Giselle Alejo

Hello everyone!

My name is Giselle and I am currently trying to figure out how to improve my career path or figure out where I am the best fit. I have a B.A. in Environmental Studies from San Jose State University with an emphasize in Environmental Impact Assessments. My passion for environmental justice stems from my love of the environment, education, stewardship, and life. As of lately, I have become more passionate about making and maintaining human and environmental relationships wherever I go.

At this moment, I am an intern for Valley Water's Landscape Rebate Program aiding in promotion of our program, educational outreach at city events, administrative work making sure program is going smoothly, and customer service assisting community members receive their water saving rebates. While I love this internship, there is not much room to move up.

Additionally, I am an event coordinator for a small family run event company as well as a special events lead at a local science museum. Here I help with organizing client details, set up and take down, problem solving for sustainable events, and becoming one of the main contacts for clients, catering, and guests. I love these two jobs as well and would love to gain more experience in more of the planning and idea stages of events.

As I try to figure out the next stages of my early career, I am open to learning new skills and trying new career paths. I would describe myself as an eager learner, creative problem solver, organized, and easy going person with a positive attitude. Please feel free to reach out if you have any career or life advice as well as employment opportunities!

In the past, I have primarily worked in more customer facing positions. For example, I worked as kitchen staff at a local restaurant for 3 years, worked in retail at Vans for 2 years, and was a volunteer staff member at a local Boys and Girls Club. These jobs have taught me the importance of customer service in terms of customer-client relations as well as how to diffuse tough situations while maintaining a level of relatability and professionalism. 

During my time at San Jose State, I interned with the Santa Clara Hazardous Waste Hotline Center where I learned to do data entry for our program, conflict resolution, scheduling appointments, editing our website, and cross referencing approved recycling materials.

From then on, I worked a museum job in the Visitor Services department for about 2 years where I strengthened my customer-client relation skills, problem solving ability, multitasking, scheduling, and cross training skills.

For about a year, I worked as a student research assistant with SJSU looking the socioeconomic factors regarding CA wildfires and how to best create legislature to protect communities. Here I learned interviewing skills, data entry and audio transcription, outreach tactics, scheduling and organizational skills, as well as field work.

Currently I am working with Valley Water's Landscape Rebate program where I help manage the program as well as work with 11 other interns to ensure a smooth application process for Santa Clara residents. Here I have learned administrative skills such as organization, scheduling, tabling events, Microsoft and Google Software, creating meetings, training other interns, and editing our website.

At both event jobs, I typically aid in event set up and take down, ensuring employees understand event details, problem solving, and ensuring events all go to plan. 

I apologize for the long summary, however all the jobs I have had served as a great learning experience and show how much I have grown as a person.

In December of 2023, I received my B.A. in Environmental Studies with a minor in Impact Assessment from San Jose State University. I have hopes one day to continue my schooling.