‘I care passionately about people, and am making my mark by promoting empowerment at work’
Away from work, I care deeply about my three puppies – Manchas, Hange and Chester – and also volunteer for American Field Service. AFS is an inclusive community of global volunteers that promotes inter-cultural learning opportunities and aims to build bridges between communities.
Just as I also love to dye my hair different colours – I am passionate about diversity, learning about different cultures, promoting inclusiveness, and the possibilities of change and overcoming barriers.
I started off in education, after initially qualifying as a teacher. I therefore hopefully bring some good insights on recognising human potential to my current role as a Technical Recruiter at GFT.
My journey from teaching to recruitment wasn’t planned and happened during the pandemic. With all the extra time on my hands, I decided to apply for a temporary position as a recruitment coordinator. It was actually quite organic because I’d watched my mom since high school, who also worked in resourcing. Then, within about a month, I found myself fully involved in the role.
I actually think there are a lot of similarities between teaching and my current role. People need safe spaces where they can feel comfortable as themselves to thrive, whether at school or work. At GFT, I’ve been able to create spaces for Women in Tech, and a Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
Both initiatives have helped me to foster a change in each person involved, as well as within the culture of our company. For women, there is now a space of empowerment at GFT, where they can bring out their strengths, realize that they’re not alone as they strive to improve, and that – as a team – we can work together to strengthen them. I’ve seen friendships form between women who wouldn’t otherwise interact and get to know each other.
For the LGBTQ+ community, there’s a space where everyone’s free to share their experiences, be true to themselves, and also provide support to each other. In the future, I’d also like to create spaces of inclusion for people with disabilities, and for older adults.
Empowerment and education have shaped every step of my journey—from teaching to recruitment, from community work to corporate initiatives. I believe lasting change starts with small, meaningful actions that make people feel safe to be themselves. That’s the kind of impact I want to keep making—at GFT and beyond.
