Gabriela Gehrke has lived around the world and speaks not one — but six — languages. She used her diverse viewpoints and skillset to support our lifesaving mission as a volunteer, an experience that helped propel her career.
Born and raised in Mexico City, Gabriela's native tongue is Spanish. Because her mother emigrated from Italy to Argentina after World War II, she also learned to speak Italian at home. On top of that, Gabriela started attending English speaking schools when she was in kindergarten.
She expanded her language skills after earning a French language scholarship in 1999 in l'Aliance Française of Mexico City. Gabriela later learned German in 2006 before studying applied physics in Germany in 2008, and Swedish in 2018, which landed her first freelancing translation job in 2022.
In 2023, Gabriela started searching for volunteer opportunities in the U.S. She struggled to find a role that aligned with her interests and values. But there was hope after she found an opening on our volunteer translation team.
"When I came across the Red Cross opening, it was the perfect match," Gabriela said. "I thought of that opportunity as the best way not only to put my linguistic skills to use, but also to help convey a humanitarian message."
She started as a volunteer translator and proofreader, working her way up to a senior position in just two weeks. As a leader, she shared her translation services industry expertise and project management ideas to strengthen her team.
In less than five months, Gabriela broke her team's record of hours volunteered: nearly 740. Her deep understanding of the power of accessible, compassionate communication motivated her to do the work every day.
"Humanity is a value I believe is required now more than ever, especially after coming from Europe and experiencing the outbreak of the Syrian civil war and then the Ukraine-Russian conflict," Gabriela said. "Seeing and reliving all that suffering firsthand was a wake-up call for more compassion."
Gabriela found a chance to grow even further with the Red Cross after a full-time position for a Multicultural Communications Specialist opened. A trusted colleague gave her the encouragement she needed to apply, and she landed the job.
"Working for the Red Cross has been rewarding on many levels," Gabriela said. "It helped me ease my transition to the U.S., make new acquaintances and allows me to use my skills, and share my knowledge with others."
We are incredibly grateful for dedicated Red Crossers like Gabriela who help us connect our mission to more communities every day. 🫶🏽
If Gabriela's Red Cross journey inspires you, learn how you can get involved in the comments.