What defines a leader? According to Jaxmin Ramirez, it’s not about titles or how many people report to you — it’s about showing up with intention, empowering others, and creating trust.
For years, owning a home felt out of reach for Jaxmin’s family — that’s why Habitat for Humanity’s mission resonated so profoundly with her. Today, as the Human Resources Manager at Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside, Jaxmin plays a critical role in nurturing a healthy and supportive culture for the employees who serve families on their path to homeownership.
To build her current skills and prepare for future leadership, Jaxmin recently completed the Nonprofit Leadership Center’s Certificate in Leadership — a 10-week program that prepares nonprofit professionals new to managing people or programs to lead dynamically in our ever-changing sector.
What she found in the program was more than a professional development experience — it was a turning point.
Finding My Voice in a Room of Leaders
For most of her life, Jaxmin was never the first to raise her hand. She let others lead the conversation while she listened, preferring the ideas and thoughts of others to her own. That began to change when she joined the Certificate in Leadership program.
“I’ve never been the person to speak up first. However, something shifted during the program's small group sessions. I felt safe. I felt heard. And slowly, I began using my voice.”
Week after week, Jaxmin was surrounded by nonprofit professionals who fostered a space where vulnerability was not just accepted but encouraged. Instructors began each session with honest check-ins, modeling openness and inviting others to do the same.
This supportive environment didn’t just help Jaxmin find her voice in the classroom — it changed how she showed up at work.
“I began speaking up more confidently, offering feedback without second-guessing myself. I even respectfully offered a different perspective to my supervisor that I wouldn’t have done before. That moment affirmed the value of my voice and potential as a leader.”
Jaxmin’s shift from reservation to responding with confidence became one of her most powerful takeaways from her experience at the Nonprofit Leadership Center.
Bringing New Tools to the Table
Understanding and upholding Habitat’s mission is central to Jaxmin’s work in HR, because when employees feel supported, she says they can better serve the families they exist to support.
One of Jaxmin’s key lessons from her time in the Certificate in Leadership was learning to pause and make space to listen, rather than rushing to offer solutions.
“Sometimes our employees just want to be heard. They’ll say: 'This is what I have in my brain, and I need to get it out.' Taking a moment to pause and ask, 'Is this something you just need to get off your chest, or would you like my help?' has made a big difference.”
Jaxmin now brings this intentionality to her interviews with staff, transforming them from routine check-ins into deeper, more meaningful conversations. By asking open-ended, thoughtful questions, Jaxmin has created her own space where employees feel genuinely heard and supported. This approach enables her to better understand her colleagues’ motivations and goals, allowing her to help them thrive in their positions.
Learning from and Leading with Peers
Along with the course content, some of the most surprising growth Jaxmin experienced came from the people she was learning alongside. Her Certificate in Leadership cohort included nonprofit professionals from a diverse range of positions and backgrounds. Whether it was fundraising, programming or finance, each offered a different perspective on what leadership entails. For Jaxmin, those perspectives sparked fresh ideas to bring back to her nonprofit.
During a one-on-one coaching session, Jaxmin’s instructor, Margarita Sarmiento, encouraged her to consider mentoring a younger person as a way to build her confidence through investing in someone else. That conversation inspired her to become a mentor through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay. With her new mentorship experience, she has helped to strengthen a program at Habitat that pairs executive leaders with staff members across the organization to foster connections and promote professional development.
The connections didn’t stop when the program ended. Jaxmin and her cohort remain in touch, exchanging ideas, offering support and volunteering with each other’s organizations.
For Jaxmin, leadership isn’t something that can grow in isolation. Her experience at the Nonprofit Leadership Center reaffirmed that meaningful growth occurs in community: that listening, collaboration, and shared learning are all essential components of effective leadership.
Defining a New Chapter
By investing in herself, Jaxmin has unlocked new ways to support her team, build a healthy culture, and lead with intentionality and vulnerability. She’s quick to credit Habitat’s CEO, Mike Sutton, for making this growth possible. “Mike has always believed in me and my future as a leader,” she said. “When he heard about this opportunity, he automatically thought of me and told me that I should do it. This is just one of many examples of how much he cares and invests in our team and organization.”
Her experience at the Nonprofit Leadership Center gave her more than skills; it gave her clarity, confidence and the connection she needed to grow. Today, she’s using that foundation to help create a workplace — and a nonprofit community — where people feel seen, heard and valued.
As Jaxmin puts it, “Leadership is always a work in progress.” Change is a constant, and she’s ready to lead through it with purpose.
To anyone considering the Certificate in Leadership, Jaxmin’s advice is simple: go for it. “Whether you manage a team or not, you’ll walk away with so much knowledge and clarity. It’s absolutely worth it.”
Advance Your Leadership Journey Like Jaxmin
Inspired by Jaxmin’s story? The Nonprofit Leadership Center’s Certificate in Leadership is designed to help nonprofit professionals new to managing people or programs strengthen their leadership skills, build confidence, and lead authentically in our ever-changing sector.
Learn more about the program and how to nominate a leader or apply for this high-impact professional development experience.
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