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I was born in Adelaide but spent most of my childhood in Canberra. I am of Nicaraguan and German descent, but have always felt more connected to my Nicaraguan side as my maternal grandmother lived with us growing up.
My lifestyle outside of work was previously more indoors and enjoying luxury. However, my partner enjoys anything to do with the outdoors. We compromise by embracing both our lifestyle preferences. Nowadays you can catch me at the opera with my Mum or out in nature, hiking and camping with my partner.
I’m the Director of Business Solutions based in our Turrbal and Yuggera office (Brisbane). My role involves engaging with stakeholders, people across IBA and providing program leadership. My day to day is always different and doing what I can to elevate our business program and support the people who deliver it.
In school I enjoyed maths and business subjects so I completed an undergrad in Commerce at the ANU. Later in life I went back to study to complete my CPA and did an MBA at Melbourne University.
My career has been in the corporate and government sectors ranging from AMP, Commonwealth Department of Finance, Victorian Treasury, Queensland Treasury and acting CEO at HealthShare Victoria.
I found my way to IBA when a recruiter contacted me suggesting I would be a good fit. After doing my research it was the purpose that drew me in and I’ve been working here for 18 months.
Australia is a prosperous country and I believe with that wealth there should be economic equality. At IBA we have the resources to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people access capital that supports their businesses, and those businesses create a space where mob can flourish.
This aligns with my values of caring about communities and creating change. It’s important to get satisfaction from what you’re doing.
When I think about how Indigenous businesses have evolved, two things stand out.
These things reshape the way people are looking at Indigenous businesses. Traditionally, people saw Indigenous businesses as limited to tourism and cultural tours, but the continued growth of Indigenous businesses, and the variety of industries they now operate in, demonstrate that the sector offers so much more.
First Nations businesses offer capabilities that might have not been valued in the past. Things like a holistic approach to business management and organisational culture, which are key to driving innovation and economic development.
My favourite book is ‘The Alchemist’ because it’s a beautiful story and the first novel I read in Spanish.
