Recent Highlights

Elected National Secretary of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) in July 2026, Marcela serves on the organization’s Executive Committee while continuing her 2025–2028 term as a Director at Large on the National Board.

Her service builds on more than a decade of involvement with AIFD, including leadership at the regional level as President of the Southern Chapter. In her national role, Marcela brings a bilingual and multicultural perspective to the organization, with a particular interest in communication, mentorship, member engagement, and strengthening connections within AIFD’s national and international community.

In 2026, Marcela joined the Board of Trustees of Professional Floral Communicators–International (PFCI), a professional designation and organization of the Society of American Florists dedicated to excellence in floral education and communication.

As a PFCI member since 2021, Marcela brings to the Board her experience as a bilingual educator, presenter, designer, and industry leader, supporting PFCI’s mission to strengthen professional floral communication and education within the industry.

In 2025, Marcela served as an educational presenter at the AIFD National Symposium in Palm Springs, California, leading the hands-on workshop “Bridal Bouquets Made Easy.”

Sponsored by Smithers-Oasis, the workshop focused on efficient bouquet construction techniques, European-inspired mechanics, and practical methods for creating sturdy, production-friendly bridal designs without sacrificing artistry or style. Participants explored time-saving approaches, structural mechanics, and modern bouquet frameworks designed for today’s wedding and event market.

Known for blending technical knowledge with approachable teaching, Marcela’s educational style emphasizes both creativity and real-world floral application, helping designers build confidence, efficiency, and strong foundational mechanics.

In 2025, Marcela was selected as part of the prestigious American Grown Flowers design team for the annual First Lady’s Luncheon in Washington, DC,  a nationally recognized event celebrating American-grown flowers, agriculture, and floral artistry.

Working alongside some of the country’s leading floral designers, the team created large-scale floral installations and event décor for one of the floral industry’s most visible and meaningful collaborative experiences. The opportunity highlighted the artistry, professionalism, and teamwork required to execute floral designs at a national level while showcasing the beauty and importance of American-grown flowers.

Participation in the event reflects Marcela’s continued involvement in high-profile floral initiatives that connect design, leadership, education, and industry advocacy.

As Lead Designer at The English Garden in Raleigh, North Carolina, Marcela combines hands-on floral design with creative and production leadership across weddings, events, and retail design.

Her role includes guiding design execution, coordinating production and team assignments, maintaining design and quality standards, and collaborating on the development of floral concepts and recipes. Drawing on her extensive background in product development, she brings together creativity, efficiency, consistency, and an understanding of current floral trends to help translate concepts into successful finished designs.

In January 2026, Marcela was selected as part of a group of floral designers invited to spend a week at Teleflora headquarters in Los Angeles, collaborating on bouquet development and photography for upcoming floral collections.

The experience brought together her extensive background in floral product development with her knowledge of design, trends, and the commercial floral market. Working alongside the Teleflora team and fellow designers, Marcela contributed to the development and refinement of bouquet designs prepared for professional photography and future product collections.

Marcela proudly serves as a Brand Ambassador for Smithers-Oasis North America, one of the floral industry’s leading manufacturers of floral mechanics, design products, and professional floral solutions.

Through educational presentations, industry events, workshops, and collaborative projects, Marcela helps showcase innovative floral mechanics and practical design applications that support both creativity and efficiency within the floral industry. Her work emphasizes modern techniques, strong foundational mechanics, and real-world solutions for everyday floral design and event production.

As both an educator and active retail designer, Marcela brings a valuable perspective that bridges artistic vision with practical industry application, helping inspire floral professionals across a wide range of design environments.

Originally from Costa Rica and now based in the United States, Marcela brings a bilingual and multicultural perspective to floral education. She presents and teaches in both English and Spanish, connecting with floral professionals across languages, cultures, and markets.

Drawing from more than 26 years of experience across different areas of the floral industry, Marcela combines practical design education with insights into technique, product development, trends, and the business of flowers. Her goal is to make professional floral education relevant, and engaging while creating stronger connections within the international floral community.