The Future of Work is Diverse, Inclusive, Just and Equitable

GlobalMindED closes the equity gap by creating a capable, diverse talent pipeline through connections to role models, mentors, internships for low-income students, returning adults, First Gen to college and inclusive leaders who teach them, work with them and hire them.
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: From First Gen Student to 22 Years Working for the Federal Government, Meet Ruth Hurtado

Ruth, what is your personal narrative? What key moments in your life led you to where you are?
 
I was born and raised in Queens, New York to my parents who both immigrated from Colombia, South America. They were hard workers but neither of them attended college. I am the oldest of 2 other siblings, my younger brother Danny and younger sister Lizzy. We grew up in a home with a strong faith background and this is still the foundation for my life today. We were very fortunate to have our maternal grandparents who lived next door and played a big part in our upbringing. They ensured that we understood our roots and made sure we learned to read, write and speak in Spanish so we could be bilingual.

When I was in 6th grade my grandfather passed away. After that, my grandmother wanted to move to Maryland to get out of city life and move to the suburbs with my aunt. Shortly after, my parents decided to follow her to Maryland and we lived with her for about a year while my parents found work and purchased a home. I have been living in Maryland ever since.

I never knew the opportunities that would become available to me by living in this area. Particularly because the DMV, as they call it, is the hub for most of the federal workforce. I’m a mom of 2 daughters: Ariana (20) who is in college studying to be a physical therapist, and Juliana (13) who loves everything related to cosmetology and cooking.  

What challenges did you face throughout your life? How were you able to surmount these and use them to become stronger? 
 
I didn't have much direction when it came to applying to colleges. Neither of my parents had attended and I didn't have many people around me that could guide me. I remember a college recruiter visiting my high school one day and offering me a waiver to apply to Hood College, a small all-women's liberal arts college in Frederick, Maryland. She invited me to an open house where I could stay overnight and experience the college.

After visiting Hood, I felt this was the place for me. I was excited when the letter came accepting me to the Class of 2000. The first year in college was amazing! My college roommate and I developed a great bond and the academic year went well. Towards the end of my freshman year, my roommate announced that due to financial reasons she would have to transfer to another school. I was devastated by the news and tried my best to help her stay, but she couldn't. That summer, however, I did receive great news as I had been accepted to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) National Internship Program and would be interning at the National Science Foundation (NSF). 

The HACU Internship was a life-changing experience for me. I was exposed to the federal government as a career option. I worked with an amazing group of people in the Office of Equal Opportunity Programs and they taught me everything related to Special Emphasis Programs within the federal government and the process for discrimination complaints. My group connected me with others throughout the NSF who took me out to lunch and would talk to me about what it meant to work for the federal government. I believe it was some of those brief but impactful interactions that really inspired me to pursue federal service.

Upon returning to Hood in the Fall of 1997, I faced the reality that my roommate was not returning. I became extremely depressed to the point where I had to leave school and take a semester off in order to get help. During my time away from school I had the opportunity to do some self-reflection. I knew how much I had enjoyed my internship and fell in love with the possibility of working at some place like NSF. It was definitely challenging to work on improving my mental health, but with the right support and treatment, I was able to make a full recovery. My college and the Dean of Students, Olivia White, helped me to make a plan to still achieve my goal of graduating with the Class of 2000. I took summer classes, winter classes, and took on extra credit projects just so I could graduate on time.

That summer in 1998, I had the chance to return to the NSF as HACU Intern and once again had an amazing experience. While working that summer I met another intern who was going to another college near mine and he shared an opportunity for a student position at the Air Force Medical Logistics Office (AFMLO) located at Fort Detrick. In the Spring of 1999, I was hired by AFMLO to help manage Anthrax Vaccine shipments to military bases worldwide. It was another great learning opportunity working alongside military and civilian personnel. Once again, I worked with an amazing group that mentored me and helped and supported me in taking advantage of various training and professional development opportunities.

At the end of my senior year, I achieved my dream of graduating from Hood College in May of 2000. Having my family and a great support system at school was instrumental in allowing me to accomplish this. The summer after graduating, I did the HACU Internship one more time and was placed at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). My role was to assist in the certification process of methadone clinics nationwide. I worked with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and states to ensure compliance with federal regulations. As my summer internship came to end the opportunity to start as an entry-level Public Health Advisor opened up and I was hired as a permanent federal employee in August of 2000.

