Family Engagement Navigator
Growing Up Healthy Coordinator
Heidy joined the GUH team in August 2020. She is the Family Engagement Navigator at Greenvale Park Elementary School in Northfield.
Where did you grow up, and how long have you lived in Northfield?
I was born in Guatemala and lived there for 10 years. I lived in Mexico for three years, and Belize for one year. We moved to the United States in the 1990s, and I moved to Northfield in 1999.
What is your educational and/or work background?
I have a lot of customer service knowledge and experience. I worked for Wells Fargo back when they didn’t have many Latino customers opening accounts. I also worked at TCF Bank for several years, helping Latinos and all the other customers.
Why did you take this job with GUH?
I had always wanted to work for the schools. I want to help younger kids like school, and show them there are more career opportunities out there when they grow up.
What are your main job responsibilities?
Making sure kids are going to school, and if they’re not going, making phone calls to find out why. It’s important to encourage the parents, so they can encourage the kids. When we as parents aren’t motivated about school for our kids, there’s no motivation for them.
What do you like most about the job?
Talking to the kids, and trying to find out why they want to stay home.
What’s the most challenging part of your job?
Keeping my schedule. The hours vary, and sometimes I work longer days than others.
What are your hopes and dreams for the community where you work?
With the students I’m working with right now, I want to see them graduate from high school and go to college, regardless of what career they choose. It doesn’t matter what their background is. If they’re the first ones in their family going to college, I want to help them go through it.
What do you do for fun?
I like crocheting, and hiking and walking with my five kids.
Growing Up Healthy 