Mia Mark
Operations Assistant

“I am impressed with the ‘multiplying impact’ of Heart to Heart’s approach, and I am eager to contribute to the expansion of life-saving cardiac care in Latin America. My youngest brother was born with two tiny holes in his heart. I vividly remember my parents’ concern and candor. Luckily, the holes closed on their own, but I can imagine the stress of not having access to needed medical care.”

As she begins her career, Mia is drawn to the nonprofit sector and meaningful opportunities to use her Spanish language skills. She graduated from Occidental College in 2025 with a double major: Spanish Studies, which she describes as her “fun major,” and Diplomacy & World Affairs, her “academic major.” Mia grew up in Davis, California, and attended a Spanish-immersion school from kindergarten through sixth grade.

Mia completed two internships toward her degree, including four months in Buenos Aires, working at a law firm specializing in immigration. Her duties involved research, translating, and updating staff on recent changes to U.S. immigration law. The linguistic highlight of Mia’s time abroad took place in a taxicab with a friend from her home university in Los Angeles. She was simultaneously communicating with her friend in English and with the driver in Spanish, and as her friend was exiting the cab, the driver asked Mia where she had learned to speak such excellent English.

Mia’s second internship was at Global Ties Sacramento, a community-based nonprofit funded by the U.S. State Department to support its International Visitor Leadership Program. She met with delegations from many countries, accompanied them to meetings with local business leaders and elected officials, and resolved logistical problems on-the-fly. The experience provided a remarkable opportunity for Mia to refine her skills in cross-cultural communication. She also became proficient at spreadsheet and database management, as the program is data-intensive. 

During her senior year, Mia worked as a translator and interpreter at Tauzer Apiaries in Woodland, California, assisting the company’s non-native English speakers. Until her graduation, Mia hosted a radio show on the college’s student-run station, KOXY, collaborating with local LA-based artists to feature a variety of on-air guests.

Mia has a can-do attitude, team spirit, and a sincere desire to do good in the world—we are thrilled to have her join Heart to Heart.