From September 15 to October 15, we’re becoming a member of the nation in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, a month which honors the varied cultures of People whose ancestors characterize nations in Central and South America, the islands of the Caribbean, Mexico, and Spain. Throughout this time, Crothall Healthcare desires to shine a highlight on our Hispanic workforce members and the superb work they do, day in and time out.
Sonia Maldonado is one such workforce member, an affiliate who has been with Crothall for practically 20 years, and whose contributions and story replicate the targets of our group. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Sonia moved to Brooklyn, NY on the age of 15, shortly earlier than turning into a younger single mom at 16. Whereas the circumstances had been troublesome, being a brand new mom in a brand new place, Sonia had at all times been motivated and rose to the problem for herself and her son. She made the troublesome resolution to drop out of highschool and start working to assist her son.
She gained expertise working in retail, then spent 4 years with a substance abuse program. When she misplaced this place, she reached out to a detailed good friend who labored for Morrison Healthcare—it simply so occurred that an administrative EVS place was open with Crothall at that very same account. Sonia was employed and given a yr during which to acquire her GED. Undeterred, she as an alternative earned her GED inside weeks of the interview, and her profession with Crothall started.
As a younger Latina girl main groups predominantly comprised of males, Sonia usually needed to work tougher to earn the respect and belief of the groups she managed. Nevertheless, with every passing day she realized to like her place, turning into used to the every day rush and the truth that there was at all times one thing new to sort out. She embraced the teachings she realized every day, and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than she grew to become a director at a 200-bed facility within the Bronx.
Over her twenty years with Crothall, Sonia has been a director at Elmhurst Hospital, Kings County Hospital, Atlantis Nursing Residence, Mount Sinai, and JCMC. She is now a mom to 2 grown kids, and has set her sights on her subsequent purpose: returning to high school to acquire her B.A. She has overcome many challenges in her profession, however Sonia wouldn’t have it some other approach. Her heritage as a proud Boriqua and the adversity she has overcome has given her the power to face any problem that comes her approach. The larger the problem, the extra decided she is to succeed.
“I’m very happy with being Puerto Rican and with the ability to say that Spanish is my first language,” Sonia says, “I need to proceed to develop and be an instance to younger folks that could be in the identical scenario I used to be — it doesn’t need to cease them from reaching their targets.”
