MEMBER OF THE MONTH: CATALINA BERRY
Name: Catalina Berry
Company: Seton Health Plan
Role: Membership Engagement and Outreach Coordinator
- What brought you to Austin and how long have you been here? Throughout my summers at the University of Rochester I worked for a nonprofit near Lockhart. Once I graduated they offered me a full time job which brought me to Austin to stay. In August I will celebrate my 10 year anniversary of being an Austinite.
- How did you get connected to AYC? I initially heard about AYC through Seton’s sponsorship but I did not fully get involved until Tara Gray from the American Cancer Society told me to take my Hair Drive idea to the Leadership Service Committee. I went to my first meeting in January, shared my idea and right away the committee supported me. After 10 years of wanting to put this event together it will finally happen on July 23rd thanks to the support of AYC!
- What are you involved with in AYC or what is your favorite part of AYC? I am mainly involved with the Leadership Service Committee. My favorite part of AYC is meeting so many great people that share the same passions of wanting to make an impact in the world. I also love the support that is given to making things happen.
- Where can we find you brunching in Austin on any given Saturday? Anywhere you invite me! I love food!
- If you could have any superpower, what would it be and what would you use it for? Flying so I can travel around the world and live more experiences.
- If you could have any celebrity live next door to you, who would it be? The Obamas- the conversations would be great and we would always have a good time.
- If you had guests visiting Austin for the weekend, where is the first place you would take them to show them a good time? I would take them to eat brunch and then for a walk on Lady Bird Lake with views of Congress, the Bats and the city skyline finishing off with some paddle boarding.
- If you played hooky for a day, where would we find you and what would you be doing? Enchanted Rock- where after hiking I would go eat and hang out with my family.
- When people ask you what you do for a living, what do you tell them? “Making the world a better place, one meeting at a time”
- What technology could you not live without? Whatsapp- that is how I communicate with my family in the states and in Mexico.
- Who inspires you? I try to find inspirational qualities in the people I surround myself with- my mom’s strength, my dad’s gregarious personality, my sister’s intelligence. I am grateful to have amazing friends: Todd’s self-awareness, Darien’s enthusiasm, Ashley’s lifestyle- I could go on forever.
- What is your proudest accomplishment? I was 19 when I started planning the first ever New York program for high school sophomores with the National Hispanic Institute and the University of Rochester. This year it will be celebrating its 11th session.
- If you couldn’t live in Austin, where would you want to live? San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato. It is so beautiful and my extended family lives there.
- I want to learn how to…? swim effectively and quickly so I can complete a triathlon successfully.
- Pick:
Soup or Salad? Salad
Indoors or Outdoors? Outdoors
Winter or Summer? Summer
Tea or Coffee? Tea
Beer or Wine? Wine
Mountains or Beach? Mountains
