Larissa Bittencourt is a native of Brazil who joined the Office of Government and Community Relations in November 2023 as Manager of Operations. Read more about Larissa Bittencourt.
Tell us about what interested you in joining the Office of Government and Community Relations.
I had never worked at a university or in government—I come from a background in tech and hospitality. I did have experience in operations, so the environment was different but the skillset was similar. I’m the kind of person who likes to take care of the house and make sure that everything runs smoothly and is organized. When I interviewed for the position, Julian [Rogers, Assistant Vice President for Local Government and Community Relations] was great about being flexible to see how the position would evolve since it was new.
What do you like best about this position?
After I started, I could see the huge impact of the work we are doing with the community. So now I come to work every day happy to know that I'm supporting my colleagues. When I moved to Cleveland, I knew that I wanted to be a part of the community—and I think this gave me the opportunity to be involved.
You’re originally from Brazil….what’s it been like to make the transition to Cleveland?
The weather is different for sure! When I first came to Cleveland in 2014, I came to work as an au pair. In fact, I landed in Cleveland during the biggest snowstorm in ten years, so that was quite an experience. I’d never seen snow before. But I ended up being in Cleveland only for about seven months. I met my husband shortly after moving here and then we moved to California. We were there for eight years and then we decided to come back here to start a family.
Now that you’re back in Cleveland, what have you found that you like about the community?
I always wanted to come back to Cleveland because I feel home here. There is a sense of familiarity and welcoming in Cleveland. People you see walking around are smiling, and if you’re outside, you say hello to people. It wasn’t always like that in California. Things here are a little slower and for me, there’s something calming in that.