Meet Alethea Cruz!
Alethea is the Program Manager for a contract which supports the Department of State Bureau of Medical Services. She is the main point of contact for the government client on five different task orders. She is also in charge of planning and control, managing program deliverables, sub-contractor coordination, reporting, and risk management.
What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
I enjoy the challenge that each day presents. There are easy days, and there are difficult days, but we have to keep moving forward. I enjoy collaborating with the client to ensure that the mission of the bureau continues. There are a lot of moving parts, and I have to be familiar with every moving piece and how they all work together.
How long have you been with the company? How have you been able to grow since you started?
I have been with All Native Group since October 2020. I started as a Supervisory Management and Program Analyst and was recently promoted to Program Manager. In my time here, I have learned a lot about government contracting, completed my Project Management Certificate with Cornell, received my ISO 9001 Audit Lead Certification, and attended a powwow in Winnebago, Nebraska. It has been very exciting.
What has been one of your favorite projects so far, and why?
I enjoyed taking the ISO 9001 Audit Lead course. I was the only on-site supervisor at the time, with 83 employees reporting to me, so it was an extremely busy week. We are preparing to start the internal audits later this month, which I am looking forward to.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I am a single mother, recently divorced. I have a 16-year-old daughter, a 9-year-old son, and an 11-year-old pug. I mentor military spouses with American Corporate Partners. I also just closed out my time as the Communications Coordinator for the Philly Pug and Short Nose Rescue.
What is something about you that might surprise people?
I am a certified bear identifier.
What has surprised you about working for ANG?
When I went to the powwow, I was amazed. The shared cultural identity of the tribe and seeing the good that comes from what All Native Group and Ho Chunk, Inc. put into the community was eye-opening. Working on a government contract, it is easy to see the effect that your has for the entity you support, but I do recommend taking the time to check out what ANG does for the tribe as well.
Do you have anything you’re looking forward to or have you done anything fun or interesting lately?
I am looking forward to going back to Guam to visit my family over the summer. I have not been home since 2018, and with COVID, it has been hard to see my family. We keep in contact through phone calls and texts, but it is always nice to visit.