We’re excited to introduce Gillian Pena, our new Communications & Operations Associate! Learn more about her background, current role, and hobbies in this interview.

Tell us about your role at Holistic. What do you do? Who do you work with?

I am a Communications & Operations Associate. I support our Director of Facilitation, Lisa Alvarado, anywhere between scheduling trainings or helping her compile facilitation resources. I can't wait to learn from her and I’m excited to see where this role will take me.

Tell us about your background. How did you end up here?

I graduated in December from East Carolina University where I obtained a degree in Communications with a focus in Public Relations and a minor in Political Science. I am from North Carolina but I have family in Chicago which allowed me to intern and network in Chicago pre-COVID. Through these networking opportunities, I was introduced to Holistic and the rest is history!

What’s something that has surprised you since joining Holistic?

It really surprised me how supportive this work environment is. I don't think I have ever had a position at a company that cared so much about me as an individual. Everyone is so nice, unique, and intelligent. Getting to know everyone has been such an enriching experience.

In your mind what does a great employee experience look like?

I think a great experience starts with being a part of something you're passionate about. Once you find that spark, having fellow coworkers around you in your environment that support, uplift and help you grow is key to an amazing experience.

Who is someone you admire?

I admire Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). It started when I watched a documentary about her journey to public office. I’ve always had a passion for politics as well as feminism, and she embodies both so well while remaining relatable. She and everyone in the "squad" on Capitol Hill are truly inspirational for the work they have done.

What do you do for fun?

I really love to travel for fun–it feeds my soul to discover other cultures. Pre-COVID, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Poland & Czech Republic. This opportunity really helped me discover my passion for traveling. I can't wait to safely travel again now with the vaccine.

What's a hobby you adopted in quarantine?

Quarantine helped me adopt content creating as my hobby. In early COVID, I spent way too much time on TikTok. Through my time on the app, I admired people who created unique content for their platform. After months of wanting to take my content creating more seriously, I finally have. Since starting to take it seriously, I have been able to review products from various companies in exchange for content creation. I also feel like I get to use my platform to educate people on issues they may not be aware of, as well as drawing attention to mental health. It fills me with joy to be able to do this.

Thank you for all that you do, Gillian!