01/02/2018 -
.png)
Name:
Christine Vasquez
Years at SCOE:
Started in June 2017
Job Title:
Event Planner
How do you describe your job to people outside SCOE?
I help different departments plan events and workshops. Since I’ve been here, I also organized a professional development opportunity around an exhibit at the De Young Museum about the ancient city of Teotihuacan. I brought in my friend, an anthropologist, to present about the city’s history and culture.
Where did you grow up?
LA, born and raised. I came to Sonoma County about 20 years now to go to Sonoma State and decided not to leave. I got my graduate degree in public administration from Sonoma State too.
Who was your favorite childhood teacher and why?
Mrs. Leventhal. Sixth grade. She taught us about ancient Egypt and that inspired me to be interested in history. I still have my first History book, The Book of the Dead, from a King Tut exhibit that was in LA at the same time that Mrs. Leventhal was my teacher. My neighbor took me and let me buy that book. In January, I'm going to work with a friend who is a teacher at Tech Middle on a project for the STEAM showcase on ancient egypt - a virtual museum.
What is your favorite thing about working for SCOE?
From the moment I got here, it was all about working as a team and supporting each other. I also appreciate the opportunity to directly support students. I recently went with Brulene (Zanutto) to support her maker event for Kindergarten kids at Mark West Elementary.
What is one of your most memorable moments as a SCOE employee?
reMAKE education (in August) was fun. That was my first big event. It was like jumping into the fire. It was really cool, because working in higher ed I wasn’t exposed to those kinds of opportunities. It was great seeing how many teachers came from all over the state and what they were making to take back to their classrooms. I was really impressed.
Outside of work, what is your favorite hobby or way to unwind?
I do papercut. It’s the art of cutting out paper, like the banners in Mexican restaurants or Dia De Los Muertos celebrations. I also like motorcycles. I have two Cafe Racers that I modified myself.
What is your favorite place in Sonoma County?
I love going out to Bodega, hanging out at the cliffs by the beach. It’s so different from southern California.
What is one thing that might surprise people to learn about you?
I worked at a wildlife refuge and was once outsmarted by an Orangutan.
I was in my 20's and worked at the Wildlife Waystation in Los Angeles. The veterinarian was there only one day a week so I worked in the hospital helping take care of the animals -- big and small. I was new and had to give the Orangutan her medications. So I had grapes to put her pills in. I was told that she would just take them and eat them. WELL, I made the mistake of putting the pills in the grapes in front of her so she was watching me. She took the grapes, stuck them in her mouth and then proceeded to pull one out at a time and pick the pills out and throw them on the ground. I learned my lesson that day and put the pills in before I got to her compound. No problem after that.
