Rachel Quintanilla
El Paso,TX
Summary
TRS Benefits Counselor with 4 years of experience providing comprehensive education, issue resolution, and guidance on complex health, retirement benefit options. Proven track record of interpreting state policies, delivering high-volume multi-channel support (phone, email, in-person), and resolving escalated eligibility or billing issues with accuracy and empathy.
Overview
1
1
Certification
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Retirement Benefits Counselor
Teacher Retirement System of Texas
El Paso, TX
06.2022 - Current
- Responsible for guiding active members, retirees, and school district officials through complex retirement and healthcare benefit options. Guide educators and retirees through complex pension plans, healthcare options, and retirement eligibility. Interpret laws and resolve claims via phone, virtual meetings, or in-person sessions to secure members' financial futures.
- Knowledge: Ability to interpret and communicate complex state laws, regulations, and policies (such as the Texas Pension Code or specific state guidelines).
- Analyzed and interpreted complex benefit policies and administrative procedures to effectively resolve escalated claims and eligibility questions, enhancing member satisfaction and trust.
- Guided members through retirement application workflows, beneficiary updates, and death claim processes, ensuring clarity in documentation requirements and facilitating smoother transitions.
- Reconcile benefit discrepancies and coordinate with leadership administrators to ensure accurate record-keeping
- Skills: Strong verbal and written communication, active listening, and technical proficiency to navigate database systems and screen-sharing tools. Strong customer service skills.
Cafeteria Manager/ Food Service Manager
El Paso Independent School District
El Paso, TX
08.2016 - 06.2022
- Full-time position 40hrs a week
- Oversees the safe and efficient preparation of quality meals for students and staff.
- Use positive communication to promote morale, quality customer service and teamwork.
- Held food service personnel accountable for their job performance.
- Hold all food service personnel accountable when appropriate.
- Ensures all food service employees/personnel understand and follow all HACCP procedures and protocols.
- Emphasizes the following of established recipes. Ensures all special diets are followed and employees are trained on preparing special diet requests accurately.
- Maintains integrity and accountability of the Child Nutrition Program through compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations.
- Ensures that meals claimed for reimbursement meet United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines.
- Controls day-to-day operations of the Cafeteria to include imputing work orders, fulfilling any catering needs, receiving of all food, supply and paper items entering cafeteria; forecasts accurately when ordering and completing production records for the week/months.
- Maintains and updates par levels based on meals served and forecasted meals served.
- Review financial reports, prepare memorandums and reports, and take appropriate actions concerning conflict resolutions with students, parents and district employees.
- Controlled day-to-day operations of cafeteria, including work order input, catering needs fulfillment, and receiving food and supply deliveries; forecasted accurately for ordering and completed production records weekly and monthly.
- Manages sales and meals count reports (P&L report), cash journals, invoice logs, etc.
- Review financial reports, prepares memorandums and reports, and takes appropriate actions concerning conflict resolutions with students, parents and district employees.
- Develops and maintains good public relationships with students, District staff & faculty, and all external allied groups (e.g.Custodial, suppliers, and vendors.)
- Answers all phone calls and questions concerning NSLP, SBP and CACFP Programs at school.
- Acts as Liaison between school administrators, parents and program supervisors and Directors.
- Developed and maintained positive relationships with students, district staff, faculty, and external groups, enhancing collaboration and support.
- Acts as Liaison between school administrators, parents and program supervisors and Directors.
- Inspects kitchen appliances, equipment and work areas to verify functional operation and cleanliness.
Assistant Manager
El Paso Independent School District
El Paso, TX
11.2014 - 08.2016
- Full-time position 40hrs a week.
- Covered for Managers at various schools/ Trained on all cooking procedures of the Kitchen (includes reading recipes, adjusting recipes to required production needs, batch cooking, weighing and measuring ingredients when baking, thermometer calibration, cooking all food to proper temperatures, cooling cooked food, storing cooked foods, etc.)) and Trained on the day to day Operating Procedures of Food Management Personnel, and Leadership Qualities of Management.
- Oversaw all kitchen operations which to include safe and efficient food preparation that met quality standards for students and staff within EPISD.
- Answered all incoming calls promptly and professionally.
- Ensured that meals claimed for reimbursement meet United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines.
- Executed cash protocols, labor protocols, and inventory control procedures to ensure compliance and operational efficiency.
- Completed and processed lunch applications.
- Received, stored and organized all food and warehouse items; checked all items for quality upon receipt; reported any discrepancies.
- Cultivated positive relationships with students, staff, faculty, and external groups, enhancing communication and collaboration.
- Supported management of financial reports, including sales, meal counts, and payroll, contributing to accurate budgeting and financial oversight.