About a year after starting, I received the news that I was pregnant with my first daughter! It was unexpected but such a blessing. I gave birth to her on September 10th, 2001, at 11:50pm, 10 minutes before 9/11. Such an interesting time in history. I was watching the events unfold on the TV as I held my baby girl. Being a young mom was not easy, but with the help of my family and close friends, I was able to manage my responsibilities as well as my career. During my first 5 years in my career I moved up pretty quickly, but then got stuck and wasn't able to get a promotion for about 15 years. It was frustrating and I didn't know what I was doing wrong. I figured out that I needed help with my federal resume so that it could get to the desk of hiring managers. I met the Chief Recruitment Office for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Glorimar Maldonado, and she took the time to explain to me what I needed to do to fix my resume and make it to an interview. With the combination of her advice as well as countless hours of doing my own research on how to improve my resume and brushing up on my interview skills, I was able to get a new position at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). While at SAMHSA and before moving to HRSA I had my second daughter, Juliana, in 2009.

With 22 consecutive years of experience with the U.S. Federal Government, how are you continuing to challenge yourself and reach new goals? 
 
I consider myself a life-long learner and that is why about 6 years ago I decided to make a career move from working in Behavioral Health and Public Health to the field of Learning and Development. I have learned so many skills in these past 22 years including grants management, contracts management, and an enormous amount related to substance abuse, mental health, and primary care. I also had the opportunity to go back to school and completed a Masters in Health Care Administration. Throughout my career, I have always taken advantage of various trainings, leadership development, mentoring, and coaching opportunities.

I decided to do some volunteer work by serving on the board of the National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives (NAHFE) whose mission is to Energize, Empower and Inspire a new generation of Hispanics from the GS-12 to the GS-15 levels into the Career Senior Executive ranks of the Federal government. It was a great experience learning how to put together professional development opportunities for this group. I also took part in their unique Mentoring Program and was paired with Veronica Villalobos, a Senior Executive at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). The confidence I gained from the mentoring program along with the volunteer experience propelled me to go for a new job opportunity at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). I ended up getting a Public Health Analyst job at HRSA.

Less than a year in my position at HRSA, I attended a training where I heard a panel of Supervisors speak. When I heard Wendy Whitaker, Director of the Organizational Development Division (ODD) give her presentation on what her office did, I knew that is where I wanted to go. I reached out to her for an informational interview over coffee and shared my interests and passions with her around organizational development, professional development, and learning and development. I was excited when she shared that a "reassignment" opportunity was coming up in her office. In January of 2017, I started as Management Analyst in ODD with the role of serving as the Onboarding Program Manager within the Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) at HRSA. I began my journey learning the foundation of adult learning principles, evaluation for learning and development, online learning and so much more. I obtained certifications in Effective Facilitation, DISC, and Coaching.

In March of 2021, I started my journey with the FAA and have enjoyed every minute of it. I was happy to see that the FAA had an employee organization - The National Hispanic Coalition of Federal Aviation Employees (NHCFAE). I decided to join a few months after starting at the FAA and after attending their virtual conference in 2021. In July 2022, I was invited to present my Personal Resilience Workshop at their Annual Training Conference in Indianapolis. I also decided to run for their Director of Education. Although I did not win, they were happy to see my enthusiasm, passion and interest in the organization so they invited me to serve as the Chair for Outreach. I am looking forward to participating in outreach efforts in my community and to bring more awareness to students and other potential FAA employees with careers in aviation and beyond. I was also very fortunate this summer to hire my very first intern through the Partnership for Public Service Future Leaders Internship Program. It was great being able to give back and mentor a student whose dream is to work for the federal government. Not only did I learn from her but she also made a great impact on our office as a whole and brought more awareness to how to be a more inclusive workforce by supporting programs like this.
 
What advice would you give to future Inclusive Inspirational Leaders?

My advice is these 6 tips:
  1. Take care of yourself - if you're not healthy, mentally and physically, you can't show up and lead others successfully.
  2. Take a creative approach to dealing with challenges and problems. Stay in a solution-focused mindset and focus on things you're grateful for.
  3. Always remain positive even in the midst of negativity and challenges. There is always a lesson to be learned and an opportunity hidden within something negative. Reframe the situation from a negative to a positive.
  4. Find what your meaning and purpose are and give them away to others. This is very rewarding and fulfilling and leads to an amazing legacy once you leave this earth.
  5. Tap into your network for support. Have a board of directors you can call upon for advice when you face personal or professional setbacks or when you have important decisions to make.
  6. Have fun! Find something that makes you happy and do one of those things each day.
Higher Education Equity Event, Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable Conversation: What is Hispanic Heritage Month? And What Does it Mean for Equity, Justice, Opportunity, and Culture? September 20th at 4:00 ET

