Resume

HR and global mobility leader with 24 years of experience across research institutions, international diplomacy, energy, and financial services — including 12+ years building and scaling HR operations at the University of Central Florida's NanoScience Technology Center. Skilled in full-cycle talent acquisition, employee relations, compliance, and cross-border immigration services, with native fluency in Spanish and language study in French, Italian, Basque (Euskera), and Turkish. Known for building trusted partnerships with researchers, leadership, and multicultural teams across complex organizations.

Full-Cycle Talent Acquisition and Workforce Planning · Employee Relations and Conflict Resolution · HR Compliance and Regulatory Administration · Global Mobility and Immigration Services · Compensation, Payroll, and Benefits Administration · Talent Lifecycle and Appointment Management · HRIS and Workday Transactions · Huron Research Suite · Organizational Development · Cross-Cultural Communication and Translation · Event and Stakeholder Management

Office of Research, Florida Space Institute, and Burnett Honors College | Orlando, FL | October 2014 – Present. Serves as primary HR liaison and strategic partner for faculty, researchers, postdoctoral scholars, graduate assistants, and student employees, supporting approximately 70 people across multiple research units. Manages full-cycle recruitment, workforce planning, onboarding, employee relations, and compensation and salary analysis, handling approximately 1,500 transactions. Administers appointment and employment processes for faculty, graduate assistants, and postdoctoral researchers, including cross-border immigration matters — about 30 employer-sponsored petitions annually, spanning H-1B, O-1, and J-1 categories. Advises leadership, staff, and departmental administrators on HR policy, immigration requirements, and regulatory compliance, and serves as a trusted advisor on employment matters, workplace concerns, and conflict resolution.

New York, NY | January 2009 – October 2014. Directed comprehensive HR operations — employee relations, talent acquisition, benefits administration, compensation, and organizational development — for the Delegation, while coordinating employment documentation and immigration processes for international employees to ensure compliance with U.S. employment and immigration regulations. Administered payroll, bookkeeping, and budget monitoring for the Delegation office, and led complex, multi-stakeholder projects from planning through execution. Planned and executed roughly four major cultural, educational, and community events each year across the Tri-State area and West Coast in coordination with the Basque Government Delegate and Spanish diplomatic representatives, and coordinated official travel and logistics for senior Basque Government officials, including participation in events at the United Nations. Built strategic partnerships with vendors, cultural institutions, and community stakeholders, and translated and culturally adapted communications and materials between English and Spanish.

Clifton, NJ | March 2007 – December 2008. Managed performance management, employee relations, compensation and benefits administration, EEO compliance, and policy implementation, partnering with leadership on workforce planning to foster a positive, compliant workplace culture. Also administered accounts payable and receivable, payroll, and financial recordkeeping alongside core HR duties, and planned marketing and business-development events representing the organization at industry conferences and trade shows across the Tri-State area.

Orlando, FL | November 2002 – August 2006. Provided full-cycle HR and accounting support — including employee relations, recruitment and staffing, onboarding, training, relocation assistance, compensation administration, and performance management — across multiple Vetco subsidiaries in Venezuela's petroleum and oil industry. Managed accounts payable and receivable, payroll, and financial recordkeeping, and prepared and translated financial and business materials in English and Spanish to support international operations, acquisitions, and commercial transactions within the energy sector. Also planned investment and business-development events connecting Venezuelan business leaders and government representatives with prospective investors.

Case Manager, KidsPeace, Altamonte Springs, FL (August 2006 – March 2007) — conducted case assessments and coordinated treatment plans for children referred by schools, courts, and mental health agencies. Student Assistant, Department of Foreign Languages, University of Central Florida (2002); Spanish and ESL Tutor, Valencia College (2001).

Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, University of Central Florida, 2003. Associate of Arts, Valencia College, 2001. U.S. First Professional Degree in Law (Juris Doctor equivalent), Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, Venezuela, 2000. French language study, Alliance Française de Barquisimeto, Venezuela, 1996. Euskera (Basque) language study, Instituto Cervantes, New York, 2011.

Spanish — Native. English — Native. Italian — Intermediate. French — Intermediate (Alliance Française de Barquisimeto, Venezuela). Basque / Euskera — Basic (Instituto Cervantes, New York). Turkish — Basic.

CUPA-HR (College and University Professional Association for Human Resources) member. NCURA — National Council of University Research Administrators. Alliance Française. Instituto Cervantes (Basque language study).

PTA member, Hagerty High School, Oviedo, FL (2026 – Present). PTA member, Jackson Heights Middle School, Oviedo, FL (2024 – Present). Member, Oviedo Historical Society, Oviedo, FL (2025 – Present).

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