Meet ystark! YP: Rosa Gomez

Name	ROSA GOMEZ
Occupation/Title/Place of work	PROJECT DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Age	28
Why are you interested in Stark County’s Young Professionals initiative?	I am interested in Stark County's Young Professionals initiative because Stark County is getting older and poorer. I'd hate to keep losing more awesome people so I want to be part of the solution. YPs initiative is a good starting point to attract the younger folks in Stark County and surrounding areas looking to grow.
What would you share to encourage other people to join?	Thru YPs initiative you will meet people from different backgrounds and different phases in life coming together to share ideas, experiences, and of course good food and drinks. I always leave with a new fun fact and feeling inspired. There's so much potential in Stark County! Also, you get that big city networking vibe without having to sit in traffic for an hour.
Did you grow up in Stark? If so, where? If not, where did you move from and why?	No, I didn't grow up in Stark. I actually did not grow up in Ohio. I am from the beautiful but ridiculously over priced West Coast state of California. I grew up in probably one of the most touristy areas, Santa Monica. I have such a long list of why's. Come find me at the next YP meet up and I'll tell ya.
Why do you stay in Stark County, from both a personal and professional point of view?	From a personal point of view, I have stayed in Stark County because this is where my church is. The Cameneti family and Faith Family Church have been beyond amazing with me thru one of the biggest transitions in my life. From a professional point of view, the DeHoff family has given me so many opportunities for growth in the area of real estate development. There aren't two days alike in the office! I love that the DeHoffs trust me with a wide range of projects.
What do you like MOST about Stark County?	As cheesy as it may be, what I like most about Stark County are the people. Big shout out to my favorite fitness coach Cassie from OTF (I love the OTF crew), the best bundt cake maker in town, KP, my super star colleagues, Beth Borda, Dan the Man, Lori -- I can keep going but I think I'm almost at the world limit here. Stark County is no LA but it is diverse and the people here have such community spirit and pride. I love the passion, commitment, and possibilities here.
What would you change about Stark County if you could?	This question is tough. I believe poverty and education go had in hand. In order to live more harmoniously and have the whole county grow, we need to reach an education level that frees us from many of the misunderstandings and prejudicial beliefs regarding certain parts of Stark County. I love the sense of pride Jackson Township has and the amazing things North Canton is doing but I wish we could somehow bring under the tent some of the "bad" communities that are full of blight. I have yet to meet someone who woke up one day and willingly decided to be poor and miserable. Instead of not going to these certain parts of town or talking poorly of them, let's go there. Let's go and have a clean up day, let's go plant beautiful perennials along the city sidewalks, let's volunteer our time to offer more educational opportunities for struggling families, hurting children, and the neglected elderly citizens. Let's take that sense of pride for our respective townships and cities into the poorer ones and help them grow. Think about how much better all of Stark County would be if every single place within our county lines were thriving? Let's teach and lead by example. I'm a strong believer that education and prosperity go hand-in-hand.
What do you see as valuable opportunities for YPs in Stark County when it comes to career opportunities, cultural access, leadership or community involvement opportunities?	There are tons of community involvement opportunities but if you don't see something on the list, then you can totally take the lead on starting a new community project. Again, the people here are awesome and after talking with someone at one of the local YP events you will learn of career opportunities and the needs of Stark County. There are lots of opportunities to grow, lead, play, and work here.
What would attract more YPs to Stark County?	Higher paying jobs, better housing options, and more dog-friendly places.
What do you do in the evenings or on the weekends for fun in Stark County or NE Ohio?	In the evenings during the weekdays I run home to let my dog, Buddy, out, then get a good workout in at the gym or a run on one of the cool trails around town, maybe cook dinner, and then homework. I'm currently working on a finance degree. You're never to old for school, right? On the weekends, I love checking out new hiking trails outside of Stark County and sometimes even out of state! My recent trip was to Harriman State Park in NY - it was amazing.
Could you see yourself spending your lifetime in Stark County and if not, what would cause you to leave?	Yes, I wouldn't mind spending the rest of my lifetime in Stark County. It has a good mix of everything I enjoy. Probably the only thing that would cause me to leave would be a higher paying job or if my partner really put up a fight.