Her Story
About Nhora
Nhora Patricia Bonilla is a bilingual Human Resources professional with more than 15 years of experience supporting national and international organizations across the United States, Colombia, and other global settings. Holding an MBA from the Fox School of Business at Temple University and a SHRM-CP certification, she has built a distinguished career in human resources leadership, workforce planning, employee relations, compensation, compliance, HR information systems, and organizational development. Fluent in Spanish and English, with working proficiency in French, she is recognized for her ability to navigate multicultural environments while delivering people-centered and data-driven HR solutions. Throughout her career, Nhora has held key HR and management positions with organizations such as the Canaveral Port Authority, the U.S. Embassy in Bogotá, Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), AGROSAVIA, and leading international research institutions in Colombia. Her accomplishments include developing compensation-ranking systems for more than 1,000 employees, leading recruitment and repatriation programs that attracted highly skilled scientists back to Colombia, managing large-scale HR operations and payroll functions, overseeing multimillion-dollar projects and budgets, and supporting emergency humanitarian initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her expertise spans talent acquisition, employee engagement, policy development, HR analytics, workforce compliance, and international talent management. Currently serving as a Human Resources Specialist at the Canaveral Port Authority in Florida, Nhora continues to advance HR excellence through strategic recruitment, workforce analytics, ERP administration, and employee development initiatives. Having relocated permanently to the United States in 2022, she has successfully grown within the organization, earning a promotion from coordinator to specialist within months of joining. Guided by the values of loyalty, responsibility, and teamwork, she believes in aligning individual contributions with organizational goals while creating supportive workplace cultures that empower employees and strengthen organizational performance.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Nhora
01What do you attribute your success to?
I've been very flexible, and I adapt very easily to new situations. I have moved several times because I was married to a civil servant who works for the United Nations, so we move a lot, so I have to adapt and be very positive, and see the good things about where I was moving, the new locations, the new circumstances, and also transmit that to my children, to see always the bright side.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
To be really part of the team. Work with your team to be a team player. To not only work for yourself or for your own goals but to be a part of the goals of the whole department, of the full company. Like you're not working alone, you're not just showing up for yourself, it's a team effort.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Resilience. For the longest time we have been put down sometimes and compared our capacities have been compared to men's capacities and we have not been valued for what we can do and reaching our goals. Might be because sometimes we are more seen as the mom, the wife. But I think we can fulfill both roles completely in a very efficient way. And actually I think that that helped us be more organized and we excel at multitasking.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in my field is finding senior-level or mid-to-high-level opportunities that align with my experience, as many roles require professionals to start at lower levels. At the same time, I see tremendous opportunities for growth through continuous learning, particularly through SHRM certifications and professional development programs. I also view AI as a valuable tool that can enhance HR practices and create new possibilities, and I believe the ongoing evolution of the HR profession is opening doors for those who embrace innovation and adapt to change.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are loyalty and responsibility. I believe loyalty builds trust, strengthens relationships, and creates a sense of commitment to the people and organizations I support. Responsibility is equally important, as it means being accountable for my actions, following through on commitments, and consistently striving to do my best in every situation.
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