Gabrielle Carrillo

As a child, my teachers frequently informed my mother that I was “too loud,” “too talkative,” “too feisty,” or “too bossy.” These assessments were something that I heard so often it was difficult not to believe the narrative. It took time to understand that these characterizations were my superpowers. I was loud because I wanted my voice heard. I was talkative because I was curious and wanted to share my thoughts and ideas. I was feisty because I was courageous and determined in my actions. I was bossy because I was a leader. I was a little girl with Mexican heritage living in a predominately upper-class white community. While I may not have realized my circumstances at the time, even as a child, I knew I wanted to make an impact and that I could stand firm in my beliefs and core values. Authentic, passionate, motivated, confident, and clever are the words my mother used to describe me, and these are the words that represent who I still am today. I’ve been working in customer service since I graduated from the University of Washington in 2012. I aspired to become a store manager to impact change in the industry I was a part of. It took me many years to recognize micro-aggressions, translate unconscious bias and acknowledge my experiences, which has continually powered my determination to move forward. As a store manager, I successfully recruited and hired 30 candidates within eight months in 2021, all of whom embraced and represented diverse backgrounds. I made it my mission to hire employees that reflected our communities and those with different stories to tell so that we could learn from one another, allow ourselves to sit in discomfort, and be open to conversations to grow. I’ve learned that equity and inclusion do not only show up in our hiring practices. It’s not only about seeking talent using more diverse avenues or setting goals to achieve the proper metrics to represent diversity in an organization. The diligence lies in creating a safe environment and culture that embraces everyone for who they are. This is how I will strive to make a difference: to reach for excellence, to hire and source qualified candidates that are open to conversations and collaboration. I believe the skills I’ve developed over the years interviewing, onboarding, building relationships, leading teams through change, and creating a culture of warmth and belonging will be an asset as a Human Resources Partner, Recruiter, and Sourcer. Please feel free to reach out if you’d like to connect further. I would love to continue building relationships.