Gabby has been working here at the Rec Center for almost 4 years and is currently the Assistant Director of Club Sports and Youth Gymnastics. Parents compliment Gabby on her coaching abilities and her gymnastic kids all talk about how amazing of a coach she is. She is always willing to go the extra mile and help others in need. Additionally, she is the Rec staff socialite and likes to help organize staff gatherings at and outside of work.
When and how did you become a part of the REC staff? I started in 2014 as the Club Sports and Youth Gymnastics Intern and then in 2015 I became the Assistant Director of Club Sports, so I’ve been here 4 years.
In this position what do you do? Oversee all the club sports which we have 54 teams and I also run our youth gymnastics program which has 200 participants in it.
What do you like the most about your job? Oh, there are so many things. One of the biggest things I like is the people I work with, all the people here at the Rec are really great and we make work fun. Also working with the club sports, developing their leadership and helping them through problems. Seeing our teams succeed and knowing that you had a small part in that and just being able to help the students, and help them for their future. And then the gymnastics program, I get to see little tiny kids progress all the way through. I usually work with the older girls and just seeing them get the skills that they’ve been working on forever it’s really rewarding.
What’s your best memory at the REC?
It’s hard because we have so many great ones. I would probably say, I think it was two winters ago, a big group of us walked to Goggin and went ice-skating during lunch, and Dean was ice-skating and that was great. That’s probably one of the best ones.
How would your colleagues describe you? I don’t know, probably silly. I would hope they’d say I’m hardworking but I think they’d probably say something towards silly. Fun? I don’t know I handle most of the social things that happen so something around that.
What’s your favorite recreational activity? Not cardio… Swimming probably, I’ve been a swimmer my whole life and tumbling even though I’m not very coordinated anymore but it would probably be one of those two.
What are you most passionate about? Helping people succeed. I was ready to fail out of college, I was about to drop out, I hated school. My mentor totally turned everything around for me, so I’m hoping to be that person, even if it’s just a small thing, being able to help someone. To just have the ability to impact people every day. 
When are you happiest? When I’m sleeping… probably when I’m home with my husband and my pets hanging out. Or at an alpaca farm!
Do you have a personal philosophy that you live by?
No, I mean I guess one thing I live by is “find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life” because that’s how I feel here.
By Dania Puente