Maria Regulto

I attribute my success to my commitment to being a government employee and serving in that capacity. For me, it's about wanting to work in a federal agency after being used to working in government. After one and a half years of waiting, I got the job offer with DHS, and I just wanted to be in a government agency again. My success comes from my dedication to public service and my persistence in pursuing that goal.

The best career advice I've ever received is to love your job and love what you're doing. Enjoy your everyday life and enjoy your everyday work. For me, if I'm not happy with what I'm doing, I don't think it's worth it. I was also told to be professional and respectful, especially with my job where I deal with passengers and customer service. Not everybody is nice, and not everybody understands what you're doing. But as long as you respond professionally and you are professional with what you're doing, for me, it's more than enough.

Don't be afraid. Believe in yourself, because although some people will let you down and will put you down, eventually you know what you're doing. Prove them what you are capable of, and you can do it. I was the only woman in my technical department when I worked at the Department of Energy in the Philippines, doing nationwide technical work. Some of my bosses didn't believe in my capacity, but my mentor gave me a chance and believed in me. He told me I could do it and to prove to them that they were wrong. And I did. So my advice is to believe in yourself and prove what you're capable of, even when others doubt you.

The most challenging thing for me was when I moved here to the U.S. I had to get out of my comfort zone, and being here without my family was really a hard thing to do. It was a hard decision to make, but I had to be with my only son, so I had to give up everything. That transition and sacrifice has been the biggest challenge I've faced in pursuing my career in this field.

To be professional is number one for me, and to be respectful. My motto in life is, I come to work not to complain. Most of the time, I just want to work. Whatever they tell me, I follow without complaint. Some people, if they don't want a job, they complain and always say something negative. But I come here to work. In my mind, I know I come here to work, so I just follow. As much as possible, I don't want to complain unless it's disrespectful and it's below the belt. Being professional and respectful, especially in customer service, is what matters most to me.