Retail Sales Associate
Kmart- McRae Blvd
El Paso, TX
08.2013 - 06.2014
- Worked part-time for 30 hours each week, contributing to team goals.
- Used consultative sales approach to understand customer needs and recommend relevant offerings.
- Assigned daily duties to shoe and toy department sales associates to ensure efficient operations.
- Oversaw and maintained product inventories on sales floor, ensuring that sufficient products/items were available for sale and on display.
- Maintained product inventories on sales floor, ensuring availability and visibility of merchandise for customers.
- Performed returns/exchanges and adhered to call cash control protocols.
- Collaborated with store managers to ensure timely ordering and accuracy of deliveries.
- Communicated low stock situations to store managers.
- Handled cash register operations and balanced cash drawers daily.
- Followed all Planograms and, assisted store leaders with their efforts in visual merchandising and sales campaigns.
- Organized/maintained inventory control levels in compliance with Inventory control protocols.
- Completed setup, breakdown and product preparation for promotional displays and in-store demonstrations.
- Set up, broke down, and prepared products for promotional displays and in-store demonstrations to enhance customer engagement.
Shift Manager
Burger King
El Paso, TX
03.2010 - 08.2013
- Part-time 35 hours a week.
- Supervised and trained team members (6-20 crew members) to enhance operational efficiency.
- Assisted Management in creating shift schedules for employees.
- Managed schedules, accepted time off requests and found coverage for short shifts.
- Opened and closed the restaurant, taking charge in the absence of the General Manager or Assistant Manager.
- Trained and mentored new employees to maximize team performance.
- Trained back-up associates and led crew members in managing operations of storefront.
- Enforced Company policies and procedures to include Food Safety and Sanitation requirements.
- Handled all cash procedures during assigned shifts, verifying deposits against cash sales collected.
- Maintained employee productivity and focus on tasks to ensure alignment with business and customer needs.
- Trained and mentored new employees to improve onboarding experience and team integration.
- Addressed customer complaints and requests promptly, in a courteous manner ensuring exceptional Quality of Customer Service.
- Exercised composure under pressure and in escalated customer service scenarios.
Generator Repair Specialist/Transportation Special/
United States Army Reserve
05.2002 - 05.2010
- Dispatched Vehicles to soldiers and scheduled required maintenance
- Responsible for supervising and operating all wheeled vehicles.
- Reviewed and verified quantities received against contracts, shipping documents, and purchase requests
- Accounted for and ensured accountability of lost, damaged, and destroyed supply items and equipment
- Provide Force Protection During OIF 2006-2007
- Assisted in the transport of soldiers and all cargo assigned.
- Maintained stock records and documents such as inventory, accounting, supply records, and material control (Data Entry)
- Maintained several filing systems for all documents (computer based spreadsheet, hard file based, and alphabetical filling system).
- Unloaded, unpacked, counted, segregated, palletized, and stored incoming supplies/equipment
- Issued supplies/equipment to soldiers
- Reviewed and verified quantities received against bills of contracts, shipping documents, and purchase requests
- Assisted in accounting for and acquiring accountability for lost, damaged and destroyed supply items and equipment
- Coordinated and conducted training for soldiers on force protection, operation of wheeled vehicles, and routine maintenance procedures
- Constructed and maintained storage areas by item numbers and item type
Education
Master's - Business Administration
Park University
Kansas City, MOBachelor of Multidisciplinary - Interdisciplinary Studies
The University of Texas At El Paso
El Paso, TXSkills
- Retirement Planning
- Benefit Coordination
- Retirement Counseling
- Regulatory Compliance
- Policy Interpretation
- Customer service excellence
- Telephone Communication
- Conflict resolution
- Relationship management
- Management
- Administrative assistance
- Microsoft Office
- Computer skills
- Employee Evaluation
- Food service management
- Retail Sales
Personal Information
- Work Permit: Authorized to work in the US for any employer
Certification
- Food Handler Certification
Timeline
Retirement Benefits Counselor
Teacher Retirement System of Texas
06.2022 - Current
Cafeteria Manager/ Food Service Manager
El Paso Independent School District
08.2016 - 06.2022
Assistant Manager
El Paso Independent School District
11.2014 - 08.2016
Retail Sales Associate
Kmart- McRae Blvd
08.2013 - 06.2014
Shift Manager
Burger King
03.2010 - 08.2013
Generator Repair Specialist/Transportation Special/
United States Army Reserve
05.2002 - 05.2010
Master's - Business Administration
Park University
Bachelor of Multidisciplinary - Interdisciplinary Studies
The University of Texas At El Paso