Sophia Aurea Quintero, MPH, CHES

I attribute my success to a combination of hard work, self-awareness, and advocating for myself. Setting boundaries has been crucial—saying yes to everything can lead to burnout, and I’ve learned that taking care of myself allows me to give my best to the community.

Success also comes from pursuing what I’m truly passionate about. Sometimes, as we gain experience, we discover our passions shift—and that’s okay. Those moments open doors to explore new areas and find other ways to channel my energy, keeping me motivated and effective in my work.

The best advice I’ve received is to be open to the opportunities that come your way. When I moved to Omaha for my master’s degree, I hadn’t planned on staying here after graduation. But a professor, who also wasn’t originally from Omaha, shared that being open to staying had helped her build connections during grad school that eventually led to job opportunities.

I took that to heart, and when graduation approached, I stayed open to the possibility of remaining in Omaha. It ended up working out, and I’ve been here ever since. That advice really stuck with me because it reminded me that being flexible and open-minded can lead to opportunities you might not have expected.

My biggest advice is not to get discouraged. My own career path hasn’t always gone as planned. When COVID hit, I had to rethink my next steps. Later, changes in organizational funding required me to find a new role.

These experiences taught me that challenges don’t equal failure—they often lead to better opportunities. Staying motivated, persistent, and flexible can make all the difference in this field.

I think one of the biggest challenges in the field right now is funding. I see so many organizations doing incredible work in the community that can’t provide the same level of services they used to because funding—whether from government sources or private agencies—has been reduced. That’s definitely a major hurdle for sustaining and expanding programs.

Another challenge is addressing misinformation. Educating people can be tricky—you don’t want to force anyone to believe something, but it’s important to provide accurate information and help people navigate what they see or hear. Technology, including AI, can be useful if used correctly, but it also adds complexity. I sometimes struggle online myself to tell what’s AI-generated versus accurate information, so I can only imagine how confusing it can be for others. Being able to thoughtfully identify and share reliable information is a critical opportunity in our work right now.

The values I hold closest are integrity and honesty. Being transparent and truthful in everything I do is central to both my personal and professional life.

Alongside that, flexibility is important. The nature of my work often requires adapting to unexpected changes, and while I like to plan, things don’t always go as expected. Being flexible reduces misunderstandings and makes collaboration smoother. But above all, integrity and honesty guide how I work and interact with others.