Christine is the CEO of FLITE Center, a nonprofit guiding those aging out of foster care and other vulnerable youth through a successful transition to independence through housing, education, employment and system of care coordination. While her day-to-day has changed quite a bit since the onset of the pandemic (see: homeschooling two kids under the age of 10 while managing an organization/team and trying to take some time for herself), Christine remains motivated, resilient and steadfast in accomplishing FLITE’s important mission of helping 1,500 youth transition into independent living per year.

The Basics:

Hometown: Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Raised in Bronx, NY
Current city: Coral Springs, FL
Alma mater: University of Dayton; Barry University; Florida Atlantic University
Degree: Master of Social Work
Very first job: Lead Therapist, Meridian Behavioral Healthcare
Hustle: CEO, FLITE Center

The Interests:

Babe you admire and why?
My mom is phenomenal and I owe so much of my success to her. Through her support, love and guidance I have been able to navigate through all of life’s challenges and opportunities. Another babe who stands out to me is my mother-in-law, Dee. Aside from being the mother to my amazing husband, she is a two-time breast cancer survivor, a loving grandmother and one of the most inspiring, genuinely kind human beings I know. As a NICU nurse, she has given hope and comfort to parents during an often terrifying time, and gives pure love to tiny humans during the most delicate time of their lives. She is one of the people who has taught me about forgiveness, to hustle hard but to slow down enough to enjoy the ride, to not put work above missing out on the best years with my family,  and to find the blessings in everything, every day. She’s worked hard but has loved even harder, and I have a feeling she has made it through more than anyone will ever know—yet she brings more light into people’s lives than anyone I have ever met.

What’s something you want to learn or master?
I have always, always wanted to learn to salsa dance better. It has always been a goal of mine—and something I hope to accomplish with my husband. We danced to Marc Anthony and La India’s “Vivir lo Nuestro” at our wedding. My hope is to dance it again on one of our anniversaries.

Favorite way to unplug?
My favorite way to unplug daily is to play with my little ones and binge-watch a great series or movie. To be honest, this shortlist used to include working out, so I’m trying to work my way back to that again. When possible though, I love getting away. My favorite are weekend trips to Orlando or somewhere within driving distance—but away. It forces me to talk during the roadtrip, to not do housework, not cook, not do laundry or anything else that might distract me from relaxing and making family time. Obviously, this is not a regular occurrence, but as life has recently pointed out, making memories is invaluable.

The Hustle:

Tell us about your hustle.
While making breakfast and coffee, I check emails from my phone and start messaging the team about any tasks for the day. Then we sit down to start school—now homeschool. My sons are 4 and 8, so learning looks very different for them and keeping them focused is challenging. My goal has been to carve out some morning hours for this process so they can learn while they are fresh. So I try, whenever possible, to set meetings for the afternoon. After the morning learning is done, the rest of the day consists of multitasking 2.0! I usually feel behind so I’m on emails, calls, Zoom meetings and completing administrative tasks (i.e. budgets, etc.). Somewhere in-between I make the kids lunch, try to get them outdoors (so they don’t become gamer/tablet zombies), clean up after each feeding/snack time, and start dinner. Then there’s bath time, bedtime, cleanup, possibly more work and then I shut it all down. I can honestly say that this new hustle comes with a lot of exhaustion and days of feeling like not enough was accomplished, neither on the parenting or the work end. When I feel like I have had a super productive workday, I consequently feel like I was neglectful as a parent and vice versa.  I know these are the years/ages that go by so fast, and I will always cherish the time we have had through this pandemic. The laughs definitely outweigh the sweat and tears.

Have you always been passionate about social services? What led you to pursue work in the industry?
I’ve always loved helping people, but in high school, I thought I wanted to go into law—so I worked in a law firm each summer. Our family was simultaneously going through some fairly normal teenage/parent conflicts, which led to us all ending up in individual and family counseling offered by my school. The effect it had on us as a family and on my relationship with my mother made me realize HOW I wanted to help people. So I changed my major in college to Psychology. This coupled with a few internship experiences confirmed that social work was what I wanted to pursue as a career.

What are some notable experiences you’ve had on the job recently?
Whether to share information about the PPP loan process, talk about how others are balancing homeschooling and work or just to do a “wellness” check, it has been remarkable to have my colleagues become good friends. It’s been reassuring to see our community pull together as it has, reaffirming how special Broward County is. Lastly, I stand in awe of my team. They have been such a motivation and have continued to provide emergency services to our youth weekly, without fail.

How have your past professional and academic experiences and lessons prepared you for the work you do today? How have they not prepared you?
I feel like my job at FLITE Center is truly my calling. And I think everything that has happened in my life has contributed and led up to this moment. Whether it be my schooling or my personal experiences growing up, I feel that I have landed exactly where I was always supposed to be. Without some of my previous experiences I would not have been able to be an effective leader now. Not only have I been able to observe effective leaders throughout my time in social services, but I’ve also been able to develop the maturity to know that leading others is more about them than it is about you. If I never had the hands-on education to show me that, I would have been a very different person now in my role. In regards to my academic preparation, I’ve always felt that there should be more preparation to becoming an administrator in social work. I know there are nonprofit management programs out there, but I think being able to actually shadow someone who is a nonprofit leader is equally valuable to the work that they teach you when you’re in the academic program.

What are some ways that we can support those in your job/industry right now?
First, I think we have to acknowledge that there are nonprofit organizations out there who have continued to serve our fragile community despite fears of exposure to the virus. We are guardians of the community and we are keenly aware that we must be here, in place, ready to pick the community up off the floor, one person at a time. So, when possible, help support those organizations by making financial donations, volunteering your time or sharing information about their mission on social media.

How are you balancing your demanding role right now with your own health + wellness? How do you leave your work “at work” and turn off for the day?
Nonprofit work always presents the challenge of having a good work/life balance. Now with the pandemic, I find it a bit more difficult to shut off because I am now working in my home environment all the time. My responsibilities as a parent and homeschooling greatly affected my ability to go into the office more often. I recently purchased a row machine because I realized I need to start focusing on my personal wellness more, and I knew that it would only happen if I had the opportunity available to meet at home. And then there are some days where I try to really put aside all electronics and spend time with my children in the pool or watching movies.

How would you say being a woman has affected your professional experience? What can we do to create more equal, uplifting (and well-paying!) spaces for women in your industry?
Being a woman poses the challenge of people questioning your ability to successfully manage a business while simultaneously managing a household/family life. I’ve also experienced an underestimation of my intellect based on looks and assumption that my business knowledge might be limited. I pride myself on mentoring other young professional women—and many times, those who underestimate their own abilities. The difference is, I give them the opportunity to apply what they have learned at our agency. I give them the space and opportunity to grow and sharpen their tools so we can shine together.

Career and/or life advice for other babes?
The best advice that I could give someone within the industry is to learn the business side of social services without losing sight of the reason you got into the field. Don’t let anyone sell you or your ideas short. Innovation exists within this field just like it does in any other business. So many people think that because social work involves emotions and ethics, the workers involved in social work don’t want to or need to get paid above livable wages. So I tell people not to sell themselves short and not to sell their intellectual capital short. It does them and the industry no justice. In general, my best advice is to never underestimate yourself. Break boundaries and face challenges head-on. And most of all, be a good person. Be real. Be authentic and transparent. Don’t let your ego drown who you set out to be. Be fierce but always have integrity.

Connect with Christine:

Website / Facebook / Instagram / Email

This interview has been condensed and edited.

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