Dr. Ryan Ross; Student Affairs Equity and Inclusion for CCCS, CEO Urban Leadership Foundation of CO leads the discussion with guests:
Mariana Del Hierro; Executive Director Re:Vision
Crestina Martinez; Long Term Recovery & Major Initiatives Director Adams County Government
Rachel Garcia; CEO Colectiva 
Dr. Roberto Montoya; Chief Educational Equity Officer Colorado Department of Higher Education


Bios: Dr. Ryan Ross, Associate Vice Chancellor Student Affairs, Equity, & Inclusion Colorado Community College System. An educator, speaker, and actualization coach, Dr. Ross is committed to access, equity, and the development of leaders. After fourteen years of educational work, Ross transitioned from executive leadership at the Community College of Denver to become Regional Manager for Mobilization for the American Petroleum Institute. There, he is focused on STEM awareness in students and building workforce opportunities in the energy industry for women, minorities, and veterans.

Mariana Del Hierro, Executive Director, Re:Vision. Mariana works with people in economically marginalized neighborhoods to develop resident leaders, cultivate community food systems, and create an economy owned and led by the community. Before Re:Vision, she worked for a decade in the public health field developing strategies and partnerships to advance health and racial equity in Phoenix and Denver with the City of Phoenix, UCDenver, CDPHE, and Denver Health. Mariana began her career as an immigrant rights community organizer and organizes strategies for community resilience in all her roles.

Dr. Roberto Montoya, Chief Educational Equity Officer Colorado Department of Higher Education. Dr. Montoya promotes a vision of an inclusive Colorado higher education community that is deliberately erasing persistent equity gaps in educational attainment across all demographics. Roberto has worked at all levels of the educational system, including the University of Colorado Denver, where he was an instructor and researcher focused on educational equity and justice in public schools and higher ed. Recently, he worked at Race Forward as regional manager for the Government Alliance on Race and Equity, where he guided mayors, city managers, city councils, and appointed officials in establishing policies focused on equity

Crestina Martinez, Long Term Recovery & Major Initiatives Director Adams County Government. As director, Ms. Martinez’s focus is to help Adams County remain in the top five counties nationally in job growth, emphasizing the county’s long-term recovery. Crestina recently served as chief of staff to Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera and as a member of Gov. Jared Polis’ senior staff. Her experience serving in multiple roles throughout state agencies, including as a regional manager in the Colorado Department of Local Affairs, provided her with extensive experience in community development and recovery efforts.

Rachel Garcia Chief Executive Officer, Colectiva. Rachel is a founding member of Colectiva, a collective of creatives that curate culturally inspired experiences that elevate and promote Latino Creatives via culture, art and cuisine. Their mission is to reclaim Latino culture and to ensure creatives are compensated fairly. She is also a founding member and curator of Calaveras en mi Ciudad, a mobile calaveras exhibit celebrating the traditions of dia de los muertos. Rachel currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of Artisti-co, Vice Chair of the Mexican Cultural Center, is a Member of the Board of Directors for Latinas First Foundation.
K-12 Equity Event, Safe from the Gate Empowering Kids to Make Better Decisions Online, September 21st at 4:00 ET

Erika Twani CEO & Co-Founder Learning One to One leads the discussion with guests:
Paul Castro Superintendent, A+UP Charter School
Dr. Liz Sweigart Chief Product and Strategy Officer, Safe Kids AI
Amr Yehia Operations Director, The Digital School

Register here

Bios: Erika Twani CEO & Co-Founder Learning One to One. A learning enthusiast, Erika is focused on a better world built by humans with practical, useful skills, and purpose in life. At Learning One to One, she explores ways to foster human achievement through Relational Learning based on applied neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, pedagogy, and technology. Her philosophy is to simplify complex concepts and make them useful for everyone. Erika has advised government officials and education leaders around the world on the use of technology in education, and has touched the lives of over 100,000 students.

Paul Castro Superintendent, A+UP Charter School. As an educator, Paul is committed to building schools that care about each child, help them to become their best selves, and meet their personal unlimited potential. A+UP is where Paul’s passion for blending personal development meets his drive to achieve academic growth for all kids. In his 26-year career, he has taught high school English, been the principal of four schools in Houston ISD, and worked at KIPP Houston as head of schools. Three of his HISD schools earned Recognized status from the state. The fourth was a school that had failed for 5 years. Paul and his team were able to improve the academic achievement enough to get the school turned around in one year.

Dr. Liz Sweigart Chief Product and Strategy Officer, Safe Kids AI. Dr. Sweigart is business leader with more than 20 years of experience in strategy, economics, and leadership. At Safe Kids AI, she empowers children to be safe online by helping them make better decisions. Previously, she was a partner in PwC’s Global Structuring practice in Houston. With her passion for technology and social entrepreneurship, Liz advises advise and coach executives and Boards of companies ranging from startups to publicly traded multinationals in various industry sectors. I’m interested in fostering environments where human beings can thrive and flourish. Liz is a frequent author and speaker on mental wellness and mental health, especially at work and online.

Amr Yehia Operations Director, The Digital School. The Digital School's vision is to drive the frontiers of digital learning to empower underserved communities towards a brighter future, with the mission of providing contextualized and validated education opportunities guided by innovative digital ecosystems and partnerships to improve access and learning outcomes.

Kristie Adams Chief Learning Officer, Family Scholar House. Kristie has a passion for working with children, to give
them a safe and healthy childhood, so that they can grow confidently into their dreams. She has worked with families and children for over 20 years. With an extensive range of trainings and certifications, Kristie designs programming for children, teens, and adults, and fosters a culture of excellence and innovation at Family Scholar House. Kristie led a research study on Children Exposed to Domestic Violence, and she provides training on Children Exposed to Batterers and Trauma Informed Care to teachers, victim advocates, school social workers, community agencies, and churches.
STEM Equity Event, Barrier Breaking to Engineering and STEM for Diverse Students,
September 22, 2022 4:00 PM ET

Dr. Steve Efe Asst. Professor, Civil Engineering Morgan State University leads the discussion with guests:
Dr. Janne Hall Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Engineering Texas Southern University
Janelle Mason Graduate Student, Computer Science North Carolina A&T State University
Tiresius Johnson Student Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute
Kimera Peterson Civil Engineering student Morgan State University


Bios: Dr. Steve Efe Asst. Professor, Department of Civil Engineering Morgan State University. Dr. Efe’s interests include education research, adaptive materials and construction techniques, high performance material testing, and computational mechanics. Steve’s education research is geared towards improving competitive advantages for minority engineering students. He is a PI for the e4usa+FIRST program, working to democratize engineering education. He is also a PI for projects such as Developing Transportation Engineers for Industry and Autonomous Robotic System for Damage Detection, both aiming to prepare future workforce in the transportation field.

Dr. Janne Hall Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Engineering Texas Southern University. Dr. Hall teaches electrical and computer engineering courses, and is a committee member for implementation of new engineering programs. Janne worked as a RF (Radio Freq.) Engineer in cellular communications optimizing performance of cell towers. She is part of the inaugural cohort for the NSF and ASEE eFellow Postdoctoral Fellowship program, researching ways to achieve racial equity and alleviate barriers to success for underrepresented groups across academia and industry. Research interests include cybersecurity for critical infrastructures in the U.S.

Janelle Mason Graduate Student, Computer Science North Carolina A&T State University. Ms. Mason is a PhD Candidate in the NC A&T Dept. of Computer Science. Her research interests include cybersecurity, cyber-identity, biometrics, data science, machine learning, uncertainty, the Semantic Web and knowledge representation, the Internet of Things, privacy, and multi-agent systems. She has over 20 publications in peer-reviewed conferences and journals, and has had opportunities to present her research throughout the United States and Europe. Janelle has twice participated as a Young Researcher in the Heidelberg Laureate Forum.

Tiresius Johnson Student Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute

Kimera Peterson Civil Engineering student Morgan State University
SAVE the DATE 2023: June 7 Inclusive Leader Awards Dinner
First Gen Leadership Program
June 8, 9 GlobalMindED Conference
2023 Denver, Colorado

CALL FOR PROPOSALS IS OPEN
June 2022 Conference Summary in Photos and Videos
We had an inspiring conference in June after two years of virtual gatherings due to COVID. If you missed that, you can still be a part of the experience through the photos from the 2022 GlobalMindED conference, as well as seeing the complete program for connections and inspiration.



Video remarks:
Honoring the 2022 Inclusive Leader Award Winners. Please see their stories:
GlobalMindED | 303-327-5688 | contact@globalminded.org | www.globalminded.org
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