Speaker: Navie Hurtado, Site Manager - Visalia, Owens Valley Career Development Center
Please introduce yourself and tell us about your current role.
Navie Hurtado: Hi, my name is Navi Hurtado. I am with Owens Valley Career Development Center. We are a Tribal TANF Program. I am a site manager for the Visalia office located in Tulare County, California.
How are you using what you’ve learned in your everyday work with families and/or within your organization?
Navie Hurtado: With regards to the (Emerging Leaders Development Program) program, something that's really resonated or like really resonated with me. and I've kind of, I know that I apply it and I know that I constantly use, is the learning assessment, the learning styles. Because it helps me understand who I'm working with, whether it's my direct team or a client. It's, it's important to have this kind of, I guess foundation. What I learned is that obviously my entire team is different. And we are all from a different generation. So the generational gap activity was also cool because what it also helped me learn about my team is that we share one thing. We have one thing in common and it's probably the most important, which is we all strive to provide quality programs and activities. And I think having that one similarity amongst a group of very different people has made our team a beautiful chaos. I just think that every team member brings something to the table and we end up complimenting each other, supporting each other. And I've realized that we're very cohesive now that the (ELDP) Program has you know ended, and so I'm very thankful for that.
Please tell us about any specific success, improvement, or change your participation in CalTrin training helped you achieve and how.
Navie Hurtado: So I hired a new staff member shortly after I started the (ELDP) Program and it just so happened that we were learning about the different ways to coach someone through something. And so I thought it was a perfect fit for this onboarding journey that I was, you know, starting with my new staff. And so, I began to apply the Grow Model. And something that I learned in implementing it was that I ended up doing it at different levels. Obviously, I was coaching my new staff member. So, it was this partnership that I was creating between my new hire and myself, and then I was kind of coaching myself because it was something new that I was learning. And so, you know, self-coaching, I guess, so I was doing it at the individual level. But now that the (ELDP) Program has ended and I kind of am looking back at what coaching really is. I've been able to identify that it, it is multilayered. I did at the individual level telling myself, OK, you know, following the process. What my goal is and then my realities and so forth. Then doing it in collaboration with my new hire. But what was interesting is that I was also doing it with the entire team and I can say that unintentionally, it worked. And it, it's become successful because my new hire was within the agency. So it really was a promotion. And even though she had the foundation, I knew she was nervous in some areas. Public speaking was one. Coordination with regards to activities, kind of just came natural to her. But we're coming to the end of that program that she was lead for. And what's interesting is that not only am I able to say, man, Kristen, you've really grown into your, your new role and your new position, but I'm also hearing it from other team members. And so I think part of the reason that they're able to also identify it is because they've been part of the coaching, they've been, you know, there. They've been supportive. And so, it's just something really beautiful to see really an entire team working together to get this new team member ready to go. And so she's really blossomed into her new role. And so I would consider that not a success of mine, but a success of our team.
Have you encouraged colleagues from your organization or other family-serving professionals to participate in CalTrin training? If yes, why?
Navie Hurtado: Have I encouraged colleagues. Yes, I specifically have encouraged a fellow site manager. She's within my County just at a different office. I have told her when it (ELDP) comes available or I hear that it becomes available, GET IN THERE. You will not regret it. I've told her that, yes, you know, there is a commitment level to it (ELDP), but everything that is covered is it just the flow of the (ELDP) Program from the beginning to end was amazing. And because you're in this Program, that's not just maybe like a webinar or a one-day training, it's spread out. I think that that is effective, especially for her and I that are new managers because we're learning the new material, yet we're able to implement it, and yet we're able to connect with others that are probably going through the same situations as we are. And so, it's just a great Program. Subject areas are amazing. The networking is amazing. And you guys (CalTrin) are amazing. You guys are great presenters. You guys had amazing speakers. I am just very grateful and I could put a sign on my forehead that says attend Emerging Leaders. So definitely would encourage anybody.
Is there anything else you would like to share with us?
Navie Hurtado: I just want to say thank you. I want to say thank you for the opportunity of obviously being selected to go through the (ELDP) Program. But probably one of the biggest perks of being or going through the Program, obviously, I learned tons. I'm applying tons. But the resource library that we've built, I think that is just a huge perk and supplemental to everything. Something sustainable and tangible that I can say, "oh, I'm going through this situation or I have this situation. Is there anything in this new resource library that I have that can help me out?" And so it's made me just very confident in my, in my role as a site manager here for our agency. And so I just want to say thank you.
