I’ve been working closely with my mentor, Lawrence Lujan, and we are a part of the People and Cultural Transformation (PACT) team.

The team's mission is to foster a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible workplace for employees to thrive.

My work with my mentor has taught me new skills such as creating and developing social media content, communication strategies, and collaborating with a team to organize and develop a SharePoint Site. 

Before I joined the team, I was searching for a job opportunity that would allow me to transition from the food service industry into a career that would give me more purpose and align more closely with my values of serving others and protecting nature.

Despite my lack of educational experience, most of my work experience was serving others by preparing food, providing exceptional service, and assuming leadership roles.

When I discovered the job posting, I was unsure if my qualifications aligned with the job.

However, I knew I would work in an industry that aligned with my values. I was more than willing to learn and excited to expand my skills and find a lifelong career with the USDA Forest Service.

I had my initial interview, which I was quite nervous about, but I felt like I represented myself to the best of my ability.

A few weeks after my interview, I received a warm welcome into my role and began the onboarding process.

Please continue reading the upcoming blog posts to follow my journey.

Next, I'll explain my connection to nature and what inspired me to pursue the resource assistant internship.