The County has 10 great Employee Resource Groups (ERG). They are each led by a respective board who all demonstrate commitment and stewardship of its members to the various sectors of our community.

Get to know the Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employee (APACE) Vice President Annamarie Hernandez, a social worker supervisor with Aging and Independent Services

Q: How long have you worked for the County and what departments have you worked for?

A: I was hired in 2013 with the Health and Human Services Agency. I worked for Eligibility Operations and Self-Sufficiency Services as a human services specialist for several years. I currently work for Aging & Independence Services. Additionally, I have also worked seasonally for the Registrar of Voters.

Q: What do you do in your role/what are your job responsibilities?

A: As an in-home supportive services social worker III in the Quality Assurance Unit, I conducted thorough desk reviews and home visits to ensure that State and County regulations and policies were applied correctly. I recently promoted to social work supervisor on 4/22/22 and will supervise a unit of dedicated in-home supportive services social workers who assess the needs for new and ongoing customers who may be at risk for out-of-home placement.

Q: What’s your workplace superpower?

A: Using my Gallup Strength of Individualization, I like connecting with my peers and customers on a personal level and adapting my approach to meet their needs.

Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself outside of work.

A: I appreciate spending time with my family, friends, and furbaby preferably with good food and boba. I also enjoy volunteering, dancing and relaxing at home.

Q: What are you passionate about?

A: I am passionate about advocating for mental health and volunteering. I encourage emotional intelligence and I’m gratified when sharing my blessings with others.

Q. What is the best advice you’ve received from a mentor?

A: Regardless of classification, everyone’s voice matters.

Q: What are some resources that you find useful and recommend to others?

A: Attending many of the ERG professional development trainings has greatly helped my professional growth. All trainings are advertised on Insite.

You can connect with the AAPI (Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders) community or become an AAPI ally like myself by visiting the following resources: Right to Be Organization (formerly known as Hollaback for standing up against AAPI hate), Pacific Arts Movement, National Association of Asian American Professionals and the San Diego API Coalition.

Check the Convoy District for good food and fun.

And with the impacts of COVID, I recommend these mental health resources: NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), It’s Up to Us San Diego and our Employee Assistance Program.

Q: Tell us about your ERG.

A: APACE is a nonprofit organization. We are open to all County employees and community members, AAPI or not.

Our mission is to:

Celebrate the tremendous diversity of all Asian and Pacific Islander communities.
Support workforce recruitment and retention and participate in community outreach activities.
Promote and support professional development via interview preparation and administrative analyst workshops.
Actively support County initiatives like the Live Well San Diego vision.
Foster friendships by building a sense of community and belonging.

Q: Why are ERGs important?

A: ERGs provide inclusive and safe spaces that help members build community around common cultures, backgrounds and similarities. Our events allow for community service, professional development, and employee engagement through networking opportunities.

Q: What is your ERG looking forward to this year?

A: APACE welcomes everyone to our upcoming professional development events like the Admin Analyst Q&A Workshops at a future date. We’re excited to host several events during the AANHPI (Asian American Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders) Heritage Month in May: Convoy District Walking Tour on May 6th, Speaker Series with guest speaker Dr. Emily Do, Chief Pharmacy Officer on May 9 and an Anti-hate Panel/Town Hall in collaboration with the D&I Executive Team on May 18.

We will continue to host our ongoing community service events, interview preparation workshops and mixers. Please join us or visit our website to learn more!