In August 2009, Celina Garcia was approached to join the Aprendamos Family of Services organization. Celina had a unique perspective on the company’s leadership and vision, as she once served as the supervisor for Aprendamos CEO Abel Covarrubias during their time working at CORE Rehab. “Celina would always have to keep me on track and remind me to submit my information for billing,” Abel joked. For Abel, bringing Celina on as the Operations Coordinator for Esperanza Children’s Therapy and Aprendamos Early Intervention was a no-brainer.
Celina fondly remembers the early beginnings of Aprendamos. Initially hired to help open the Esperanza clinic, she transitioned to become the Director of Early Intervention nine short months later, overseeing both programs. She shared, “In the early days, we were a smaller family and were able to hold our monthly meetings at some of the local churches. It was so much fun because there was a lot of collaboration, but it has been a beautiful process to witness the organization’s growth and see first-hand how all our programs are supporting the children and families in our community.” Her professional growth continued, serving as Director of Children’s Services before being promoted to the Aprendamos Family of Services Chief Operating Officer in 2021.
When she reflects on her journey, she feels incredibly honored to have witnessed the inception of the six programs Aprendamos now offers and also to be a part of the planning process. “Abel’s vision in ensuring every family has an opportunity to receive services has guided the expansion of these programs and expanding into different communities like Truth or Consequences and Anthony has really been a tremendous opportunity for families to receive the services they need.”
As Celina progressed on to take more administrative roles in the organization, she made sure she never lost the connection to the children and families who were integral to the fabric of the Aprendamos organization. “In the midst of working in administration, I wanted to truly understand what happens in the field and get in the trenches with my fellow colleagues to understand the systems and processes that we are putting in place that impact them and potentially our families.” Celina went to Abel and asked to also serve as a Family Service Coordinator. She took on a caseload of ten families with newborn babies and was able to walk the journey alongside them for three years until they graduated from the program. “To me, that was very impactful, and I say that because I learned so much more from the families than I could have ever given them. You don’t know the journey these families are on and the hope we provide them through these programs.”
Out of the many families Celina worked with, there are several that stand out to her. One in particular she shared about was a great-grandmother navigating custody of her great-granddaughter. Watching her navigate ensuring her great-granddaughter received services was inspiring, and when the pandemic hit, Celina was in awe of the great-grandmother’s desire to do everything she could to ensure there were no gaps in service. “It was hard for everyone, and we didn’t know how families would navigate this, but this great-grandmother never faltered and she never missed an appointment. When her great-granddaughter graduated from the program, she brought the team together to share the impact services made in her life. “Her great-granddaughter could now regulate her emotions, our services helped her with her speech, and just sitting there listening to her testimony was amazing,” she shared.
When we asked Celina what has motivated her to stay at Aprendamos for the last sixteen years, she shared how the organization’s core values align with her own personal values, in particular the Families First and Integrity Always values. “My parents were teen parents and they instilled the value that whatever me and my siblings did, to always do the right thing, and always be a good and honest person.” Celina also shared that her daughters have been an integral part of her Aprendamos journey. “They’ve grown up witnessing how much I love my work and how deeply it fulfills me, and in many ways, they are a daily reminder of why I do what I do.”
To Celina, working at Aprendamos isn’t just a job—it’s been a path to a career that has allowed her to live out her life’s purpose. “Aprendamos is not only my employer but my family. I truly believe the organization has given families hope in hard times as well as genuine love from their teams.” Thank you, Celina, for always leading with integrity and being such a vital part of the Aprendamos Family of Services organization. We appreciate all you have done over the last sixteen years to help children, families, and our Aprendamos team thrive!
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