Representative: Core Members Management Board - Central, South America & The Caribbean 

I have been an active member of IAM since 2009, when I attended my first convention in Orlando, Florida. Since then, being part of IAM —at that time the association name was still HHGFAA (Household Goods Forwarders Association of America)—has become something very special and very rewarding to my professional life.

Soon after that first conference, I volunteered with the youth committee (YP-35, now IAM-YP) and together we started working. At That time, I was responsible for the young people of the IAM members in South America. My role was assisting them harness the momentum of their young professional life in the Association. Even though I had little action with my role, being part of the board helped me to grow professionally. While on that team (which was an amazing one), I met new agents who I hadn’t had the opportunity to work with before, increasing my network and learning each year to develop my leadership skills.

My professional background and who I am in this industry today has a lot to do with who I was before, and how much I learned being a part of wonderful IAM teams.

If I could give one piece of advice to those who want to volunteer, it would be: come! Be a part of it... in a few years you will see everything you will have learned and how much you will have grown while helping other people. Check out all that IAM has to offer you, analyze what you can do better, and participate. It’s good for you, and it will be good for others.