Building Trust Through Culturally Responsive Communication

Effective communication is one of the strongest predictors of public trust. This interactive workshop showcases the 101 Culturally Responsive Communications Microlearning Series, an innovative training program developed to strengthen communication skills across public service organizations.

Participants will explore practical strategies for culturally responsive communication, language access, health literacy, trauma-informed communication, community engagement, misinformation response, social media, and Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC). The session also demonstrates how microlearning can increase learner engagement while building communication competence across diverse workforces.

Participants will:

• Experience sample microlearning activities.

• Learn principles of culturally responsive communication.

• Explore instructional design strategies for workforce development.

• Apply communication tools to real-world public service situations.

Pilar Montejo is a bilingual, bicultural, and intercultural communication professional, facilitator, consultant, and instructional designer with over two decades of experience helping individuals, organizations, and communities connect across cultures with understanding, trust, and purpose. This demonstrates her deep intercultural expertise, inspiring confidence in potential clients and partners.

Originally from Colombia, she has lived and worked across Colombia, Mexico, and the United States. Relocating to Portland gave her firsthand experience of living between cultures, deepening her commitment to culturally responsive learning. She holds a Master's in Organizational Development (MBA), graduate certificates in Intercultural Communication, Training and Development, and Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Portland State University, and a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering.

Her career spans higher education, community engagement, public health, emergency management, and organizational development, with a focus on respectful leadership and culturally responsive communication. She has facilitated intercultural and business communication programs at Portland State University, supported expatriates and international students through cultural transitions, and served as a liaison between culturally specific communities, faith groups, and government agencies. During COVID-19, she supported Multnomah County's Emergency Operations Center, strengthening collaboration among diverse communities and public institutions. As a Regional Public Health Communicator, she developed and facilitated culturally responsive communication programs for public health leaders across Oregon and Southwest Washington, collaborating with counties, cities, nonprofits, educational institutions, and community-based organizations to improve communication, increase access to resources, and strengthen community engagement. Her focus on respectful leadership underscores her commitment to empowering others and fostering inclusive environments, which can inspire potential clients and partners to pursue similar goals.

Today, through her consulting practice in Southern California, she helps organizations build respectful workplaces, develop leaders, and facilitate connections across differences. Her work is grounded in the belief that people carry strengths within them — her role is to help those strengths emerge, so individuals and communities can thrive.

Learn more at pilarmontejo.org

Melissa McKinney is the Senior Program Coordinator for the Regional Public Health Preparedness Team based out of Washington County Public Health Division.  Melissa guides multi-county planning for biological incident response, coordinates public health leadership initiatives and oversees training and exercise programs in the region. She partners with Local Public Health in the Greater Portland Metro counties to streamline processes, develop new tools and support effective response planning.  She enjoys bringing structure, clarity and follow-through to complex regional initiatives and is committed to fostering strong partnerships to create inclusive, equitable and aligned public health programs for our communities.