Tina Pietrangelo
Tina achieved her Bachelor’s degree in 2007. Against many odds, she set a personal goal as an adult pursuing higher education to work towards her mantra of “One Class, One at a Time.” She was the first in her family to pursue higher education. At the start of her junior year in high school, her family relocated from Saginaw MI, to Holland MI in pursuit of a better education and community experience than what her parents had. Tina’s mother worked very hard operating her own business but neither of her parents had a formal education.
Pietrangelo participated in the Upward Bound Program where she was first introduced to the idea of attending college. She found employment at a local restaurant and learned that for each hour worked, her employer would contribute towards her college education. This information fueled her to work as many hours as she could and registered for college courses immediately following high school graduation.
When funding for school ran out, she decided to pursue a position in manufacturing. Her employer provided tuition reimbursement and provided the opportunity to finish her education. A strong family support system allowed for Tina to reach her dream. Her passion for diversity and inclusion stems from her own life experiences and is working to impact on the lives of others by helping to create an inclusive work environment that welcomes and leverages the talents of people from all walks of life.
She currently serves as the Human Resources Director at Padnos Iron & Metal Co. where she has worked since 2009. She presently serves on the Ready 4 School Board and is the Diversity Director for AHRM (Association for Human Resource Management) of Greater Grand Rapids.