by Jonathon Cerini

There are many ways to describe 21-year-old Stephany Flores. A determined, responsible, and independent changemaker could be one way to do so. Being born and raised in the rough Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, Stephany was forced to grow up fast and work through chaos.

As the eldest daughter in a hardworking family, Steph was arguably the primary caretaker of her younger siblings. She struggled with the balancing act of raising her siblings, completing house chores, working at her family’s restaurant/food trucks, and finding time for her schoolwork.

Stephany knew she needed to escape. As soon as she finished high school, she had found her way out. She was awarded a full ride scholarship to Pomona College and packed her bags for Southern California.

“College felt like it would be a relief, and it was,” Stephany said. She thrived in the safer Claremont, California area where her personal workload and stress dropped significantly. “The first few semesters felt like a breeze. My friends would always say I seemed so relaxed, which was a compliment,” Stephany said.

Stephany recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in politics and computer science and intends on pursuing her master’s in information technology systems next. She currently uses her knowledge and love for computers towards the world of social impact. During her college experience, she had desperately applied to dozens of internship and work opportunities. Eventually, she discovered OurCo and was welcomed to the team. Stephany liked the concept of public policy involved that fit her values towards politics and foreign affairs.

She speaks fondly of the OurCo co-founders Benjamin and Jonathan Wachtel and the relationship she’s built with them as mentors. She spoke on how they have frequently checked in on her, creating a comfortable and transparent dialogue on a personal and professional level.

Stephany originally started as a marketing intern. However, she found herself more interested in automated work flows after being tasked with a data report. Stephany soon craved the creativity that came with implementing artificial intelligence and wished to be in a more fitting position that would benefit the company.

“I want to help create a platform that is very data driven. One thing I want to do is eliminate human error when it comes to interpreting data that [clients] get from their communities,” she said.

Ideally, Stephany is hopeful to push OurCo’s services towards education and families, helping underserved communities access information. As a Mexican American, Stephany shared her perspective with immigration policies over the past decade. “I shouldn’t have to be watching TV to see if my mom is going to be deported,” she said. She is hopeful to connect those experiences to OurCo’s purpose.

Stephany is confident and willing to work as an OurCo employee as she looks to create positive, helpful, and constant engagement. “I like creating systems that make work simple,” she said. She describes OUR as ‘an accessible platform’ that can post questions and get answers from community members in real time, bringing data to any leader’s fingertips.