We are delighted to announce that Esmeralda Peña has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Human Resources (HR). This promotion recognizes the invaluable contributions she has made since joining Vanir in 2017.
“Esmeralda is dedicated to nurturing the most important asset of our organization: our people,” said Dorene C. Dominguez, Vanir Chairwoman and CEO. “I applaud her continued commitment to building a culture of engagement, innovation and opportunity for our employees and the many clients and communities we serve.”
Esmeralda has more than 15 years of hands-on HR and management experience and is responsible for overseeing the planning, implementation and management of all of Vanir’s HR operations. Her accomplishments include implementing a comprehensive strategic plan and design of HR operations to improve effectiveness in staff recruitment, retention and professional development. She has shown great leadership in several areas, including Vanir’s corporate and regional response to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’ve greatly enjoyed being part of Vanir and I look forward to serving in my new role and contributing to the continued success of the Vanir team,” Esmeralda said. “It is exciting as an HR leader to have the opportunity to serve as Vice President for Human Resources and I am fully committed to a transformational process. I look forward to partnering with HR colleagues, leadership and all other members of the community to make the process a success, as well as to focus on other strategic priorities related to recruiting and retaining exceptional talent and supporting our operations and employees.”
Esmeralda holds both a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources Management from California State University, Sacramento. After graduation, she focused on HR because she wanted to understand all aspects of a workplace and support the people whose talents and commitment are essential to the success of an organization.
Esmeralda serves on the board of the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She also serves as the co-chair of the board for the Latino Economic Council of Sacramento and is an active member of other community-based organizations. She has mentored scores of HR professionals at all career stages as well as many young aspiring professionals in many industries.
“I just want to be a part of efforts to help people, business operations and communities thrive,” Esmeralda said.
