Her Story
About Janet
Janet Garcia is a community health worker at the nonprofit House of Neighborly Service, where she has served in her current role for approximately three years. With 15 years of experience in the field, she supports seniors at the organization's Westside senior center by building partnerships with organizations such as the Kidney Foundation and Gonzaba Foundation to improve quality of life and outcomes. She holds certifications as a CNA (2008), medical assistant (2010), phlebotomist, and community health worker from Northeast College (approximately 2023). Janet also serves as Housing Commissioner for San Antonio, representing over 80,000 residents, and as a board member of the South Texas Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Community Advisory Board. Her work is driven by a lifelong calling to serve others, rooted in her parents' immigrant experience and her mother's cancer diagnosis, with a strong emphasis on respect and advocacy for those in need.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Janet
01What do you attribute your success to?
Since I was young, I've had a calling to serve others that is embedded in me. Even when I tried to get away from my career, it stayed with me. The way I was raised by my parents, helping others, has been central to my success.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The mentorship from people I've met along the way has helped me get where I am. People believing in me even when I didn't believe in myself was the best advice and turning point.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Social services is undervalued and underpaid but very rewarding. When you've worked with a client for months and see them become stable and smile, it's priceless. The gratitude and thank you from those you serve has no price.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is not having enough time to help everybody who needs it.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Respect is one of the biggest values for me in both personal and professional life.
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