While working as a project manager, Guisela managed a large project that was part of a major national effort to open up the telecommunications industry in Guatemala. In the past, the only option for the average Guatemalan to get telecommunications service was a landline. “There was one landline provider in the entire country,” says Guisela, “and it would take many months, if not years for service to be set up. Cellular service was available but was much too expensive for most people.” Guisela led a project that supported the process to deregulate the industry and make telecommunications more available and affordable. Working with government regulators, local service providers, and international cellular companies, Guisela and the project team negotiated and operationalized a revolutionary interconnection agreement between the two local telecommunications operators, with a modern approach for providing service throughout the country. “This initiative resulted in an open market first solution that allowed for rapid deployment of telephone and cellular services. What historically took a long time now happens in a snap,” concludes Guisela. Guisela continued her career in the field, and several years later, she was presented with an opportunity to teach project management skills to others. Guisela says, “That opportunity revealed to me, or better stated, helped me rediscover what my true passion is—teaching.” This experience brought Guisela to Proyectum, and she has been teaching project management classes ever since. 

“I am a very organized and structured individual with a real appreciation for the value of planning,” says Guisela, “so I think I am a natural project manager.” When Guisela teaches classes, she lets that passion show and firmly believes that students will “see right through you” if you are not authentic and passionate. Guisela adapts her teaching style for each unique audience. Her students range from freshmen in college, where she enjoys “feeding young minds,” to professionals who have been working in project management for years. The PMP class is her favorite to teach. Starting with theory and adding pragmatic tools that can be put to use immediately, Guisela works with every student to prepare them in the best way possible to sit for the PMP exam. “I start with the PMI materials, which I found very valuable, and enhance the class with activities, games, discussions, and practice, practice, practice!” Proyectum offers varying class options which “gives us plenty of time to enhance the class for maximum student impact,” adds Guisela.  

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As a lifelong learner, Guisela plans to add to her repertoire of credentials. Putting her broadcasting skills to work, she plans to launch a podcast. While reciting poetry is a personal passion and she plans to publish a children’s book at some point, her podcast will most likely focus on project management and teaching life skills more effectively. “Virtual classrooms have really changed everything,” indicates Guisela. “Tapping into learning styles—aural, visual, read/write, kinesthetic—is critical to the success of a class. And doing that for a topic like project management in a virtual classroom can be difficult. I want to help students connect with the content, each other, and their instructor. The instructor is the key, and we all need to continue to adapt our skills to be effective in this virtual learner world. I want to help teachers build those skills and a podcast might just be the best way to do that.” Guisela’s son and two daughters are her inspiration. They are artists and share their mother’s passionate personality. “Artists never retire because they love what they do, and neither do teachers…” 

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Spend 10 minutes with Guisela and it will be clear to you that teaching truly is “in her blood.”