Much has been written about the how conspicuously few Latinos currently work at the top of the tech game. Much less has been written about those few Latinos trailblazers doing outstanding work every day in technology. To begin filling this void, earlier this month I wrote Lessons From Latinos With Dream Jobs in Tech for Fox News Latino. The post focused mainly on private sector Latinos in dream jobs at Twitter, Facebook, and Google. It was well-received, so I reached out to a couple more Latinos -- this time focusing specifically on folks doing great work in government tech. Here's what they had to say:
Name: Francisco Reinoso
Age: 44
Title: Deputy Chief Information Officer, US Peace Corps
What is your job and what did it take for you to get there?
As the Deputy CIO, I work on strategy and manage the execution of IT operations and services for the Peace Corps. I'm the product of a liberal arts education. My communications skills landed me a training job at a tech company, where I learned about software development. Then I became a consultant, gravitated toward the political sciene, and ultimately landed in the government. While I never had a master plan for my career, I've continuously focused on connecting people and solutions.
What advice can you offer Latinos aspiring for top jobs in the tech industry?
Never stop learning. Find your strengths and your preferred work style, but don't limit yourself to what you know you can do. Antonio Machado said it best: no hay camino, se hace camino al andar.
Name: Xavier Hughes
Age: 38
Title: Chief Innovation Officer, U.S. Department of Labor
What is your job and what did it take for you to get there?
I oversee the research & development agenda for open government, the introduction of new technologies to jump-start the workforce system, enhance agency customer service, and the use of open data ecosystems to protect the public and encourage problem solving. I got to where I am today by being honest with people, educating myself, working really hard, and making it my mission in life to empower individuals and organizations to get the most out of their people and processes. I've had the good fortune of working across various industries which have offered me a great perspective on how things work across all walks of life. I have also greatly benefited from living overseas, having been born in San Sebastian, Spain and lived in Mexico City, Mexico.
What advice can you offer Latinos aspiring for top jobs in the tech industry?
Focus on the industries and jobs of tomorrow, and empower yourself with the right tools and training to succeed in those sectors. Make sure to nurture your professional relationships, identify 2-3 mentors and be genuine with people. Don't stay too long in one job, challenge yourself with new professional adventures and never get too comfortable; in life, we learn the most when we are the least settled.
Clearly this list of testimonials is not all-inclusive. Do you know of other Latinos doing big things in the tech sector (government or otherwise)? Are you one such Latino? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter.