Gabriela Perez Schoener hasn’t let obstacles get in the way of achieving her goals. Growing up in Venezuela, she always wanted to work in international business. But only one university offered that major and there were spots for just 50 students. So she charted her own path for entering her field of choice.
“When I see barriers in my way, they are temporary. I’m sure I can overcome whatever situation,” Schoener says. “Things don’t just happen—you have to make them happen. I think if I can dream it, I can do it.”
She went to law school and graduated in the top 10 of her class, then got a job doing marketing, project management, and international sales at an engineering and industrial supply firm. There Schoener gained business experience while taking graduate courses in international marketing management and English. After earning a master’s degree in management from Hamline University, Schoener worked at AccountAbility Minnesota on its Spanish outreach and as tax-site director.
She recently got a job as a customer account analyst for the international business division at 3M. The position allows Schoener to work on exports to Latin America, serving as a liaison between customers and 3M’s management and transportation teams. She enjoys using her Spanish at work as well as her skills in law, business, and mediation.
Schoener firmly believes that Latinos in the United States need to work together to build a supportive community. To put that conviction into action, she has volunteered at the Immigrant Law Center in Minneapolis as an interpreter and counselor, at AccountAbility’s Spanish help line during tax season, and at Hamline’s international celebration, where she was an organizer and salsa performer. This year, Schoener is teaching Spanish to 19 fellow employees of 3M.
In her free time, Schoener likes to stay in touch with her family in Venezuela, camp and canoe with her husband, read, and watch movies.
