Ivana Zaya

About Me

I am an experienced professional in the cultural field, specialized in event coordination, project management, tourism, and journalism. With over ten years of experience in festival and event production, I bring strong organizational and leadership skills and excel at motivating teams to achieve successful outcomes.

Passionate about languages and culture, I am fluent in English and French, intermediate knowledge of Spanish and Italian and I have basics in Russian which I am currently learning.

As a creative individual, I also have expertise in writing articles, conducting interviews, and video and photo editing. I thrive in international, multicultural environments and enjoy contributing to diverse and dynamic projects.

Education

Master’s Degree in Museums, Cultural Heritage, and Digital Technologies
University Paris 8 Saint Denis, 2020-2022

Bachelor’s Degree in Economics

University VERN, Zagreb, 2007–2011

Master’s Degree in Journalism
Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Zagreb, 2000-2005

Skills & Expertise

Cultural & Event Management

Event Planning & Coordination
Cultural Mediation & Visitor Engagement
Stakeholder & Partner Relations
Visitor Coordination & Hospitality

Media & Content Creation

Writing articles and conducting interviews
Video & Photo Editing
Wordpress
Database management

Digital Tools & Software

Microsoft Office Suite
Photoshop
InDesign
Canva

Project Management

Multi-year Project Scheduling & Coordination
Logistics Management
Team Leadership & Collaboration

Core Soft Skills

Analytical Thinking
Clear Communication
Problem-solving & Adaptability
Strong Organizational & Time Management Skills

Work Experience

International Council of Museums ICOM

2023 - 2025

Institutional Events Coordinator and ICOM Foundation Coordinator

Project & event management
International event coordination
Stakeholder communication
Multi-year project scheduling
Support in application review processes
Membership & donation management

01/19-09/19

Bourse de Commerce Pinault Collection Paris

Administrative assistant

Secretary & receptionist tasks
Handling communications (emails, letters, packages)
Document & report preparation
Meetings scheduling
Office supply management
Visitor coordination

2011 - 2025

Varazdin Tourist Board

Programme and artist coordinator (during events: Spancirfest, Advent in Varazdin)

Artist & event coordination
International cultural exchange
Hospitality team supervision
Logistics management
Travel & accommodation coordination
Event scheduling & venue preparation

2010, 2011, 2018

Croatian National Tourist Board in Paris (occasional engagement for major events)

Cultural Promotion Representative

Cultural information & visitor engagement during various events
Promotion of Croatian culture, art, and tourism
Event setup & management
Stock & inventory management

02/22-05/22

Louvre Museum

Center Dominique-Vivant Denon

Documentalist- internship

Cataloguing audio collections
Preparing database for digitization
ALEPH database software introduction
Managing digital data for archival purposes

2013-2017

Atlos agency, Croatia

Tour guide

Licensed tour guide in French, English, and Croatian
Group & individual tours in Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro
Tour leadership & coordination
Welcoming and guiding diverse groups
Providing cultural, historical, and local insights