Term of office: 2022–2025
(2023–24 president)
Pronouns: she/her
Connect with Yessenia on LinkedIn.
About Yessenia: I am an alumna of UW, earning an Honours BA in Spanish and Latin American Studies, minoring in Italian and French Studies as well as a specialization in Spanish/English Translation. I hold a MA from University of Guelph in Latin American and Caribbean Studies. I’ve worked in medical/legal translation for law firms and medical research companies within the KW region and have also been at UWaterloo in various positions for several years. One of the most cherished roles was being a sessional lecturer and getting to teach Spanish to our first-year students! This year as president aside, I am the Administrative Manager for both Spanish and Latin American Studies, and Germanic and Slavic Studies.
Translation and interpretation are fields that have become important to me, not only professionally but also personally. Working with refugees new to Canada and helping them have a smoother transition is more than just a job to me. This work has been fulfilling and has created lasting relationships within my community that I cherish.
Reason for running: It takes one person to believe in you and help you to take that next step, to accept that next challenge. Thank you to those special people who did that for me! I ran for office to give a voice to many staff on campus that feel that they do not have one; minorities, marginalized groups, and staff who just feel unseen. My own experiences on campus pushed me to demand for a better working environment for us all. Though change may not come as quickly as we desire, we ought to start somewhere today.
Vision for the UWSA: At its core, I believe the UWSA should defend, protect, and advocate for staff. We should be the ones dealing with the concerns voiced by our members. We should be working collaboratively with the University to make important changes that will improve our working environment on campus. I want to encourage our staff to be involved within the association so that we can hear the voices within our community. I hope to see our association grow and with everyone’s support, we can build a better workplace.
Term of office: 2022–2025
