Page 14 - San Diego Woman Magazine Digital Version

Women of Distinction

itadel Penn is beautiful both inside Citadel worked in various jobs during Rey in Taiwan, he was working for Intel at
Cand out, and her beauty comes shining school, starting in customer service, then that time, traveling to different countries
through as you get to know her. This in accounting, and finally doing research to do business. We met in Taipei and spent
amazing woman was determined to make for a law firm. It was at this point that she our time together touring Taiwan. It was at
a difference in the world. She wasn’t quite realized that law might not be the field she this point that he asked me if I wanted to
sure how she would achieve this goal, but wanted to pursue. With few professional visit the states. His family lived in Orange
with a heart of gold she was determined connections in the Philippines, Citadel County. I jumped at the opportunity.”
that she would. decided to pursue a new career opportuni- Citadel visited with her aunt and
uncle in Orange County and then went to
visit her sister, who was living in Georgia.
Although she loved the time spent with her
sister and her family, she realized Georgia
was not for her and decided to settle down
in California. She moved to Los Angeles,
where she started a whole new life. Not
long after her move to LA, she met her
husband, Kelson, online. “I was lucky he
was the first person online that I met. He
lived in San Diego and when we met in
person, we just clicked. I have heard horror
stories about online dating, but I was the
lucky one! Today he is my husband, and we
have a beautiful little girl, Jasmine”
Citadel decided to continue on with
her education and began attending classes
to obtain her MBA in International Busi-
ness. “I planned on going to work for an
organization where I could utilize this spe-
cialty. From the time I was a young child,
I always had an entrepreneurial spirit, and
felt that this would be a good fit.”
While attending college, Citadel
obtained a position as a caregiver working
with both the elderly and disabled patients.
“I realized how much I loved being a care-
giver, but I was faced with some very sad
Citadel Penn ly think about what I would do with my
cases, some of which caused me to serious-
future. A few of my patients were young
quadriplegics who had no way of know-
ing the tragic card they would be dealt,
Creating a Beautiful Life and as such, were neither emotionally nor
financially prepared for what they would
have to face.” Citadel realized that these
By Judith A. Habert individuals were being taken advantage of
and it broke her heart to watch it. It was at
Photos by Monique Hoppe this point that she decided that she needed
to focus on becoming a financial advisor,
so she could guide them toward a better
and more comfortable life.
Citadel was born and raised in Jones, ty in Taiwan. Although she did not speak “It was heartbreaking to see what they
in the province of Isabella, a small town in the language, as with other aspects of her faced as a result of their physical challeng-
the Philippines. She spent her first 22 years education, she quickly became proficient. es, but seeing that they could not get prop-
there and attained her bachelor’s degree Citadel worked there for two years er care because they were not financially
in accounting. Citadel went on to work and was excited when she found out that prepared broke my heart even more.”
full time while attending law school in the a cousin she had never met before, would In an effort to cover the cost of her
evenings. be visiting Taiwan. “So, I met my cousin education and living expenses, Citadel was

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