Gloria Alcantara

Hello, my name is Gloria Alcantara. I am the program manager at the Stockton Day Reporting Center, GEO Reentry Services in French Camp, CA where I’ve worked for more than 10 years. I have a Bachelors of Arts degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Criminal Justice. I studied at San Joaquin Delta College for 2 years and transferred to University of the Pacific to complete my education.

• I decided to enter the field of corrections and make it my career because I was always interested in why offenders commit crimes. I wanted to be a part of the solution to the problem. 
• The most unusual job I’ve ever had is where I’m working today. Interestingly enough what happens at work is no longer unusual. Participants do and say things that are unexpected at times, but it keeps me on my toes.
• The hardest thing I’ve ever done is lay employees off. There’s a difference between consequences that occur due to a person’s behavior and consequences that occur due to things outside of our control such as budget cuts, etc. It isn’t hard for me to terminate an employee if they simply are not fit for the job, but it is hard for me to lay off an employee especially if they are good at what they do.
• My favorite way to relax is play with my kids. Their smiles and laughter bring me joy.
• My favorite meal is Lomo Saltado! I ask my husband to cook it for me every year for my birthday and he always does. I can’t seem to find a restaurant that serves this locally.
• One item from my personal “bucket list” is to travel to Santorini, Greece. It looks so peaceful!
• The three people, living or deceased, I’d invite to dinner are my grandmother whom I’ve never met (who I’m also named after), the Kardashians (I find them very amusing), and Bill Gates.
• You’d be surprised to learn that some of my past hobbies were DJ’ing and playing fantasy football.
• I am most proud of being a mother to three beautiful children. They are loving, caring, smart and as much as I don’t want them to grow up, I am excited for their futures. 
• My motto is “everything happens for a reason.” We may not understand what happens to us right then and there, but it’ll make sense later down the road.
• If there is one piece of advice I’d like to give to anyone considering corrections as a career, it would be understanding that you need to find harmony between supervision and counseling. Yes, traditionally the corrections field has been all about supervision but if we truly want to make an impact and provide safer communities, forms of counseling are just as important.