THE Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigations on Thursday convened for a public hearing on Rota to hear and review the credentials of Ana Maria S. Mendiola, the governor’s nominee to the Northern Marianas Technical Institute board of trustees.
Present for the hearing were committee chair Sen. Francisco Cruz, vice chair Sen. Victor Hocog, and committee members Senate Floor Leader Vinnie Sablan and Sen. Karl King-Nabors.
Senate Vice President Justo Quitugua also serves on the committee but was excused from the hearing.
Office of the Governor policy analyst Janina Maratita introduced the governor’s nominee on behalf of Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios.
Maratita said Mendiola is a highly respected counselor of the CNMI Public School System, where she plans, implements, and evaluates comprehensive guidance and counseling programs.
Mendiola counsels students on academic, social, and emotional growth, as well as potential career paths.
Moreover, she consults and trains parents, teachers, administrators, and other stakeholders on how to effectively work with students to meet their various individual needs.
Prior to becoming a counselor, Mendiola was a patient service representative at the Straub Clinic & Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii where she acted as a liaison between patients and the professional staff of the cardiology department.
There she ensured the accuracy of patient medical record keeping, as well as the processing of all professional and technical fees generated by department providers.
Mendiola also served as a financial services specialist for the Department of Social and Health Services in Tacoma, Washington.
Prior to that, she was a sergeant and cadet for the Guam Army National Guard and the University of Guam Reserve Officers Training Corp. program in Mangilao, Guam.
In that capacity, she assisted in the preparation of military documentation, aided with planning processes, training and supervision of soldiers and cadets, as well as participated in various leadership courses while attending the university.
She contributed hundreds of hours as a practicum student working with facility psychologists at the Guam Department of Youth Affairs and caseworkers at Guam Sanctuary, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides critical social services to youth and their families.
The non-profit also acts as an alternative to the juvenile justice system for runaway, homeless, neglected, and abused youth.
Mendiola holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology with a minor in sociology from the University of Guam.
She is also a recent graduate of the Pacific Century Fellows program.
“For these reasons, Gov. Torres and Lt. Governor Palacios place their full trust and confidence in Mrs. Mendiola’s ability to diligently serve on the NMTI board of trustees, and contribute to NMTI’s growth as a provider of advanced career trades and technical training throughout the Commonwealth,” said Maratita, thanking the committee for the opportunity to introduce Mendiola, as well as asking — on behalf of the administration — for the committee’s favorable and expeditious confirmation of Mendiola’s appointment.
After taking an oath, Mendiola delivered her brief remarks, thanking the administration for her nomination to the board.
She likewise thanked her family, friends, and community members for supporting her nomination.
Mendiola shared the struggles of her youth, from dropping out of high school to mustering the courage to obtain her GED after giving birth to her first child at the age of 19.
“[From] that moment on, I realized how much the doors of opportunity had opened for me, and decided that I wanted to challenge myself by attending and completing a four-year college with an undergraduate degree,” she said.
She said she has been a PSS counselor for almost eight years, six of which were spent on Rota.
“I have used my resilience in life, especially as an adolescent, as a foundation for my role as a counselor because I believe that there is always a way,” she said.
Mendiola said feeling empathy towards others comes naturally to her, noting the importance of understanding how a person feels and where a person is coming from in order to help them.
“As much as we have high hopes for our children to attend post-secondary education, we have also seen data that tells us that a big percentage of our students are not college bound. Every student has potential, and it is part of my duties as a counselor to help my students find that potential,” she said.
“The Northern Marianas Trades Institute will provide the opportunities for our students to learn livelihood skills and help increase the local workforce capacity on the islands.”
Workforce development, she added, is key for the sustainable growth and NMTI’s role in educating residents in skilled trades that are critical for the future of the Commonwealth.
She said as the trustees navigate their way as a new governmental body, she looks forward to joining them and making a difference by networking with all stakeholders and education partners, bridging the gap between general education and the value that trade education can bring.
“I look forward to reconnecting with my former colleagues and feel privileged to be helping our students and citizens in reestablishing a career path with NMTI here on Rota,” she said.
Rota Mayor Efraim Atalig was also present for the hearing and expressed his support for Mendiola’s nomination to the board.
“I see her as a very hardworking individual for our community here in the island of Rota,” he said.
Mayor Atalig said he believes that Mendiola’s experience as a PSS counselor alone should be enough to fill the vacancy on the NMTI board.
“She is young, she is aggressive, and she will do a lot for the NMTI board. She will become an asset. So, therefore, I ask you to approve expeditiously to confirm her nomination,” he said.
Rota Municipal Council chairman Jim Atalig also expressed his support for the nominee.
“With her experience as a former educator and counselor, I believe that Mrs. Mendiola is qualified. [She] has a very, very positive attitude in the community here on Rota,” he said.
NMTI board member Catherine Attao also gave testimony in support of Mendiola, and also thanked former board member Derron Mendiola for his service.
“Although we were sad to receive his resignation, we wish him the very best in his role as the resident director of [the Department of Public Works],” she said.
“The board of trustees [is] grateful for this public hearing so we could fill this vacancy that Mrs. Mendiola has been nominated to fill.”
Currently, she said, the board is filled with representatives from the private sector, and it understands that a large part of its audience comes from PSS students.
Attao said that Mendiola’s experience in the school system is exactly what the board needs, noting that it will add so much value to the board’s discussions and initiatives.
“The board of trustees wants to ensure that all of our islands are represented to the best of our abilities as our only intention is to give the community the best institution of trades that we can, ensuring that all islands are represented,” she said.
Newly appointed NMTI interim chief executive officer Jodina Attao was also present for the hearing, in support of the nominee, and noted that they attended Mount Carmel School together.
Being only a year apart in school, the interim CEO said that Mendiola has always displayed respect and a welcoming character with her contagious laughter.
“I believe that everyone would agree that on every team, positive character is always an asset… I trust that she can play a pivotal role in a student’s journey through life, being an educator myself for about 10 years,” she said.
The interim CEO said she, too, recognizes that not all students are interested in pursuing post-secondary education and would much rather attend a trades school, hence the need for further development of the trades institute.
She said Mendiola will provide invaluable insight to other board members as they work through the transition, build stronger partnerships and efficient systems for students transitioning into the workforce, and maximize NMTI’s platform.
“These students can use it as a springboard of inspiration in becoming productive and contributing citizens in their community,” she said.
The Senate EAGI committee members also had an opportunity to address Mendiola directly, posing questions and expressing comments or concerns.
King-Nabors said Mendiola is a daughter of Rota whose journey to where she is today is admirable and widely supported by residents from throughout the CNMI.
Sablan, for his part, said that when he was reviewing Mendiola’s résumé, reading about her experiences, and then reading through all of the letters of support received from the community, it felt like he was reading a book.
“There’s a lot of experiences there. Use those experiences in your tenure as you continue to help the entity,” he said to Mendiola.
The letters of support the committee received regarding Mendiola’s nomination is a true testament of trust, faith, and confidence that the people of the CNMI have in Mendiola, the floor leader said.
“Never take that for granted. That is a very valuable thing to have: the confidence of the people of Rota,” he said.
Sablan likewise acknowledged the workforce challenges that the CNMI faces, adding that it’s “a new beginning” for the institute.
“This is a great opportunity to make the needed adjustments and restructuring to ensure that the vision and mission of NMTI is attained,” he said.
Cruz, for his part, closed the hearing by encouraging camaraderie and togetherness.
Ana S. Mendiola
