Rising Through Service

Ana Alvarado: From the Mailroom to General Services Unit Manager

Ana Alvarado is a friendly face just about everyone on the Texas Tech Health El Paso campus sees, knows and respects. She joined the General Services team as its first female member back in September of 2008. Since then, she and the department have climbed the ladder of success at Texas Tech Health El Paso.

General Services is responsible for essential services that keep our campus operating, including distributing letters and packages, and managing and inventorying university property.

Her first assignment was in the mailroom shipping and receiving division. Now she is unit manager for General Services.

“It took me about three years of consistent work, learning and hands-on experience in various operational areas—like mail services, shipping and receiving, surplus, sterilization and cadaver handling—to grow into my current position,” she said.

Today, Alvarado oversees daily operations in the mailroom, ensures distribution handling of supplies, equipment, packages and correspondence. She also manages the intake and release of cadavers for educational or research purposes.

For 16 years, Alvarado has continually worked to ensure the safety of her colleagues and the efficiency of her department.

When she first started, she had to make deliveries with a dolly. She recalled having to push and pull a cart to make deliveries around campus. One of her most memorable routes was to the Medical Education Building.

“I’d be pushing a full pallet, inching my way up Alberta Avenue, and I’d be laughing – I knew I was slowing down traffic, but I was getting the job done. I’d get my steps in walking miles across campus, hauling boxes and supplies to wherever they needed to be delivered," said Alvarado. "I didn't wait for the ideal conditions or the perfect tools, I just got the job done with what I had."

Then one day, a golf cart was waiting for her, ready to be used. For Alvarado, it symbolized the progress she and her department had made over the years.

Alvarado has continuously sought to learn and apply the latest methods to constantly improve workflow efficiency and workplace safety. She advocated for a forklift, uniforms for a professional look, safety shoes, and computerized tracking systems. She was always focused on growing the department and making her staff leaders on campus.

“I’m proud to say that I was the first female in General Services to secure the department’s first forklift and train staff how to use it safely. I pushed for everything so we could build a culture of safety, respect and excellence,” Alvarado said.

General Services isn’t the only department Alvarado has championed. As a member of the Employee Giving Campaign, Alvarado continues to support medical and nursing students, as well as the university’s mission of improving lives and empowering generations.

“I’m proud to give and support the Foster School of Medicine, the Hunt School of Nursing, and the student-run clinic through the Employee Giving Campaign. All of this is possible because of the grace and guidance of God, who has given me a deep passion for this university and its mission. I want to be part of building Texas Tech Health El Paso’s future,” Alvarado said. “Here, I can honestly say I enjoy coming to work every day.”