Jonna Garcia’s first round of summer work training was in 2010. She did it a second time in 2018.

After searching for ‘just the right fit’ for high school, Jonna Garcia’s parents enrolled her at Cristo Rey Kansas City. The mandatory work-study training started in July 2010.  There were two weeks of drilling on soft skills, filing, computer applications and, of course, nervous jitters. By September, she was faithfully performing her work study in the call center at UMB. To this day, she maintains contact with her job supervisor at UMB, Kimba Wiggins.

Little did Jonna know that eight years later, she would be back at Cristo Rey for another round of job training.  This time, however, she was in orientation for all new faculty and staff at Cristo Rey. This school year, Jonna celebrates a new first – first Cristo Rey Kansas City Registrar in the College Counseling Department. In this role, she’s responsible for preparing and sending official transcripts and supporting the work of the two full-time college counselors.

Armed with a degree in psychology from Avila University, Jonna’s long-term goal is to pursue a graduate degree in counseling. She’s interested in community mental health and hopes to use that passion to help families and people in crisis.  This all means, more school. She is aiming to start graduate school next fall.

“When I was offered a position at Cristo Rey, I knew that I had grown up,” said Jonna. “My undergraduate degree and interest in counseling constantly impressed upon me the need for confidentiality,” she said. “The work I am doing now requires confidentiality and a lot of attention to detail.”

Jonna is the eldest of Regina and Todd Garcia’s five children. She attended Primitivo Garcia for elementary school, graduated from Cristo Rey in 2014, Avila in 2018, and plans to add more letters behind her name.