Meet our Receptionists
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Rebecca Rosales And Otilia Samame
For the past 16 years, Rebecca Rosales and Otilia Samame have worked side-by-side as receptionists at Catholic Charities’ headquarters on Zanker Road in San Jose. In fact, this “dynamic duo” started their jobs on the same day in April 2006. They are the first contact when families and individuals in crisis call or come to Catholic Charities.
“Rebecca and Otilia really serve as the ‘faces and voices’ of our agency for the public, and they do their jobs with respect and compassion,” according to Catholic Charities’ CEO Greg Kepferle. “Their knowledge and experience in responding to all types of situations are invaluable in our mission to care for the poor.”
The two never stopped working in-person during the pandemic and, at its peak in 2020, their volume of incoming phone calls requesting help jumped from an average of 150 to 250 per day. They also willingly worked at other Catholic Charities’ program sites to help respond to the increased demand for services caused by the pandemic. But even under pressure, the two remain calm and resourceful. Rebecca Rosales and Otilia Samame.
“My favorite part of working for Catholic Charities is knowing that I’m helping people with the services we offer,” Otilia says. “I feel very proud and thankful to work at an agency where we do so much to help those in need.”
Rebecca agrees: “We meet and speak with so many people who are in a really bad place in their lives. Working at Catholic Charities makes me incredibly grateful.”
