Staff Civil Engineer, EMI South Africa

Professional Training & Experience

• BS Civil Engineering, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 2013
• New York City Transit, 2014-2019
• Port Authority of NY & NJ, 2019-2021

Ministry Experience

Tatiana came to Christ at 19 after witnessing the radical transformation in her sister following a life-changing encounter with the Lord in Ghana. Soon after, she became actively involved in campus ministry. In the summer of 2011, through a missions opportunity with her campus church, she spent two months serving in a mountain village in Peru—an experience that would shape the course of her life. While there, she and her team built meaningful relationships with the local community, taught English in schools, led Bible studies, and immersed themselves in the daily life of the villagers. Tatiana discovered a deep love for evangelism and cross-cultural ministry, and after that summer, she felt a clear calling to pursue full-time ministry.

Tatiana continued to volunteer on short-term mission trips to Peru, as a Spanish translator, and to Dominican Republic. She volunteered for her first trip with EMI India in 2017 for the design of a new seminary college. Tatiana fell in love with the God-centric work atmosphere and approach to all EMI projects. In 2021, after seeing a need for a civil engineer at EMI South Africa, she excitingly joined staff. 

Family

Tatiana comes from a family of "bodegueros" (bodega owners) where she grew up helping her parents in the family business, a grocery store that also served authentic Dominican food. Her parents moved from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, where Tatiana was born. At the age of 4, Tatiana and her family arrived to New Jersey, USA in search of the "American Dream". Her parents are now retired in the Dominican Republic, but her sisters still reside in New Jersey. Tatiana is the youngest of 3 sisters, and the aunt of 6 nieces and 3 nephews.