Marcela Hermosillo-Tarin

Employee engagement manager, Broadlawns Medical Center

Age: 37

Spouse: Sergio Navar

Children: Luis Hermosillo and Elliana Navar

Reasons she is a Forty: She beat the odds when she earned her master’s degree from Drake University in 2017. She developed and led delivery of numerous integrated and education training programs that aligned with the statewide Future Ready Iowa initiative. She served or has been a part of the following organizations: Al Exito, Latina Leadership Initiative Leadership Institute for a New Century (LINC), FBI Citizens Academy, Minority Unemployment and Outreach Committee Members, Latino Center of Iowa, Iowa Literacy Council. 

What are your goals in your role at your company? Attracting outstanding talent and positioning Broadlawns Medical Center as an employer of choice is a top priority. To deliver on this goal I partner with our leaders on processes and systems that increase employee engagement and retention to deliver the best patient experience in Central Iowa. 

What are your goals for your community involvement? Being engaged in ways that have a positive community impact are very important to me. I will continue to partner with organizations to address areas of personal performance, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, self-efficacy, and psychological and emotional needs to ensure Central Iowa is a place people want to call home.

What's your biggest passion, and why? I am passionate about change management. The only constant in organizations and with people is change. When the people-side of change is managed in a structured manner, the processes and systems are more likely to be adopted, which creates mutually rewarding experiences for organizations and the employees. 

What is it that drives you? Being pregnant at the age of 16, 21 years ago, felt as if I wore a scarlet letter. I had friends whose parents refused to continue to allow them to hang out with me because they were worried about the type of influence I have on them. Through this experience, I learned to never judge others by a life event but rather by their “ganas” to succeed. 

What are your future aspirations? Part of living our best lives requires us to do it in spaces where we can feel creative, comfortable and worthy. I plan to continue to work with my husband on Serenity by Design and increase our client base to make sure people of all backgrounds have a home that is designed to be their best selves.

Three hobbies: Staging homes – the before and after photos are great conversation starters. I am a yoga aficionado. Let’s face it, between work, running a small business, volunteering in my community and raising two kids, I don’t have a lot of time for any other hobbies. 

Fun fact: At the age of 9 she won third place at a statewide chess tournament.

One word to describe you: Transformational. 

What is your wish for the Central Iowa business community? Personal transformation and becoming your best self are made easier when you have a place to go to that you love. At Serenity by Design, my husband and I transform urban houses into homes. In the next two years, I want SBD to be the construction company of choice for neighborhood revitalization in Central Iowa. 

What's one piece of advice that you would give to a young professional? Enjoy the journey and be patient. About seven years ago, I stopped worrying about my job title or the desire to formally be a manager of people. When I changed my mindset and committed to being the best in areas that align with my core values, opportunities that I couldn’t even imagine opened up. Sometimes, all it takes is one person to believe in you more than what you believe in yourself. 

What is one issue you would like to see Central Iowa leaders address? We need to continue expanding mental health resources in our communities and providing mental health support within our organizations. Individuals who are mentally healthy can cope with the normal stresses of life. Focusing on mental health will allow organizations to hire more top performers, which in turn leads to positive organizational outcomes. 

Anything else you haven't addressed that people must know about you? When I moved to Iowa, I didn’t speak any English. I was scared, overwhelmed and wondered what my future could be. Regardless of my setbacks, I never gave up; instead I allowed those setbacks to be my fuel. Today I consider myself a successful bilingual professional, my husband and I own a successful business. 

I am a dedicated mother, a U.S. citizen, community advocate and most importantly I consider myself an Iowan.

I don’t want to only be an example of what success looks like but rather continue to provide support for others to find their best paths forward.

I will continue to grow as a leader and not be defined by my title but by my genuine persona and ability to find win-win solutions for the organization and community in which I serve, live, and choose to dedicate my time and expertise.