Manuela Santana proudly serves as the Grow Early Learning Policy Council President and as a foreman in the propagation department at a nursery located in the heart of Green Country in Northeastern Oklahoma, a position she has held for the past six years. Her professional journey has been diverse; prior to entering the agriculture industry, she attended several semesters of college, managed a Mexican restaurant, and completed cosmetology school, yet struggled to find a truly fulfilling career. Upon joining her current role in horticulture, she discovered work that not only aligns with her interests but also allows her to make a positive impact within her community and beyond. She remains committed to personal and professional growth, continually embracing new opportunities and challenges.
Originally, her parents were migrant field workers who traveled across states including Michigan, Florida, Alabama, and Texas before settling in Tahlequah, Oklahoma in 2000, a small town that she continues to proudly call home. Como decimos los Mexicanos “Lo traemos en la sangre.”
