Meet Our Client Services Manager: Interview with Harmony Healthcare’s Lyn Alvarado
She walks into the Harmony office each day with tenacity and a plan of action. Lyn Alvarado is more than a hard worker: she’s a success story who inspires her colleagues to aim high and to stay focused. She’s known to be their biggest cheerleader, and they flock to her for her advice as well as her awesome snack drawer.
Deeply devoted to her family, Lyn appreciates the moments that lead them to learn and grow together.
Without further ado, here’s Lyn in her own words.
What’s the weirdest job you’ve ever had?
I worked at Busch Gardens as a parking attendant and ride operations for one summer. It was incredibly hot, and I couldn’t believe they would let a 16-year-old operate the rides with people on them!
Even now when we go to theme parks, I think there could be a 16-year-old with my life in their hands.
You can choose one: flying cars, cities on another planet or robot friends. Which one do you choose and why?
Flying car – hands down. I live in Lutz and spend so much time in traffic getting back and forth to work. I would give anything for a flying car to get me to and from South Tampa every day.
You can take one suitcase, $5,000, and one travel buddy. Where are you heading, who are you taking along for the ride and why?
I would choose my husband Harold as my travel buddy, and we would probably head to Italy. He shares my love of travel, and we’ve been to a lot of great destinations inside and outside the United States, but we would love to go to Italy to experience the culture, food, and history.
I map out the entire trip with every minute accounted for each day. He’s a spur of the moment, “let’s see where the day leads us” kind of guy, which helps me have more fun and worry far less. The combination makes us an excellent travel team!
Create the soundtrack to your life in 5 songs.
- “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey
- “Dreams” by Van Halen (I quoted the last verse in my senior yearbook!)
- “Forever Young”- Rod Stewart
- “Don’t Blink” by Kenny Chesney
- “The Dance” by Garth Brooks
Give your teenage self your best advice in 50 words or less.
You’re going to be OK! God has a plan for you. It’s going to take you through many ups and downs, and it may not be the route you thought you were supposed to take. But it’s His plan and not yours. Learn from the ride, and keep the faith.
Tell us about what inspires you.
My 4 kids – every single day.
I grew up with a mom who suffered from mental illness, and from a very young age I had to help her navigate daily life. I didn’t have much of a chance to be a kid or experience that mother/child bond. I knew I wanted something different for my own children.
I wanted them to experience life outside of the small town we lived in. I wanted to teach them to be smart, independent, and not be afraid to take chances. I also wanted them to always be kind and respect others and most importantly to know that they are loved. They’ve given me a few gray hairs along the way, but each of them has grown into these AMAZING humans who make me laugh and who inspire me.
I became a grandmother for the first time last year, and when I see my daughter with her child and she is so nurturing and loving, I know I did something right!
How do you balance work and down time?
I might have to get back with you on this one, say after I retire.
What’s on your goal list to achieve within the next 3 years?
In 2 years, we will be empty nesters when our last one goes off to college, so in 3 years I hope to travel more. I even have a bucket list!
I would also like to get involved with an organization where I could volunteer some of my time. My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a little over a year ago and will soon be in a memory care facility. When the symptoms first came on and for a couple years, we just thought it was a part of her illness and not a whole other illness developing that would rob her of any memories. I’ve been doing a lot of online research (Google is the best and worst invention), and I would like to know and do more to help other families as they navigate this disease.
When I talk to my mom on my way home every day, I spend a lot of the conversation reminding her of my name. She always asks, “Who are you again?” I always say, “It’s Lyn, Mom.” Inevitably she then asks, “What’s the name of that girl, you know the one with the blond hair?” And I tell her, “I have two, Mom. Amanda and Haley.”
But then there are other days where she will remember something vivid from when I was a child and will tell me she loves me and is sorry for not telling me that more often. (Remember that whole God’s plan I wish I could tell my teenage self?) Those are the days that are most special to me.
