Yomara Arrivillaga
Patient Advocate Honoree
Tonight, we honor Yomara Arrivillaga for her thirteen years of patient advocacy in the name of her son, Freddy. Yomara is an accomplished professional and a strong advocate for raising awareness of liver disease and preventing liver-related death. This is her story:
I was born in Guatemala and immigrated to the United States at the age of 16 in 1988. I’m the second of five siblings, and today, I’m proud to be a mother of four and a dedicated professional with over 25 years of experience in nonprofit operations and finance at LAANE—the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy.
When I first arrived in the U.S., I began working immediately before enrolling in school. Although I didn’t complete my education through a traditional path, I eventually earned my high school diploma and completed college-level coursework, furthering my personal and professional development.
Today, I serve as Director of Finance and Operations at LAANE. I manage the organization’s budget, oversee payroll and staff benefits, and coordinate critical administrative and financial functions supporting our economic justice mission in Los Angeles.
My family is spread across the U.S. and Guatemala. My father still lives in Guatemala but travels to the U.S. often. My mother resides in Reno, Nevada, along with my older sister Reyna, who is retired due to illness, and my youngest brother Obed, who works as a restaurant manager. My younger brother Danny is a Marine veteran and currently serves as a police officer in Dallas, Texas. My youngest sister, Heidy, a Navy veteran, now lives in Los Angeles and is a first-grade teacher.
As a mother, I’ve experienced both profound joy and deep loss. From my first marriage to Edwin Valdez, a fellow Guatemalan and Union Organizer, my late son, Freddy, would have been 35 years old, my son Christopher is now nearly 26. From my second marriage to Radu Niculescu, a high school math teacher, I have two younger children: Alessandro 17, and Ela 13.
Freddy was Born with a heart condition; he underwent open-heart surgery at just 45 days old. After that, he spent much of his early years in and out of hospitals, needing constant care and attention. At the age of four, Freddy had a second heart surgery, complicated by liver issues. He was a joyful soul despite all his illnesses and pains and doctor appointments. In 2012 he began experiencing severe pain on the right side of his body and was diagnosed with stage 4 liver cancer. On May 7th, a beautiful Sunday morning, Freddy lost consciousness while hospitalized and never woke up. We lost our kind and joyful son to liver cancer. Since then, it has been my mission to keep his name and his memory alive and advocate for liver disease awareness.
As for my work. My career journey began early. After arriving in the U.S., I held various jobs, including working as a nanny. After Freddy’s birth and due to his health issues, I focused on caring for my family. In 1996, I began working as a restaurant hostess, and in 1997, I had the opportunity to join Warner Brothers Hollywood. When that lot was put up for sale later that year, I was fortunate to be recommended by my manager for a position as a clerk assistant in the accounting department at Warner Brothers Burbank, where I worked until May 2000.
Shortly after, my ex-husband referred me to LAANE, where I interviewed for and accepted a position as an Office Manager on June 13, 2000. I recently celebrated my 25th anniversary with the organization. Although I had no formal background in finance at the time, I asked the then-director of Finance to teach me. She agreed, under one condition—that I commit to learning. I embraced the challenge wholeheartedly. When she retired in 2009, she recommended me as her successor.
Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my sister, girlfriends, being at home with my family, and—thanks to my son’s job at an airline—traveling whenever I can.