Sherina Gonzalez has been named the advertising sales director at Leader Publications.

A Buchanan High School graduate with degrees from Southwestern Michigan College and Indiana University South Bend in graphic design and advertising and marketing, Gonzalez has worked in sales and marketing at Leader Publications in some capacity for a total of five years. She also has experience in sales at other newspaper companies such as the South Bend Tribune and the Chicago Tribune.

Gonzalez said she returned to Leader Publications in July of 2012 because she has always liked that she can make a difference that benefits the community.

“The biggest difference is that in those companies, they’re so big that you’re just a number,” Gonzalez said. “I feel like I have a voice at the Leader. Although I wasn’t born here, I’m from Michiana. I’ve spent a lot of my childhood in between Niles and Buchanan and my adult life in South Bend and Mishawaka, so I just feel like I want to have a voice to help make our products more relevant to the community.”

Gonzalez said she is excited to be able to work with one of the best teams she feels she has worked with in her time at Leader, and she cannot wait to share some of her education and skills with her coworkers and the community.

In addition to her desire to help others and herself meet sales goals, Gonzalez said she is anxious to share her vision with the sales team.

“It’s not just about sales revenue,” she said. “It’s also trying to educate members of the community about what small businesses are here, how long they have been here, what they have to offer that’s better than a lot of these box stores. For me it’s taking pride in the fact that we have a lot to offer in Michiana. Let’s show people that.”

With a foundation in graphic design from her associates at Southwestern Michigan College, Gonzalez said she has always felt one of her strengths is being able to help her advertisers portray their businesses in creative ways that are appealing to readers. Moving forward, she is excited to use her design skills to continue brainstorming aesthetically pleasing, effective ads for her customers in addition to helping to strengthen the Leader’s products so that they are appealing to a younger demographic.

“There is so much that this community has to offer, and I think we have a team in place where we can really show that,” she said. “I’m excited to get out and meet new people and really strengthen my network even more.”

Gonzalez can be reached by email at sherina.gonzalez@leaderpub.com, or by phone at (269) 687-7728.