Reinvention Without Borders: The Global Journey of Karina Heffel

Karina Heffel’s career is a testament to reinvention: a journey shaped across countries, cultures, and countless moments of courage. Trilingual and rooted in both Argentina and the United States, she has spent over 15 years supporting C-level leaders while becoming a bridge between people, languages, and perspectives. As the founder of LatAm Executive Voices, she’s now amplifying the stories and strengths of Executive Assistants across Latin America, championing visibility for a community rich in talent and resilience. Grounded in empathy, storytelling, and lifelong learning, Karina’s path shows how a global mindset can transform not just a career, but an entire profession.

Karina Heffel | Senior Executive Assistant to the CEO at BIOSIDUS | Argentina | LinkedIn | Website

Karina Heffel is a trilingual (SPA–ENG–PT) Senior Executive Assistant with 15+ years of international experience supporting C-level leaders across diverse industries. Having lived and worked in Argentina and the U.S., she blends strategic insight with cultural fluency and empathy. She’s the founder of LatAm Executive Voices, a newsletter amplifying the voices of Executive Assistants and support professionals across Latin America. Passionate about writing, storytelling, leadership, and lifelong learning, Karina advocates for visibility and global impact for Latin American talent while studying Global Business at Universidad de Belgrano. A nature lover, she dreams of a future near water and green spaces, alongside her life partner Marcelo, and their dogs: Frida, Daisy, and Benji.

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Elizabeth Sutkowska: Karina, your career beautifully reflects the power of reinvention, from your first role in a government office in Buenos Aires to supporting global leaders across industries and continents. Looking back, what moment made you realize that every chapter of your life was shaping your personal and professional brand as an Executive Assistant?

Karina Heffel: I think that moment came at a crossroads in life. After living abroad for more than sixteen years, I had to make one of the hardest choices of my life: saying goodbye to the good life I had built in the United States and returning home to Argentina for family reasons. I had just turned 40 and had already reinvented myself several times.

While packing up my desk in Texas after five years with a company that had given me great growth opportunities, I noticed I didn’t have many personal items: just a few symbols of connection. A couple of family pictures, a mate gourd that reminded me of home, a farewell gift from a patient from my time in Oregon, and a small wooden angel holding a dog, given by a friend who volunteered with me as a rescuer at the Humane Society.

That’s when it struck me: these weren’t just objects. They represented the essence of what I had been building all along: connection, trust, and cultural understanding. I wasn’t simply changing jobs or countries. I was carrying with me stories, values, and relationships that had shaped the person I had become.

Looking back, I can see how each chapter of my career taught me something essential, from typing letters at my very first government job to being a medical interpreter for non-English-speaking patients to supporting global C-level executives. Every step prepared me to lead with adaptability, empathy, and foresight, becoming the person and the EA I am today.

My personal and professional brand as a Global Executive Assistant did not come from one single achievement. It crystallized through reinvention, learning to lead from behind, to speak three languages with one voice, and to turn storytelling into advocacy. I try to honor that past while designing my future.

That small wooden angel still sits on my desk today, reminding me that even the simplest object can hold a lifetime of meaning and purpose.

Elizabeth: You’re the founder of LatAm Executive Voices, a community that celebrates and amplifies the voices of Executive Assistants across Latin America. What inspired you to create this space, and what gaps or needs did you feel were missing in the EA community when you decided to start it?

Karina: The idea for LatAm Executive Voices was born from a mix of gratitude and inspiration. Gratitude for everything this profession has given me, and inspiration to shine a light on the incredible talent that exists across Latin America, which often goes unrecognized in global conversations about Executive Assistants.

After years of working with leaders across different countries and industries, I noticed a clear gap. In regions like Europe or the U.S., Executive Assistants often have access to visibility, mentorship, and strong professional networks. But many of my colleagues in Latin America, equally skilled and dedicated, rarely have the same opportunities to share their stories or to be seen as strategic partners.

A few months ago, while recovering from surgery, I began connecting with other EAs from the region who felt the same way. That’s when it clicked: we needed a space for storytelling and representation, where our experiences, resilience, and cultural strengths could be seen and celebrated, and perhaps even become a launching pad for something greater.

LatAm Executive Voices began as a small project: a newsletter blending personal branding, storytelling, practical tips, and leadership reflections through a Latin American lens. Over time, I hope it grows into a community that bridges worlds, where not only EAs from our region can see themselves reflected in the global dialogue, but also other talented professionals who perform global roles without enough visibility can find their voice as well.

For me, the EA profession goes beyond career development. It’s about rewriting the narrative. Our voices matter not only in how we support our leaders, but in how we shape leadership itself. LatAm Executive Voices is my way of giving back to a profession that has allowed me to connect cultures, languages, and people, and to remind others that our stories deserve to be heard across the globe.

Elizabeth: Having lived and worked in both Argentina and the United States, and speaking three languages, you embody a truly global mindset. How have your international experiences, especially your travels and time abroad, shaped your perspective on collaboration, adaptability, and the human side of leadership?

