WHO IS PROJECT VIDA?

WE ASKED THREE QUESTIONS TO OUR PV EMPLOYEES WITH THE PURPOSE OF GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER. THE QUESTIONs WERE, WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS CAREER PATH? how would you describe your role and why did you decide to do it here in PV? AND, What is one of your biggest accomplishments or success story?

Terry Craig, Loan Specialist/Compliance Officer

1. After I graduated, I was hired by a property management company in Los Angeles, California. I became an advocate for those who did not have suitable housing and believed that in order to be a healthy being, one needed to have health care, housing and steady income. When I returned to El Paso, I continued to work in housing. In 2011, I went to work for El Paso Collaborative where under the Obama administration, the NSP2 program provided homeownership and rental housing to those who otherwise would not be able to rent or own a home. With the Collaborative, I was also introduced to the U.S. Treasury and the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) program. I later became a loan specialist/compliance officer. In 2019, the Collaborative became an affiliate of Project Vida where I work hand-in hand with the MTAP team to provide loans to micro-and-small businesses. Serving business owners who would not qualify for loans with a traditional lender.

2. My role here at Project Vida and the El Paso Collaborative is not only to assist with the lending process but to help borrowers become bankable by offering business, financial literacy and credit building workshops in coordination with the MTAP team.

3. Many people don’t know that I was once a certified U.S.A. boxing official for the state of Texas. During my time with U.S.A. boxing, I worked with young men and women to keep them busy and off the streets. One evening, I received a call that one of our youth had gotten in some trouble and was scheduled for court the following day. I was asked to write a letter to the judge on his behalf. After a long day and evening, I wrote the letter for the coach to give to the judge. Several years passed and I saw him at a boxing tournament. He came up to me and thanked me for the letter. He said the judge was impressed by the letter and dropped the case. He said that soon after his encounter with the law, he joined the military and did 5 tours in the middle east, got married and now had a child. He was out of the military and had a good job. He looked very happy. I remember telling him that the judge made the final decision regarding his fate, and that if one my children were ever in trouble, I would hope someone would come to their aid.

Erika Gardea, MTAP Lead

1. I grew up in a family, where my uncles, cousins and friends are business owners. From a very young age I was interested in the world of business. When I was 6 years old the idea of being able to make money in a business seemed magical to me. That's why when I chose my classes I always focused on learning about business, and thanks to that I finished my BBA at UTEP. When I left the university, Mrs. Rosario Fernández gave me the opportunity to volunteer at Project Vida and I was in the organization for 3 months since I found a full-time job in marketing. During my career, I explored various areas such as marketing, accounting, and administration. I have always liked what I have worked on, however, during the Covid pandemic I felt that I needed to do more than just reports. After seeing how people were struggling because of the pandemic, I felt the need to be able to help others. I remembered the beginning of my career, which was Project Vida, and then life gave me the opportunity to return to this amazing organization.

2. I work as an MTAP Lead, the value of my work is that I can support micro-entrepreneurs and at the same time I can support the economic development team. I decided to be in Project Vida, because during my first time in the organization I saw how the economic development department supported the community of micro-entrepreneurs and I liked the idea of sharing my knowledge, experience and passion with them.

3. One of the greatest moments I have in this organization is related to a client of ours that was about to close their business. After hearing the different strategies that I provided, the client decided to give the business a second chance and it looks like the business is going the right way. This is exactly why I joined this organization.

Announcements

VIDA TALKS SEASON 2 IS HERE!

Join our hosts, Miriam Vazquez and Alejandra Gaytan for our second season of Vida Talks. This season, you will hear about organizations in El Paso that assist with mental health, chronic care, substance use in the area, and more. Learn how these organizations are making a difference in our city!

Listen to stay informed the topics relevant to the El Paso Community. Learn how these organizations are combating issues and how you can find resources to help with mental and physical health to better your life.

meet our new leadership

we want to celebrate and acknowledge the promotions of pamela ponce, paloma medina, david godinez and jesus zapata to properly introduce them to the rest of the organization. a year ago there was a change in leadership where these positions were created and now we can hear from them and recognize them.

PAMELA PONCE, School-Based Integrated Health Co-Chief

As the Co-Chief of the School-Based Integrated Health Program, Pamela Ponce oversees almost 50 people, including providers, clinicians, outreach facilitators, navigators, therapists, pediatric coordinators, and more. Pamela wants to keep shaping the program based on the needs of the team, stakeholders, partners, and the community while maximizing the support they provide the community. She recognizes that schools have a lot of growth potential and eventually wants them to have all the services PV clinics currently offer.

PALOMA MEDINA, Economic Development Supervisor

In her new role, Paloma Medina coordinates El Paso Collaborative CDFI and all programs related to the Microenterprise Technical Assistance Program (MTAP), manages grants processes, and develops relationships with community partners. She’s proud of the team she has put together, the love they have for their jobs, and how far they have come in just three years. Paloma wants to spread the word about how her program helps businesses get established and helps them progress. As a CDFI, they can help people get loans not only for businesses but also for mortgages.

DAVID GODINEZ, School-Based Integrated Health Co-Chief

As the Co-Chief of the School-Based Integrated Health Program, David Godinez is also responsible for the almost 50 employees that work under his supervision. His role is to lead and coordinate the management team to continue to supervise the programs and integrate services in response to the community's needs. His main goal is to improve the lives of the students they are serving and get to see the changes they can make in their lives. David sees a great opportunity for Project Vida to grow with his program and the relationship it has with the different school districts.

JESUS ZAPATA, Chief Communications Officer

Jesus Zapata is starting his role as the Chief Communications Officer responsible for supporting all the organization's programs in effectively communicating their services to the community, providing the necessary tools to maximize reach, and work to establish a cohesive brand identity across all entities within the organization. He enjoys working with all the different programs and likes to have a wider point of view on the organization. One of his goals is to be present in the community by calling them to action, engaging them, and earning their trust.