Victoria Landa Reyes

I would say it's the women in my life. They have been the cornerstones of my life and a strong foundation that has helped me and guided me. My mom and my two grandmas - those three women have been everything for me in my life. My mom was a single mom as well, and I just watched her continuously work hard. You know, my mom didn't go to college, she didn't complete high school, but she got her GED, and I watched her work hard and take care of me by herself. She gave me everything that I needed. She put me through private school and gave me opportunities to learn. I remember when I was maybe in middle school, she put me in acting classes, and even though I didn't like it at the time, looking back I'm grateful, because I believe that class was the start of me learning and putting myself out there, and of this new career that I'm doing now. My grandmas as well - one grandma passed away, and she took care of the family to her last day. My other grandma is still alive, she's still working at her age, and she still works. She's a single woman who raised her kids, and she travels every year, and I tell her if I don't meet a man, that's okay, because I'm gonna aspire to be like you. Work hard, do the things that I want in life, and travel, and enjoy my life. Those three women have shown me that you can come from Mexico not speaking the language, you can come with no formal education , and you can achieve anything that you want in this life.

The best advice I've received is to say yes to opportunities. I have a great friend, Chauncey Williams, who along with my professor Dr. Obinna Oleribe has been mentoring me and teaching me to just say yes to opportunities. Say yes, because you never know. I said yes to a trip to Sacramento to go see how our law and our government works, and that opened the door to working with my professor in research. So now I say yes. I mean, obviously there's times when you can't do something, but I would just advise everyone to take a chance on themselves and to say yes to the next exciting opportunity that comes their way. My friend Chauncey has pushed me to say yes, and she brings new opportunities to me, and she's like, you should do this, you should do this. And my professor, Dr. Obina Olorribre, has taken me under his wing and pushed me in the right way, making me uncomfortable to learn and to grow.

My advice to young women entering this industry is to take advantage of every opportunity and be willing to say “yes” to new experiences. Some of the most meaningful opportunities in my career came from stepping outside my comfort zone and embracing unexpected challenges. Most importantly, believe in yourself—while support from others is valuable, confidence in your own abilities is what will help you grow, succeed, and discover opportunities you never imagined.

One of the biggest challenges in my field is overcoming barriers to growth, whether that means balancing education, work, and family responsibilities or having the confidence to pursue new opportunities. For me, transitioning from an established culinary career into public health required stepping into unfamiliar territory and embracing uncertainty. At the same time, these challenges create tremendous opportunities for personal and professional development. By being willing to learn, adapt, and take risks, I’ve discovered that growth often comes from the experiences that push us beyond our comfort zones.

Perseverance is one of my most important values, along with faith in a higher power and a strong belief in oneself. I believe external support can be meaningful, but true progress depends on your own confidence and willingness to keep moving forward. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking and baking—recently I made banana bread for my church community, which I love sharing with others. I’ve also embraced a more active lifestyle through running and joining a run club, something I never expected to enjoy. In my personal time, I value simple joys like baking, running, and enjoying a good cup of coffee, whether alone or with family and friends.