Alondra Alvarado, YNPNsd Board Member
Alondra Alvarado was born in Los Angeles, CA and was raised in Tijuana, Mexico. She is the first in her extended family to graduate from college with a degree in psychology from the Autonomous University of Baja California. She moved to the United States in 2016 and prior to her life in San Diego, she worked for Tijuana’s City Council as Chief of Staff to a Council member and for the Baja California State Congress as a Media and Public Relations Advisor.
In addition to her volunteer work at YNPN, Alondra serves as Secretary of the San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors and as the Assistant to the Executive Director at MANA de San Diego, a national Latina organization.
Alondra is passionate about creating opportunities for women to help them grow in their professional pathway, specifically Latinas, and she is a testimony of how having someone that believes in you encourages your inner leader to come out.
Now let's hear directly from Alondra!
What made you want to join the YNPN board?
I was looking for an organization where I could keep learning about the non-profit sector, meet young professionals with similar career pathways as myself and gain new leadership skills. The first event that I attended was Access to Experts, where I learned about the trajectory of diverse non-profit executives sharing their stories about how they grew in their careers.
What is your favorite thing about your career thus far?
My favorite part is when I have the opportunity to talk with the people we serve and learn how the work we do every day – which sometimes can be overwhelming - has positively impacted their and their families ́ lives. Those moments are when I realize that all the work we do is worth it.
What is something you do during your day that always makes you smile?
Spend time with my family. Hear about my boyfriend and stepson’s day and share Instagram videos and memes with them. Talking with my mom or FaceTiming with my niece is always a good way to end my day.
What has been the most fulfilling aspect of being a part of YNPN San Diego?
I feel that I am a part of a group of people that knows how to work as a team and shares the same passion of providing others a safe space to learn and develop our leadership skills together.
What would you say to someone on the fence about becoming a member, or even joining the board?
Take the opportunity. Sometimes we think we are not qualified or that we don’t have enough experience to join a board, but this is the best place to build those skills. You’ll be surprised when you realize you have more skills and knowledge than you thought you had. That is exactly what happened to me in my first year of service on this board.