Yulia Barrera Suarez

Before coming to Extension, Yulia's entire work experience has been in Colombia, her home country. With over 18 years of experience in promoting and selling medical products and equipment in healthcare centers, hospitals, and communities, she has contributed through education, advocacy, and raising awareness among patients to make assertive decisions about their care and health balance. She previously worked for companies such as Gilmedica, GHC Healthcare Colombia branch, and West Chemistry for Life. These experiences showed Yulia how empathy, coupled with knowledge, can transform people's lives.

At Extension, Yulia identifies with its mission of education, service, and assistance. She believes that the successes of the SNAP-ED program are the result of empathy, creativity, and kindness within the team and among the different populations that are reached. Yulia loves working with the community because she believes in the power of service and sharing life experiences. She knows everyone has a life story to tell—where we come from and our traditions. Culture is within everyone, and that story is loaded with emotions and lessons that show how health, from a holistic and comprehensive perspective and encompassing all dimensions, can be out of balance. A community invites you and leads you to be a better person, to grow as an individual, and to create fraternal bonds that transform the environment.

In her free time, Yulia likes to dance cumbias and Colombian salsa and to write. Yulia published her first book on Amazon in Spanish, titled Being a Unique Human in Managing Emotions, in 2023. She loves learning and meeting new people.