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Born and raised in El Centro, Ivonne Sotomayor-Santos is a 2003 graduate of the Spartan program. She earned an Associate性视界传媒檚 Degree in Accounting from Imperial Valley College before obtaining her Bachelor性视界传媒檚 Degree in Accounting from California State University, San Marcos, in 2008. Upon returning to her hometown, Sotomayor-Santos worked at Swain and Kennerson for just over a decade.

However, she chose to temporarily retire after her husband became a partner at Hutchinson and Bloodgood. With two full-time accountants in the family, balancing work became challenging, so Sotomayor-Santos decided to become a stay-at-home mother just before the pandemic began.

During this time, she transitioned her career to focus on social media marketing and graphic design, while also providing bookkeeping consulting services to a few clients.

性视界传媒淎 lot of the things that you see from Soroptimist, like posts, flyers and stuff, I性视界传媒檓 the one behind them most of the time,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos, who leads Soroptimist International of El Centro, said. 性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檝e worked on some campaigns as well, doing the visual stuff like banners and posters and everything. So it性视界传媒檚 been good.性视界传媒�

Sotomayor-Santos shared that during this time, she became a mother to a little girl, a responsibility she has managed alongside her business and other commitments. She is currently serving as a Trustee on the City of Imperial Board.

In addition, Sotomayor-Santos has been the President of Soroptimist International of El Centro for the past three years. She has been a member of the organization since 2016, where she also held the position of Treasurer.

Soroptimist is a global volunteer organization dedicated to providing women and girls with access to the education and training necessary for achieving economic empowerment. According to Sotomayor-Santos, the organization assists women in returning to work and those with limited resources, especially single mothers and heads of households, who are striving to complete their education.

性视界传媒淲e don性视界传媒檛 know their circumstances, but we know that the key to it all to economic empowerment is education and training,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos said, who added that Soroptimist also helps young girls by giving them the foundation they need to pursue their careers like the recent Steam Wars held at Central Union High School. 性视界传媒淢ost of them do really well when they have mentors.性视界传媒�

According to Sotomayor-Santos, the local chapter of the Soroptimist Federation aligns its efforts with the United Nations性视界传媒� seven Sustainable Development Goals. 性视界传媒淲e are dedicated to helping women and girls in our community,性视界传媒� she stated.

Sotomayor-Santos also noted that, recognizing the community性视界传媒檚 broader needs, Soroptimist has expanded its initiatives to include men and boys. This approach ensures that women are included while supporting the community as a whole.

性视界传媒淲hen we give back to our community, the community comes back and gives back to us,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos said. 性视界传媒淪o that性视界传媒檚 what Soroptimist is.性视界传媒�

Sotomayor-Santos emphasized the importance of embracing the spirit of Soroptimists by forming partnerships with other organizations and nonprofits that can support each other. 性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 not easy to do things alone,性视界传媒� she remarked. 性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 very challenging to tackle everything on your own.性视界传媒�

She explained that Soroptimist members contribute by making donations, collaborating on programs, or even serving coffee to those in need.

性视界传媒淲e have to support each other,性视界传媒� she considered, adding, 性视界传媒淏ecause if we don性视界传媒檛, nothing gets done.性视界传媒�

Sotomayor-Santos said the Imperial Valley is constantly in the shadow of San Diego or Los Angeles, not many opportunities are available at the local level, which leads all organizations to work together to address the need in different areas.

A history of service

Sotomayor-Santos has also collaborated with organizations like WomanHaven, led by Soroptimist members Gina Vargas and Lydia Robles.

性视界传媒淪o when they need help they ask me,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos, who has encouraged Soroptimist members to join other organizations, said. 性视界传媒淚 always help because if they性视界传媒檙e part of us, then we give back to them.性视界传媒�

Collaboration fosters new ideas, diversity, and numerous benefits, including the introduction of innovative projects. One notable initiative that both organizations have worked on together is the 性视界传媒淐hristmas at the Movies性视界传媒� program, which also engages other agencies that serve children in need.

Sotomayor-Santos shared a valuable lesson from her career: the importance of articulating ideas that are realistic and achievable, allowing them to be embraced by Soroptimist members. The proposals she presented had a specific purpose: to encourage members to step out of their comfort zones and foster a sense of unity as they gradually began to reach out. This effort has resulted in significant growth for the Soroptimist organization, increasing its membership from 20 to 64 members in recent years.

性视界传媒淚t was hard,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos said. 性视界传媒淚t was hard because you have to lay that foundation because everybody just thought we were just the best kept secret and that we性视界传媒檙e very exclusive.性视界传媒�

One recently achieved goal was the inaugural Steam Wars event, which brought together dozens of high school students at Central Union High School to learn more about science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.

