By Shayra Madero-Fajardo, Data Quality Associate
Here at Aunt Bertha, we invest significantly in our Data Operations team. It’s the largest department in the company, with over 20 members, and it’s still growing! Data team members are Seeker-focused, meaning they research and enter programs with the Seeker in mind, continually asking if the data being entered will help them more easily find and connect with the services they need.
This deep knowledge of the system and dedication to our mission have made it possible for data team members to transition and make an impact in other roles within the company. All of these team members have one thing in common—a belief in making a change for the better.
Here are some of their stories…
Nazanin Garcia, Data Quality Specialist Supervisor
Nazanin began her career at Aunt Bertha as a Part-Time Data Quality Specialist and after a year transitioned into a supervisor role and currently serves as the Data Quality Specialist Supervisor. Before joining Aunt Bertha she worked as a Customer Service Representative for State Farm, where she gained perspective on the importance of planning for the future. After seeing an Aunt Bertha job posting, reading about Aunt Bertha’s mission and Erine’s future vision for accessing social services, Nazanin was drawn to apply. She wanted to learn new things while serving the mission of the organization.
She came in as a blank canvas, eager to learn, and the more she learned, the more she loved being at Aunt Bertha. She’s been inspired by the people, the passion, the mission, and the culture. Being at Aunt Bertha has helped Nazanin with personal growth as well. She has been able to create a career path for herself with the guidance of her managers. She is constantly learning how to be a better leader and implement the steps needed to further her career.
Jeremy Owens, Data Quality Specialist & Reporting Analyst Intern
Jeremy began his career at Aunt Bertha as a Data Quality Intern and now uses his expertise as a Data Quality Specialist and as a Reporting Analyst Intern on the Product team. Before working at Aunt Bertha, Jeremy worked as a cashier and parking lot attendant for the University of Texas while attending school there. (During his time in that job, he met former UT quarterback Vince Young several times while working UT football games!) Jeremy was originally drawn to Aunt Bertha for its mission and its role in the social services industry. He knew from his grandmother’s experience, struggling to get help in the past how incredibly difficult it can be to navigate the system. He was excited for the opportunity to help people in need and make a difference for people who are going through difficult times. In Jeremy’s words, a job where you’re helping people day in and day out is a pretty sweet gig.
Aunt Bertha has grown quite a bit since Jeremy started but he still feels it is a tight-knit group of people committed to helping others. His favorite part about working at Aunt Bertha is knowing he is making a positive impact on the lives of people. Aunt Bertha has helped Jeremy grow as an employee. He recognizes the effort that goes into giving people opportunities to step up to new responsibilities and develop themselves. Management has been supportive and their desire to develop employees within the company is visible on a daily basis. Recently, Jeremy was recognized as one of Aunt Bertha’s most valuable employees in 2018!
Erica Rodriguez, Community Engagement Coordinator
Erica started at Aunt Bertha as a Data Quality Specialist and now uses her expertise as a Community Engagement Coordinator. Before joining Aunt Bertha, Erica served as an Administrative Assistant. She was drawn to Aunt Bertha because of its mission. Knowing the organization started because of Erine Gray’s personal experience was incredibly impactful to her.
Her favorite part about working at Aunt Bertha is knowing she’s not just working for a faceless company. She’s inspired by the fact that every department within the company is working collectively to meet people where they are and to serve them with dignity and ease. Aunt Bertha has taught Erica to advocate for herself professionally and has helped her become more adaptable and team-oriented.
Anthonee Esparza, Associate Business Analyst
Anthonee began his career at Aunt Bertha as a Data Quality Specialist and now uses his expertise as an Associate Business Analyst. Anthonee connected to Aunt Bertha because of our mission. His favorite part about working at Aunt Bertha is knowing that the platform is helping make people’s lives easier by providing support to those who may not have any. He enjoys working with others who believe in the same mission.
Aunt Bertha has helped Anthonee learn a wide variety of skills, both technical and inter-personal. The knowledge and experience that he gained during his time at Aunt Bertha shapes Anthonee’s career now and his future endeavors.
Keith Young, Production Support Engineer
Keith began his career at Aunt Bertha as a Data Quality Specialist and now uses his expertise as a Production Support Engineer. Before working at Aunt Bertha, Keith was a Field Assistant for a soil scientist at the University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology. While reading through job listing after job listing, he was struck by Aunt Bertha’s posting because of the mission. He was excited to be part of a company that provides a valuable platform that gives people tools to mitigate and overcome real hardships. Aunt Bertha has helped Keith in his career development by providing a collaborative and supportive environment with endless learning opportunities.
The Data Operations team has been instrumental in our company’s growth. A big challenge when growing a company is finding great people. At Aunt Bertha, however, we have a pool of amazing folks right here that we look to promote first.
