Paulina Cisneros (she/her)

Currently, on leave.

I was born and raised in Mexico. I came to Canada when I was 15 and completed high school in Calgary. While I studied for my undergraduate degree at Waterloo, I worked different part-time jobs until I started working with adults with developmental disabilities. Once I graduated, I worked there full-time and eventually transitioned to working with persons with mental health concerns. After a while, I studied Human Resources Management and learned a lot through my experience in recruiting. One of the things that I learned the most was that I preferred helping people through the employment process instead of being the one doing the hiring. That is when I found the Kitchener-Waterloo Multicultural Centre where I was fortunate enough to support newcomers to Canada through the employment process. I worked there for about 3 years before returning to campus.

I have been working at the Centre for Career Development since 2017 and I love being able to have moments of connection with the students that I come in contact with. They are inspirational, bright, and keep me excited to work every day. I aim to provide service from an anti-oppression lens to be as inclusive as possible and see each student for the whole human that they are so we can meet where they are and work through next steps together.

As an immigrant to Canada and as a brown woman, I have seen the consistent systemic barriers that exist in the employment field both in my own life and with friends, family, and those whom I have supported throughout the years. I know the toll this takes day-in and day-out. I am extremely passionate in sharing my story and working with others to navigate barriers that they might in their lives. I am also always happy to talk about my non-linear career path, politics, 90 Day Fiancé, early 2000s metal, and Shakira’s early work (pre-English!). I truly enjoy watching football, spending time with family, dancing poorly, finding joy in mundane situations, Batman, Sunday morning breakfasts, English bulldogs, weird cars, and being in the sun.

Education:

• Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Social Development Studies Minor, University of Waterloo
• Post-graduate diploma in Human Resources Management, Conestoga College
• Master of Education, Wilfrid Laurier University