-- By Carole Eibelheuser --
This bubbly, personable
Environmental Services Director is living her "American Dream." Irena was born and educated in a Communist-governed Eastern European village to a family that loved music and the arts. She wanted to become an
opera singer, but her European education in Civil Engineering led her into an international job which entailed inspecting buildings along the Danube River for 15 years.
Her husband had family in the US and she and her family emigrated here in 1984 to escape the oppressive government. They came with nothing to start a new life. Irena was taught many languages in her European schools, but not English. She learned and embraced the language by many means, including school.
Most of her early jobs in the US involved housekeeping. She bought a bike at a garage sale for $30, which became her transportation from one job to another. One housekeeping job was particularly memorable. The woman president of the Cascade Company in Boise, Idaho, often worked late in her office while Irena cleaned. This woman took Irena under her wing and helped her with her English. She was an excellent role model for her.
The key to success was and still is hard work to reach the American Dream. She had seen a picture of San Diego, her dream city, and here she is loving every minute of her life and job.
Her resume, experience, and certificates praising her work are mind-blowing. She directs a department of 60 employees who see and follow her work ethic of being the best that you can be every day.
On weekends, she tends her rose garden. At LCG, we residents are her rose garden, being lovingly tended by Irena and her employees.