Catherine Garcia

I attribute my success to my chief of probation, who has been my biggest inspiration and has really pushed me to where I'm at right now. She has always been such a support for me, and I'm so grateful that she allowed me to pursue health coaching. What makes me incredibly happy is that she's now allowing me to use our department as a platform for welcoming wellness and movement. We started motivating our staff by creating a coffee and tea bar lounge where they can take their 15-minute breaks to relax or read a book, because our job as public servants is very stressful. We've incorporated meditation sessions, walks outdoors, and even a run club at the department. It's just so amazing that she's very supportive of health and wellness, and she's given me that platform. I'm very grateful for her support. Beyond my chief, I've also been building my relationship with my family, with my mother and my grandmother, because I had a very rough upbringing. To have this person who is very different and caring and loving has really shifted my life, and I think that's why I started making these changes. What truly fulfills me is helping my clients and knowing I'm making a difference in their lives. I feel most rewarded when I can be their support and guide through their lifestyle changes, teaching them to be present, manage their stressors, and take care of their one and only body.

The most impactful person in my career has been my chief, Rosie Medina, who has been my biggest inspiration. I've always looked up to her, and since she took me under her wing, I'm incredibly appreciative of everything she has helped me in doing and being supportive of me since day one when I started working at El Paso County. I've been building my relationship with my family, including my mother and grandmother, because I had a very rough upbringing. But to have Rosie as this person who is very different, caring, and loving has really shifted my life. She has been an incredible resource of empowerment, motivation, and inspiration. I'm extremely grateful for her belief in me, and she is my main focus when I think about the people who have made a difference in my journey. She still takes me under her wing to this day, and I would love to highlight her for her incredible attributes and what she brings to my life.

Looking back at my 20s, I would stop myself a lot from doing things and following my dreams. Now that I'm in my mid-40s, I wish I would have started sooner. I wish I would have just jumped in without being scared or fearful of what others think or say. My advice is to just be you, do what you want to do without judgment, and pursue your dreams. Don't let fear or what others might think hold you back. I wish somebody would have told me that in my 20s. Just take that leap, follow your heart and instincts, and go after what's pulling and drawing you without hesitation.

One of the biggest challenges in my field has been translating in-person customer interaction skills to effective phone-based engagement. At the same time, there are great opportunities through hybrid work models, transferable skills from other industries, and building a strong personal brand to support long-term career growth.

I would say always being kind has always been my top value, and that's actually where NES comes from - kindness. I just feel that no matter what, you never know what a person is going through. And no matter if they're being ugly or negative, you just always provide kindness, and it will all reciprocate back to you. So I think that's my top value, as well as being a really good leader. I believe right now in my role as a manager, I have to practice active listening, I have to practice empathy and compassion towards everybody that I come across daily. So I think those are my top values, and I really wish there was more of it in the world. In my downtime, I love movement. Early in the morning I wake up and take a morning run - I'm a runner, I love running. I'll come back home and enjoy jumping into my sauna. I have a sauna here at home, so I take about 10 minutes in my sauna and I meditate in there, and I think that really helps me set my day. I love having a morning and afternoon routine as well, just making sure I take care of my skin, my body. At work, I do make sure I take my morning walk, I do a 15-minute walk, as well as my afternoon 15-minute walk. I come home and I'll usually go to Bible study. I am part of a Toastmasters club, which has been really helping me with my speaking, especially with these platforms that I'm trying to build and create. And then I like to wind down in the afternoon and just read a book a little bit, just gain knowledge. On my weekends is when I have most of my sessions, or even in the afternoons, I'll accommodate some sessions if needed.