Reinvent Yourself: A Career Without Borders

Join us for a transformative, two-session in-person workshop designed specifically for women who are restarting their professional lives.
About this Event

There is one certainty in this life: change. Evolution is written into our nature, yet rebuilding your identity, your career, and your sense of belonging in a new place with unfamiliar rules rarely feels natural. Moving to a new country, finding a new job, or starting over in a new career is one of the hardest things a person can do but it is also one of the most powerful.

We will meet twice, with sessions spaced exactly one week apart, giving you time to reflect and complete practical take-home exercises between meetings. Informed by the real stories of hundreds of women who have navigated this exact journey, this training is grounded in values and built around concrete action.

Registration is required for this 2- workshop series.

Workshop Overview

Session 1: Know who you are before you sell who you are

Saturday, October 17, 2026, 2:30 - 4 pm

You can't build a new career on an identity you haven't revisited.

• The real problem no one names: We will discuss the "identity gap" a new country creates, which is often a bigger barrier than visa sponsorship.
• Who are you beyond your last title?: Participate in a values card sort and discover what truly crossed the border with you by comparing your strengths to your past credentials.
• The cost of your hour: Learn to think like an architect rather than an employee to determine what you actually need to earn.
• Session 1 Takeaways: You will leave this first 90-minute session with your top 5 core values and your "real number."

Session 2: Build with what you have, from where you are

Saturday, October 24, 2026, 2:30 - 4 pm

Your career doesn't start when things align. It starts today.

• Reframing Networking: Learn why effective networking isn't about asking for favors, but about listening.
• Strategy for Immigrant Professionals: Discover how to bridge what you already have with what the local market needs through strategic volunteering, LinkedIn, and small projects.
• Your next move in 90 days: Chart your path by choosing between employment, consulting, or starting your own project.
• What no one tells you: Embrace the reality that leaving your comfort zone feels uncomfortable, and learn tools to stay engaged while executing your plan.
• Session 2 Takeaways: In this final 90-minute session, you will make a public commitment to one concrete action step to move your career forward.

Presented by Gemma Godoy, The Global Architect, Personal Reinvention & Professional Growth

Gemma has spent more than one decade helping people figure out their next chapter: After a move, a layoff, becoming a parent, or simply when it's time for something new. Before that, she spent nearly two decades as a Human Resources Leader, including roles at General Motors and Unilever, and has lived and worked across Mexico, Singapore, and the United States. Now, as founder of The Global Architect and a certified coach (ICF-PCC), she's worked with organizations including UN Women Singapore Chapter, 30% Club and the Mexican Consulates here in the Bay Area. Gemma speaks Spanish and English, and has restarted her own career more than once, including through motherhood.

If you have questions about the program, please email: [email protected]

This event is sponsored by the

Your attendance to this program grants permission to the City of Santa Clara to take your photograph and/or your child's photograph for marketing purposes.

This program is provided for informational purposes only. The City of Santa Clara and the Santa Clara City Library do not endorse, recommend, or make any representations regarding the services or organizations mentioned in this program.