About Bela Gaytán

The professional stuff, the personal stuff, and a few things you probably didn’t expect to learn about Bela Gaytán.

Well Met!

Hey there! I'm Bela Gaytán. I'm a learning strategist, educator, curriculum developer, and lifelong learner who loves making complicated things feel a whole lot less complicated. I'm also queer, neurodivergent, multiply disabled, the child of field workers, and a first-generation college graduate.

I bring all of those experiences into how I approach my work. Over the past decade, I've designed, taught, and led learning initiatives across workforce development, leadership development, customer and technical education, certification programs, and organizational learning. I'm known for asking a lot of questions, finding the patterns others might miss, and turning complex information into practical learning that feels intuitive.

I believe most organizations are already doing plenty of things well. I'm interested in finding the opportunities to make that good work even better—without swooping in and pretending everything needs to be burned to the ground first. 🙂

 

Bela outside a kasbah in Morocco
Bela stands outside Kasbah Aït Ben-Haddou, in the Ouarzazate province of Southern Morocco. She is a light-skinned Latina with short, black, curly hair, wearing a baggy pantsuit. She is surrounded by a clay wall and buildings, as well as palm trees.

Educational Qualifications

Instead of simply listing my degrees, I'm sharing the happy faces that came with earning them. As a first-generation college graduate who didn't earn my bachelor's or master's until my 40s, these milestones mean a lot to me. And because apparently two degrees weren't enough, I'm now working toward my Doctor of Education (Ed.D). Dr. Bela does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it? 🙂

Bela stands outside, holding her Bachelor's Degree diploma.
Bela stands outside, holding her Bachelor's Degree diploma.

Bachelor of Science
Business – Human Resource Management
Western Governors University
2019

Bela stands outside, wearing a black, floral, Mexican dress, holding her Master's Degree diploma.
Bela stands outside, wearing a black, floral, Mexican dress, holding her Master's Degree diploma.

Master of Education
Learning and Technology
Western Governors University
2021

Poorly edited photo of Bela wearing a graduation cap and holding a "Dr. Bela" degree.
Poorly edited photo of Bela wearing a graduation cap and holding a "Dr. Bela" degree.

Future Doctor of Education
Adult Learning & Development
South College
In progress

Old-school developer

I started building websites long before I knew much about web development, teaching myself by inspecting and tinkering with code on old GeoCities and Xanga sites. Years later, that experience helped me earn a spot in the Grow with Google Developer Challenge and continue into its Front End Developer program as a top performer. I eventually completed the program and was featured by Google Developers.

Statistically improbable

I'm multiply disabled, neurodivergent, and colorblind, with several conditions that are individually considered rare—which makes the collection statistically rather impressive! Most people are especially surprised by the colorblind part because my work tends to be anything but colorless. I'm also a trained health advocate through The Ehlers-Danlos Society's EDS ECHO Health Advocacy Program and use my experiences to advocate for greater disability awareness, accessibility, and inclusion.

Gamer for life

I've been gaming since the days when blowing into a cartridge was considered legitimate technical support. These days, you'll usually find me playing World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, or something from my ever-growing console collection. My current gaming PC was custom built to my specs, and I occasionally stream my adventures (and questionable gaming decisions) on Twitch.

Languages are ridiculously cool

I'm fascinated by languages, accents, etymology, and the ways culture shapes how we communicate. I'm a polyglot with a TESOL certificate and varying levels of ability across several languages—including a few people don't expect, like Darija (Moroccan Arabic), Tamazight, and Esperanto. Give me an unfamiliar language or an interesting etymology and there's a very good chance I'm disappearing down a rabbit hole. 🐇

Rooted in hard work

Both sides of my family have deep roots in agricultural labor. My dad's family were migrant farmworkers, while my mom's family worked the land for local landowners. Their experiences have shaped how I think about work, education, opportunity, and the value of knowledge gained far beyond a classroom.

Professional wanderer

I love traveling and immersing myself in different cultures whenever I get the chance. So far, I've visited eight countries across three continents, explored eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and even spent time in a disputed territory surrounded by hidden land mines. Yes, the country I visited for less than 24 hours still counts.