Workshop | Invisible Scars: Trauma, Identity, and Compassionate Leadership in Public Service

Public service, at its core, is a calling - a daily act of faith carried out by people who show up despite personal storms, political tension, and the emotional toll of serving communities in crisis. But what happens when the ones who serve carry their own silent battles? And what happens when the system forgets that those behind the desks are also human?

In this soul-stirring session, Magdianamy Carrillo Sotomayor - Puerto Rican author, trauma survivor, and seasoned public library manager - brings the audience into a raw and transformative conversation about what it means to lead and serve with compassion in a time of collective exhaustion.

Drawing from her lived experience - from growing up in poverty and violence in a public housing project in Puerto Rico to becoming a leader in one of Oregon’s busiest public libraries - Magdianamy offers a trauma-informed framework of leadership that honors both the people who serve and the communities they serve.

This session explores:

• The emotional cost of public service in today’s polarized, under-resourced systems.

• How invisible scars - both from childhood and workplace trauma - affect staff performance, team dynamics, and community interactions.

• Tools for trauma-informed leadership that balance empathy with structure, and heart with accountability.

• Strategies to build emotionally safer work environments where employees feel seen, supported, and equipped to replicate that same sense of care for the public.

This workshop is not just about policy - it’s about people. It’s about remembering that behind every counter, every badge, every service - there is a story. And when we dare to lead with that awareness, we do more than meet metrics. We restore dignity, ignite purpose, and begin to heal systems from the inside out.

Magdianamy Carrillo Sotomayor is a Puerto Rican library manager, author, and lifelong advocate for dignity, inclusion, and healing through education and public service. Born and raised in the public housing projects of San Juan, her story begins in the margins - surrounded by poverty, addiction, and silence. But through the power of education and inner strength, she rose to become a respected leader in the U.S. library field, committed to transforming lives and institutions from within.

With over 20 years of experience in public libraries across  Puerto Rico, New York, Florida, and now Oregon, Magdianamy has made it her mission to create spaces where every voice matters - especially those that have been historically silenced. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from the University of Puerto Rico and a Master’s degree in Information Science, but her true credentials are written in the lives she’s touched and the communities she’s served.

Today, she manages the Shute Park Library in Hillsboro, Oregon, where she leads with empathy, emotional intelligence, and servant leadership. Her branch serves a richly diverse population, including Spanish-speaking families, seniors, youth, and individuals facing poverty, trauma, and systemic barriers. Her approach combines practical DEI strategies with lived insight - ensuring staff and patrons alike are met with compassion and respect.

She is also the author of Between Letters and Scars, a deeply personal memoir that explores invisible trauma, identity, and resilience. Her story is not just one of survival, but of transformation - a reminder that behind every employee, every community member, and every colleague, there are hidden stories that shape how they show up in the workplace.

Magdianamy believes leadership is not just about managing people - it’s about seeing them. Her work invites institutions to lead with both structure and soul, and to recognize that equity begins with understanding the humanity we all carry, especially the scars no one else can see.

Explore her digital portfolio at sites.google.com/site/magdianamycarrillosotomayor