Meet Melyna Blanco | Ice Skating Instructor, HR Professional, & Influencer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melyna Blanco and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melyna, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Time management, attention to detail, passion, and perseverance are key habits that contribute to my success.

Time management helps me prioritize tasks and stay organized while attention to detail ensures that I produce high-quality work which helps set me apart. Passion keeps me motivated, fuels my creativity, and helps me push through challenges, making the work more enjoyable and sustainable. Finally, perseverance allows me to overcome setbacks and stay focused on long-term success.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am blessed to have a career where I am surrounded by supportive teams and knowledgeable individuals. They facilitate my development and foster an environment to thrive. What sets me apart from others is my ability to adapt. I adjust to changes quickly and problem solve with efficiency. I am most proud of my growth across the sports facility industry.

I am a Human Resources Manager at Barnes Tennis Center and an Ice Skating Instructor at the Salvation Army Kroc Center. I grew up skating and still skate today, so the transition to coaching was natural. As for the HR, it was a role I fell into, but it has turned into a part of my career which I find very engaging.

One of the biggest lessons I have learned is to not allow minor setbacks to distract you from the progress towards the greater goal. It is important to show yourself kindness. Supporting and believing in oneself can yield incredible results.

What I want to world to know about me is I’m driven by the idea of continuous improvement, whether it’s in my work or personal growth. I want my brand to represent authenticity and a commitment to excellence.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If a close friend was visiting the San Diego area, here are some of the places I’d take them and activities I would plan.

We would sail or jet ski between Downtown and Coronado Island. This provides one of the best views of the city especially at sunset. I would also recommend visiting Balboa Park followed by a drink at the iconic Lafayette Hotel. Balboa Park has world-class museums, gardens, attractions, performances, and the San Diego Zoo. For shopping, I’d select from Fashion Valley or Westfield UTC shopping centers. If going to Fashion Valley, getting lunch at the Nordstrom Cafe is a must. If going to Westfield UTC, you need to stop by Javier’s for chips and salsa. With so many beaches in town, it is hard to choose one. However, a solid choice is a Windansea Beach stroll in La Jolla. After, we would get drinks at La Valencia Hotel and finish with dinner at Eddie V’s. For the girlies, you can’t go wrong with a spa day at L’Auberge Del Mar. Some honorable mentions are the Hotel Del and Little Frenchie in Coronado, Cesarina or Seneca’s for Italian in San Diego, Flemings in Downtown for steak, Seaport Village, and Little Italy.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to dedicate my shoutout to Dominique Tran. A fellow San Diego influencer and close friend of mine, we motivate each other to continue remaining authentic to ourselves and to the content we produce.

Website: https://melynablanco.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melynablanco

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melynablanco