Vilma E. Castro

"How cold does it get in Chicago, Dad?", I asked as I prepared to leave Guatemala City at age 18. He pulled me into the kitchen to open the freezer door and put my head inside while exclaiming: "This cold and even colder!"

Fast forward many Winter coats later, I am a technology consultant offering a 15+ year career underscored by diverse technology and proven results in cultivating client relationships. I hold a Master's degree in Computer Science. My most recent project is in microservices-based architectures and APIs written in an object-oriented language hosted in Amazon Web Services (AWS) by Agile approach in a DevOps model. Previous engagements in customizing Microsoft SharePoint solutions also added valuable experience in workflow design, enterprise governance, responsive web design, Office 365 and Azure.

My interest in service and passion to empower others derives in part from my earlier experience in Chicago running a Spanish-speaking, battered women's program. While learning the bits and bytes in college, two of the most admirable women’s rights advocates were mentoring me in practicing supportive listening and partnering with domestic violence victims towards crisis resolution. It was here that I strengthened the bonds of respect, mentorship, responsibility, and caring that I had acquired in early school years from Catholic schools.

Also, my experience as the only member of my immediate family to live abroad and facing the twist of moderate, genetic hearing loss during my mid-twenties shifted my USA experience from “what an adventure!” to "what the heck do I do now?” Despite my studies of English and American culture at a well-known academy, learning to shift gears between two cultures and languages was fun, but it was also an arduous process, and that was with normal hearing. Also, lengthy and costly immigration processes limited my ability to visit home whenever I got homesick. All these experiences shaped my empathy towards the human experience.

Now an American citizen, I live out my love of fitness in group training doing weights and Centergy (a Yoga/Pilates discipline). I also live my love of the outdoors by regularly hiking, cycling and paddling. I also enjoy travel. Most recently, I took a month-trip to seven countries in Europe, and I have been to Alaska, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, and Peru. I am an early bird and practice daily meditation.