Michelle L. Palacio serves as the Senior Vice President for Marketing and Strategic Communications and inaugural Chief Marketing and Communication Officer at Florida International University (FIU). At FIU, she leads the university’s marketing, brand strategy, media relations, executive communications, digital communications, and reputation management efforts, ensuring a cohesive and strategic voice that advances FIU’s institutional priorities. Michelle oversees initiatives that strengthen FIU’s national visibility, elevate its research profile, and communicate the university’s impact on student success, innovation, and community engagement.
Through strategic storytelling and brand positioning, Michelle has helped elevate FIU’s visibility and reputation nationwide. By aligning marketing strategy with institutional priorities, she has strengthened FIU’s profile as a Top 50 public research university and amplified the impact of its scholarship, research, innovation, and student success.
Michelle has also played a pivotal role in expanding FIU’s national presence, including leading the establishment of the university’s Washington, D.C. center. The center advances FIU’s Carnegie R1 research agenda while opening new pathways for students through internships, career connections, and policy engagement. Her leadership in advancing FIU’s priorities has helped attract significant investment in the university’s students, faculty, and research initiatives, further cementing FIU’s role as a driver of opportunity and upward economic mobility.
With more than two decades of experience in higher education and public affairs, Michelle has held pivotal roles at FIU, including Vice President of Government Relations, Assistant Vice President of Health Policy & Government Affairs, and Director of State Relations. In these positions, she championed historic state funding for the university and played a key role in securing support for the establishment of the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine.
Prior to joining FIU, she served as a governmental relations consultant with Becker & Poliakoff, P.A., representing clients before Florida’s Executive and Legislative branches. She began her career as Chief Legislative Aide to Marco Rubio during his tenure as House Majority Leader and Speaker-designate in the Florida Legislature and has also helped coordinate numerous political campaigns throughout South Florida.
Michelle earned her Bachelor of Arts in Education from FIU and completed an executive leadership program at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.