Meet Raúl E. Santiago-Lugo, Personnel & Operations Coordinator, as he shares his thoughts on being part of Team A4L, fun facts and his day-to-day at A4L!

What brought you to A4L and how long have you been with the organization?
I’ve been in Arts For Learning since September 2022. Since I moved to Miami, I wanted to be part of a community that works towards the betterment of society. I learned about A4L through the job posting for the current role that I’m holding and after researching A4L, fell in love with its mission and vision.

What is your day-to-day at A4L like?
My day-to-day can be summarized with one word “People”. The first and last thing that I do during my day-to-day involves connecting with people. From things as simple as catching up with our Teaching Artists and staff members, to more technical things, such as dealing with HR processes and paperwork.

Tell us some fun facts about you.
I love cooking, and I’m the proud father of a one and a half year old Dachshund puppy.

Do you have an artistic or non-artistic accomplishment you’re most proud of?
An artistic accomplishment I’m most proud of is performing at Carnegie Hall with my High School chior. In regards to a non-artistic accomplishment, joining A4L has been the highlight in my life as an HR professional.

What has been a life lesson you’ve learned through the arts?
Practice, practice, practice!

What inspires you about the work A4L does?
Watching kids and teens, learning and having fun and having the opportunities that I didn’t have when I was a kid is my cup of coffee!

Are you involved in any cool projects outside of A4L that you want to share?

None at the moment because I didn’t have the time, but I will have more time soon since I finished my masters in HR this month!