Bakery Manager Lianet Carrasco, #1536, Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, discovered her new passion after joining Publix 5 years ago. She’s thriving in the company and never looks back.

As a child growing up in Cuba, Lianet trained to become a professional ballet dancer.

“After graduation, I joined the ProDanza dance company and later received a 4-month contract to perform in Sinaloa, Mexico,” said Lianet. “From there, I decided to move to the U.S. because there were more opportunities compared to Cuba.”

Lianet and her partner made the move in 2016. However, dance auditions in the States were very competitive, and it was difficult to get a job. That’s when she applied at Publix and jumped to seize this great opportunity.

Lianet started as a part-time bakery clerk and eventually became full time. She’s proud that her dedication and work ethic enabled her to become an assistant bakery manager, then a bakery manager.

“When I came here, it was very hard for me. I spoke little English,” Lianet said. “But everyone saw how hard I worked. When I got promoted, I couldn’t believe it was happening.”

Lianet will always love dancing, but she says there is no going back. Publix has provided great opportunities, and her goal now is to buy her own house.

“I left ballet for a better future,” Lianet said. “Now, I’m happy with what I have, and I want more. I want to grow as much as I can with this company.”

Publix is a family — a big, 230,000-person one — with backgrounds from across the country and around the world. This article is part of a series featuring associates from a variety of backgrounds, age groups and cultures, and we love sharing their successes. We hope our articles help you learn a little more about your fellow associates who make up our Publix family.