性视界传媒淚t was part of our dream to be a program for girls, and we had never been able to get that program off the ground,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos said, explaining that members worked very hard to engage students and help from community members after months of planning. 性视界传媒淔or the first time, we were able to come together.性视界传媒�

Conferences like Steam Wars, she said, take a lot of work and a lot of funds.

性视界传媒淎s president, I told them I needed for this program to be up and running,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos said. 性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 just really glad that during my time, my team was able to go with my idea, and do the big conference.性视界传媒�

The event, Sotomayor-Santos stated, was successful due to the camaraderie, partnership, and collaboration among members and women from various industries and backgrounds coming together to achieve a goal that the club had never anticipated.

性视界传媒淚t was wonderful to see it play out after so many years of trying to do this project and after a year of planning,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos said. 性视界传媒淭his feels like the crowning achievement for the club and myself.性视界传媒�

World connections

While leading Soroptimist International of El Centro, Sotomayor-Santos has had the opportunity to travel throughout the state and the country. This experience has allowed the club to connect with remarkable individuals from around the world. During a conference held in Bellevue, Washington, local Soroptimist members showcased the club性视界传媒檚 achievements and its impact on the federation, which includes clubs from all over the Americas, as well as Malaysia, Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan.

性视界传媒淭he one thing that they wanted to know, and I was proud to talk about, was increasing our membership because that is something that性视界传媒檚 very hard to do in nonprofits, and we did it,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos said. 性视界传媒淲e were getting asked a lot of questions about it, but at the same time we性视界传媒檙e making contacts.性视界传媒�

Soroptimist members have learned at these conferences how other clubs are struggling, while also building connections, gaining different perspectives, and understanding the wider world.

性视界传媒淓ven though we do help here in the Imperial Valley, we also have the duty to help women across the world because when they can性视界传媒檛 talk, we性视界传媒檙e supposed to talk for them. We性视界传媒檙e supposed to speak out for them,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos said. 性视界传媒淪o that性视界传媒檚 really, really great. It opened our eyes.性视界传媒�

Simultaneously, the local club has expanded its network by emphasizing that El Centro is making a significant effort, instilling membership pride by demonstrating that they are not passively allowing things to unfold.

性视界传媒淭his club is full of energy and full of people that really want to help, and it性视界传媒檚 amazing to see because once they know that we have several members that are slowly transitioning into different careers that they never thought that they would,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos noted.

Soroptimist has become a driving force for helping women return to school, pursue their education, and inspire members to enhance the community as a whole.

A notable example is NASA engineer Giovanna Camacho, who recently visited the town for the Steam Wars conference. She came to support the revival of Soroptimist after receiving assistance from one of the club性视界传媒檚 programs.

性视界传媒淏ecause of that, she was able to continue her education because Soroptimist was able to give her the money to go and continue her education, and now she性视界传媒檚 working for NASA,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos said. 性视界传媒淪o for her to come when we reached out to NASA and they connected us with her, there is a special connection there because she was giving back to us.性视界传媒�

The Soroptimist president stated that Camacho has become a symbol of the success of the club性视界传媒檚 programs, demonstrating their ability to support young girls.

性视界传媒淪he性视界传媒檚 an extraordinary example,性视界传媒� Sotomayor-Santos remarked, emphasizing that the club helped Camacho pay for her college books. 性视界传媒淭he Soroptimists provided that assistance, and now she性视界传媒檚 giving back to us by attending our conference and inspiring the next generation of girls. She shows them that 性视界传媒榊es, it is possible.性视界传媒� That性视界传媒檚 beautiful.性视界传媒�

As a final thought, Sotomayor-Santos encouraged women and young ladies to always pursue their dreams and not be afraid to speak up, as the worst that can happen is receiving a 性视界传媒渘o性视界传媒� in response. However, in that case, there will always be alternative ways to achieve their goals.

性视界传媒淚t性视界传媒檚 scary, but you have to raise your voice,性视界传媒� she said. 性视界传媒淵ou have to speak out because you have to be heard. What you have to say is important, and don性视界传媒檛 ever take it for granted.性视界传媒�

Sotomayor-Santos expressed pride in the club members who organized the recent conference and is impressed by the growth of Soroptimist International of El Centro.

性视界传媒淚 can性视界传媒檛 wait to see the next leadership that is going to come out of it because we have some very amazing women in the club, and I性视界传媒檓 very, very proud to see them move up,性视界传媒� she considered. 性视界传媒淪o it性视界传媒檚 just really a shout-out to all my members and thanking them for helping me grow as a person.性视界传媒