Samantha Pineda Sierra
What are your main responsibilities or activities in your current position?
As a Visual Communication Designer, I work with researchers and non-profit organizations to develop, design and produce visual material to help de-stigmatize dementia and educate the community. My position is highly creative and allows me to tell stories in a variety of formats. As a filmmaker I write, produce and direct, and I am currently developing a film.
How does your current work relate to your graduate degree?
The MFA at UBC has been an important platform that connected me with exceptional people and positioned me in my current job. I started working at UBC since I began the MFA, first as a producer, then as a co-curator for a virtual exhibition about living well with dementia, and one job led to the other. It's been almost five years and I keep producing and working with artists, advocates and researchers. I'm very grateful and proud of all the work that has come out of it. The MFA gave me the opportunity to meet inspiring people that are actually changing the world. Being able to work with them and be part of that change is truly an honour.
What do you like and what do you find challenging about your current position?
One of the most fulfilling things about my job has been the social impact it has had in the community, in Vancouver and other parts of the world. The diversity of my job is a constant source of creativity and inspiration. The challenge is to create something unique and compelling within the given time frame. Learning to prioritize has been key.
Is your current career path as you originally intended?
Not exactly, but it has certainly been a pleasant surprise. I always knew I wanted to do films but I wasn't expecting to go into the social part of filmmaking. Even less into visual communication and design. Discovering this second passion has been life changing. Looking back, I can see how it all connects. For over a decade, I've been exploring the subjects of aging, ageism and memory loss in my films. Now, working at UBC with the dementia action group, the community and researchers has greatly enriched my experience. At the moment I'm exploring how Alzheimer's impacts family relationships in a fiction film that hopefully will go into production this year.
What motivated you to pursue graduate work at UBC?
I always liked the work ethics of UBC. In my experience working in other countries (Mexico, Australia, England and now Canada) I've never found a place where I felt so cared for and valued. Kindness is contagious. I'm very lucky to work with such a wonderful team.
What did you enjoy the most about your time as a graduate student at UBC?
The freedom to create, make mistakes and learn from them in a safe environment. I was very lucky to have exceptional supervisors, Shannon Walsh (film director) and Sharon McGowan (producer), that helped me grow as a person and as writer-director. I will be forever grateful to them.
How did the graduate degree at UBC help you achieve your career and/or personal development goals?
As a professional, it gave me the chance to meet exceptional people from the industry and be closer to my professional goal. In a personal level, the MFA gave me the opportunity to reconnect with myself and the stories I really wanted to tell. It gave me the chance and freedom to dig into my past, find what really mattered to me and helped me realize where I wanted to go.
What key things did you do, or what attitudes or approaches did you have, that contributed to your success?
Coming from a place where confrontation was a daily thing, moving to Canada was life-changing. I learned early on the importance of kindness, respect and generosity. For the first time in my life, I felt truly free and unafraid and this allowed me to grow and thrive personally and professionally. Another thing is that I'm truly passionate about my job, I love working with images, colours, textures and different formats. Storytelling is what drives me and I was very lucky to find a job that constantly challenges and sparks my creativity.
What is your best piece of advice for current graduate students preparing for their future careers?
I once read a quote that said: "How much LIFE is your salary costing you?" My advice will be to try as many things as you can before graduating and find your passion. After graduating, try to find a job where not only you can thrive, but where you also feel valued and respected as a person.