Worcester Business Journal

26 Worcester Business Journal | August 17, 2020 | wbjournal.com Gonzalez came to Worcester as a 2-year-old from Puerto Rico, making it little surprising she would make celebrating cultural differences a priority. She joined Fallon's Council of Cultural Competency since its inception two years ago, developing and implementing cultural educational programs for the Worcester company's roughly 1,200 employees. Gonzalez, Fallon's Medicare sales compliance oversight manager and a 10-year employee, played a key role in launching Fallon Tree of Diversity, an interactive company-wide initiative to showcase the many backgrounds of its workforce. She's helped develop online training materials to teach workers at Fallon, one of the 15 largest employers based in Worcester, about her native Puerto Rico. Gonzalez spreads her talents around, too. She lends her vocal and writing abilities to a local music and video studio open to musical artists and kids with special needs, and she is a parent volunteer at Vernon Hill Elementary School. She's volunteered at a food pantry at Elm Park Community School, worked with Elm Park students as part of the Mary Keefe After School Art Program in collaboration with the Worcester Art Museum, and pitched in for Working For Worcester, an initiative building playgrounds and recreational space across the city. - G.W. Favorite Central Mass. restaurant? Nuestra. It's owned by my daughter's aunt Natalie Rodriguez, who's an entrepreneur and worked hard to bring authentic Puerto Rican food to Worcester. What career achievement was your hardest? Transitioning into a managerial role. Becoming a manager for employees I worked alongside who were mostly older than me was intimidating. But staying humble and professional allowed me to build healthy and respectful relationships, and I saw many of them progress into leadership roles themselves. Arpa Gonzalez, 30 Medicare sales compliance & agent oversight manager Fallon Health, in Worcester Residence: Worcester Birthplace: Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico Colleges: Quinsigamond Community College, Becker College As a nearly lifelong resident of Worcester, Guardiola utilizes his law degree and experience to help the Worcester community. Before joining the Worcester chamber in 2018, he worked for the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office as inspector in the business and labor protection bureau, where he received the Edward J. McCormack Jr. Award for Excellence in 2006, given to one employee throughout the entire office. Guardiola then worked investigating medical fraud at Commonwealth Medicine, a program through UMass Medical School in Worcester. He was the assistant campaign manager on the committee to elect Tim Murray, who served as lieutenant governor and is now the president and CEO of the Worcester chamber. Moreover, Guardiola lobbies the state government for small businesses in Worces- ter County while being a board member of the Worcester nonprofit YOU Inc., the Worcester Regional Food Hub, and the Worcester Education Collaborative. Since COVID-19, he has been assisting local businesses in navigating federal Paycheck Protection Program loans while helping businesses reopen and providing legal guidance. He volunteers around Worcester at the Friendly House, the Vernon Hill crime watch, his church, and local food pantries. - D.B. Who would play you in the movie about your life? Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. He is serious, quick-witted, and funny all in one. What is the first thing you'll do after the pandemic is over? Take a beach vacation! If you gave a keynote graduation speech, what would your message be? Work hard because nothing is promised. And be on time! By the way, on time is 10 minutes early. Alex Guardiola, 39 Director of government affairs and public policy Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce Residence: Worcester Birthplace: El Paso, Texas Colleges: University of New Hampshire, New England School of Law Gonzalez's daughter Rachel Rodriguez- Pacheco Schimmel's daughter Sadie Guardiola's mother Elvira 4 0 U N D E R F O R T Y

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