UCSB Staff Testimonial Cristina Esparza
When you work at UCSB, professional growth is right in your backyard. For Cristina Esparza, putting her campus staff benefits to work by enrolling in the Human Resources Management certificate program at PaCE was the start of an unexpected career transformation.
Cristina enrolled with clear goals in mind: "skill development and job advancement," she says. "The program provided me with tools to be an effective leader, especially leading in the age of AI. These tools will be valuable as I continue to move up in my organization."
Her coursework provided a balanced mix of human connection and modern technology. "One of the courses I took, taught by Maria Elena Welch, took a deep dive into Emotional Intelligence," Cristina explains. "I thought it was great, and I now apply the skills I learned at work in my current leadership role."
When it came to modern tech, instructor Cris Lapp helped reframe the entire conversation around automation and executive strategy. "I liked my last instructor, Cris Lapp. He was very different than other instructors and had a different philosophy as a CEO. He taught us how to embrace AI, especially as emerging leaders," she notes. "Also, I no longer dread AI. I am more open to using it and helping me be better as a leader."
By combining emotional intelligence with tech fluency, Cristina gained the exact edge she needed to navigate the future of work on campus. "The certification is huge," Cristina says. "I think the classes under this program are great and the information taught is invaluable."