How did you get roped into doing this, and what was your first thought when asked?

I have been patiently waiting to be asked. I watched my former boss participate in one and knew that it was something I wanted to be part of. So When Amy Newport asked me, I had no hesitation. The Boys and Girls club is such a value to this community and I know that they do everything they can to help those kids.

 

What made you say yes?

I couldn't say yes fast enough. Over the last few years, I have performed in the Lip Sync battle and raised money for the Relief Nursery. I take any chance to help with my son's sports from being team mom, all the way to coaching. Interacting with children has not only given me some of my favorite memories, but I can see the need to have someone in their life that they can look to when trying to figure out how to grow up. It is not easy being a kid anymore, especially with the way technology has advanced. The Boys and Girls Club is a space for them to go to feel safe. A place to have interaction not with just kids their age but also for them to go to when they just need someone else to talk to. Supporting something like that is priceless, and I would say yes every time someone asked me.

 

What is your official job title?

Business Development Manager

 

How would you describe your job to your mother?

The easiest way to explain what I do for the dealership, is that I am the utility player for the dealership. I mainly work with the Internet Sales department but I also assist in training, customer retention/satisfaction, helping with desking car deals, and even selling cars if we are short handed. I am the go to person when looking for Sales Statistics and analyzing where we can improve as a dealership.

 

All families are unique, tell us about yours...

As of right now it is just my son Coby, our dog Rex and myself. But if you ask him, he will tell you he has 9 brothers, and two cousins. Because my parents raised me on loving everyone, my family is big, and I encourage the same with my son. There are my parents who I can't thank enough for what they do for me and have taught me. My sister Erin who has produced the cutest nephew, My brother Anthony and his wife Rachael, and then my wolf-pack of friends who make me "Me". Because I spent a good portion of my childhood in Southern California, I take full advantage of living in Oregon. My son and I are always on the go exploring the wilderness, or surprising our taste buds on new food. I am always looking for new ways to make memories with my son and we balance being outdoor enthusiasts and homebodies.

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Tell us about your personal passions, talents, and/or hobbies.

My number one passion will always be my son and making him happy. Aside from that, you can find me planning girl trips to help complete my bucket list, or at the gym dying. I also talent for taking photos, tearing up the dance floor, and a killer player on the softball field. I have a hidden talent of being able to do the splits and make it a point to make sure I can continue to do it. Recently, I am all about volunteering and teaching my son to give back before you are even asked.

 

What is something that you swore you would never do as a parent before you had kids that you do now?

As a child I was always late to things. I had four siblings and my parents struggled keeping us all on time. On top of living in Southern California, traffic wan always an unseen variable (even when we tried to plan for it). Little did I know that God thought it would be funny to bless me with a child who has no concept of time, who wakes up as a dragon in the morning, and when you say "let's go", that means to go into "low power mode" to conserve any energy and watch me lose my mind.

 

What is something that people might be surprised to know about you?

The most common question I get asked when people are getting to know me is what is my ethnicity. I am Native American, Mexican, and Russian. In high school I took Spanish and was pretty good at speaking it. After high school I stopped and forgot all the vocabulary. For the most part I can understand it, but have a hard replying back. But on special occasions, my mind with tap into that knowledge and I will speak it fluently.

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Who inspired you when you were growing up?

Growing up my parents did a lot to educate me in different things. Getting me ready for some of the thing that I might be faced with, and making sure that i had the tools to find the answers to get through something. I couldn't really pin point my inspiration just to one person growing up. I have one for every part of my life. My mom contributed to my educational drive, my dad to being understanding and strong willed, and my siblings helped me be the caring loving person I am. My friends have always inspire me to self love and be proud of who I am. But I would say that I was the type of person who was inspired by the experiences and challenges I faced to drive me further or be better.

 

If you could go back and talk to your 12-year-old self, what would you say?

When I was in the 7th grade, and there are a few things I would tell myself. The first thing I would tell myself is to never straighten my hair with a iron, leave your eyebrows alone, and just because you aren't a size 2, it doesn't mean your fat. I would tell myself to do more and rest later, spend more time exploring, and that it not the end of the world if you get grounded (just gives you time to read). I would tell myself to invest in everyone you meet, along with making a note to my future self to buy stocks in Apple, Netflix, Amazon, Microsoft, and Google.