Karina: Living and working between Argentina and the United States has shaped not only how I collaborate but also how I understand people. When you live abroad, you quickly learn that adaptability isn’t just about adjusting to new ways of working; it’s about learning to think differently.

During my years abroad, I discovered that leadership and collaboration look different depending on where you stand. In the U.S., I learned structure, assertiveness, and the value of clear communication. In Argentina, where I grew up, I learned empathy, resilience, and the power of human connection. Over time, I realized that true effectiveness lies in blending both worlds: being efficient without losing that human touch.

Speaking three languages has been more than a professional asset; it has become a bridge that has opened many doors. Language carries culture, tone, and emotion. When you speak to someone in their native language, even with a strong accent, you’re not just exchanging words; you’re building trust. That understanding has helped me navigate multicultural teams and support leaders with greater sensitivity and awareness.

Travel has been another teacher. Every move, every new environment, has reminded me that we are all connected by similar hopes and fears, regardless of title, status, or geography. Whether coordinating a project across time zones or helping a leader through a moment of uncertainty, I’ve learned that what truly drives collaboration is empathy: the ability to see beyond the role and connect with the person behind it. I believe great leaders are not defined by how many people report to them, but by how many they can uplift, include, and inspire.

In many ways, my journey abroad taught me that being an Executive Assistant is, at its core, about building bridges between cultures, priorities, and people; and about remembering that no matter where we are in the world, everyone longs to be seen and heard.

Elizabeth: The EA community in Argentina, and across Latin America, is evolving in fascinating ways. From your experience, what do you believe defines the spirit and strength of Executive Assistants in this region, and how do you see the profession growing in the years to come?

Karina: What defines the spirit of Executive Assistants in Latin America is our incredible resilience, creativity, and sense of purpose. We’ve learned to navigate uncertainty with resourcefulness, empathy, and adaptability; qualities that became even more evident through the different economic crises our region has faced in recent years.

In the past few years, I’ve noticed a curious trend: many organizations abroad have started outsourcing EA roles to Latin America and other regions for budgetary reasons, especially after the pandemic. While that shift was initially driven by cost efficiency, I believe it also opened a valuable conversation, one that gave the world a closer look at the depth of talent that exists in our region.

Across Latin America, we have professionals who are multilingual, highly educated, culturally fluent, and able to operate seamlessly across time zones and corporate cultures. This global exposure has also highlighted other uniquely human skills that well-prepared EAs bring to the table: the ability to read a room, to sense the emotional temperature of a board meeting, and to anticipate what a leader needs before they ask.

That said, the depth of our contribution will always depend on the size and nature of the organization we support. For some, a fractional or virtual EA may be enough. But for others, especially at the C-suite level, nothing replaces a seasoned, all-terrain EA who operates as a true strategic partner.

Looking ahead, my hope is that this growing global visibility will help balance and elevate EA compensation worldwide, in fair recognition of the tremendous value we bring to the table. I believe the profession in our region will continue to evolve toward greater strategic partnership and professional recognition, supported by lifelong learning, new technologies, and communities that empower us to grow collectively, like the one we are now building with LatAm Executive Voices.

During the pandemic, we learned that true connection has no borders, and I’m confident that the next chapter for Latin American Executive Assistants will be defined by visibility, fair value, and global impact.

Elizabeth: Finally, your posts often highlight empathy, versatility, and lifelong learning as essential to success. What does “professional reinvention” mean to you today, and what advice would you give to other Executive Assistants who are standing at the crossroads of change in their own careers?

Karina: For me, professional reinvention isn’t about abandoning who you are; it’s about expanding to see who you can become. It means having the courage to reimagine yourself beyond the title, to honor your evolution, and to see change not as a threat but as an opportunity to grow.

As Executive Assistants, we’re used to being the constant in a world that moves fast. But at some point, we all reach a crossroads, when the skills that once defined us no longer serve us, and our curiosity starts pulling us toward something different. That’s not a sign of failure or fatigue; it’s a sign of growth. Reinvention begins when you start listening to that inner voice that whispers from within.

In my own journey, I’ve learned that reinvention happens in layers. Sometimes it starts quietly, through education, community, or simply giving yourself permission to explore something new. Other times, it’s born out of necessity, when circumstances push us to adapt. Either way, it’s a process rooted in self-awareness, courage, and learning.

My advice to any EA standing at that crossroads right now is this: don’t wait for the perfect moment. The perfect moment doesn’t exist. Start with curiosity. Learn something new today. Connect with others who are walking a similar path. And above all, remember the essence of what makes you valuable: your empathy, your ability to anticipate, and your adaptability will always be transferable to any new chapter of your life.

The future of all careers is changing fast, and the EAs who thrive will be those who embrace lifelong learning, technology, and self-leadership. Reinvention isn’t a one-time event; it’s a whole mindset. And when approached with gratitude and purpose, it can become the most empowering part of our whole professional story.

Thank You!

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