HR professional with a Master's in Public Administration & Literacy Education, combining 10 years of Dual Language Spanish teaching in low-income schools and 3 years of Peace Corps experience. Currently serving as NATIFS' first HR Generalist, with previous experience as an HRBP in State of Colorado, Expertise spans strategic HR functions, including talent acquisition, employee relations, and HRIS management. A bilingual native Spanish speaker committed to diversity and inclusion, with extensive experience working with low-income communities, LGBTQ. Continuously learning best practices approaches for Indigenous work force.

My days are a whirlwind of creating policy with the Operations Leader - nothing quite like the thrill of bureaucracy and coffee in the morning. I juggle collaborations with the Culinary Lead, secretly hoping they'll mistake my HR expertise for culinary prowess and let me name a dish. Most of my time is spent decoding the enigma that is "roles and responsibilities" for our employees. Payroll submission is my biweekly heroic act - ensuring everyone gets paid on Fridays. I'm currently championing a 4-day work week because, let's face it, Mondays are overrated and Fridays are not. At special events, I proudly don my NATIFS shirt, a fashion statement that screams "I make HR cool." And when duty calls, I transform into a pickup truck driver, suddenly feeling tall enough to apply for the NBA. It's all in a day's work when you're passionate about making a difference in employees' lives - one policy, paycheck, and pickup truck at a time.

I had lofty dreams of changing the world. My career aspirations were between becoming a priest and a chef - clearly, I couldn't decide if I wanted to feed souls or stomachs. Little did I know I'd end up feeding corporate policies to hungry employees instead. Growing up as a first-generation kid whose parents came from Mexico, I am and remain in idealist, I was determined to make a difference, though I'm pretty sure young me didn't envision that difference would involve explaining the intricacies of PTO policies. But hey, life has a sense of humor! Now, as an HR professional at NATIFS, I've found the perfect blend of my childhood dreams. I get to be the keeper of secrets (move over, Father Confessor!) while simultaneously basking in the aroma of Indigenous culinary creations. It's like being a priest in a kitchen, minus the robes and plus a lot more paperwork. Who knew that "making a difference" would smell so delicious and involve so many confidentiality agreements? Turns out, HR is just another way of serving people - with a side of employment law and a sprinkle of Indigenous spices.