this transition:

“At its core, communication is about connection—bringing people together around a shared purpose. With this new responsibility, the EPO team is committed to making internal communications more dynamic, transparent, and meaningful for everyone at ALMA. We look forward to working closely with all teams to ensure all voices are heard and all contributions recognized.”

Transition in Progress

While we plan and implement this transition, HR and EPO will continue to jointly oversee Internal Communications, with execution managed by our contractor, Loading. We appreciate your patience and collaboration during this process.

Your Input Matters!

We invite all staff to participate in the Internal Communications Survey to shape the future of ALMA’s Internal Communications. Your feedback will help us tailor our approach to better meet your needs and expectations.