Hello. You’re visiting the web page for me, René Dario Herrera. Here you’ll find my blog, CV, professional portfolio, and links to my other projects. Please get in touch.
About Me
With over 15 years dedicated to serving the community, René Dario Herrera (aka Rene Herrera), is a researcher and college educator. Motivated by a love of learning and a curiosity and interest in the world, René seeks to support the work of others who put community first.
After earning his Bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Wellness from Arizona State University, René worked for Mountain Park Health Center, a federally qualified health center (FQHC), in service of the USDA WIC program. During this time, René provided nutrition education and breastfeeding support to families with young children.
René began the next phase of his career by pursuing graduate degrees at the University of South Florida (USF). After three and a half years, René earned a graduate certificate in Biostatistics, a Master of Public Health in Epidemiology, and a Master of Arts in Applied Medical Anthropology.
While attending USF, René worked as a personal trainer at Campus Recreation and supported the fitness and exercise goals of his clients. René also joined and volunteered with different graduate student organizations, including USF Graduate Assistants United, the Graduate & Professional Student Council (GPSC), and the Graduate Student Applied Research Network.
After completing his graduate training, René began teaching anthropology and archaeology courses at Estrella Mountain Community College as an adjunct professor, training clients at the Valley of the Sun YMCA, and providing data analysis services to the University of Arizona’s Office of Community Outreach and Engagement. During this time period, René volunteered to serve on the City of Phoenix Human Relations Commission. Recently, René served Coconino County, Arizona, as an epidemiologist and managed the health department’s suicide mortality review program.
Throughout his career, René has pursued additional training and is a graduate of the American Express Leadership Academy at the ASU Lodestar Center, where he learned of best practice approaches to leading and managing nonprofits, and from the Valle del Sol Hispanic Leadership Institute, where he learned how unique and valuable his particular cultural experience can be.
René believes in using his work to make a positive impact in the community. This reflects his character strength in citizenship, teamwork, and loyalty. René sees himself as part of many communities of varying sizes, connected by a web of shared geography and sociocultural identities. From this perspective, René has made a personal commitment to position himself in professional and service roles that have a positive social benefit.