CULTURE CORNER: Jennifer Huffaker, Market Advisor & Publisher

Q: First, tell us a little about yourself–where you live, your family, how long you’ve been at DE, and what you did before coming here.

A: I am a fifth generation New Mexican. My husband is a deacon candidate. We will have been married for twenty-eight years in February. We have two beautiful adopted daughters. One is a Senior in high school and the other is a Sophomore in college. I have been with DE for three years and am a Market Manager of New Mexico and El Paso. I have three Account Executives, Frances Rivera, her daughter Rachael Rivera, and Debbie Schaff. I consider Debbie, Rachael and Kim Hurley to be my Ace Reporters, ie. Content Facilitators on a mission. We have built two magazines named ABQ Catholic: Parish Neighbors of the Northeast and ABQ Catholic: Parish Neighbors of the Westside. We would love to be able to reach and unite the entire Catholic community. Before joining DE, I was a Pharmaceutical Sales Representative for 23 years. I also did insurance sales for a couple of years as well.

Q: What do you love most about working at DE?

A: For me, the work we do at DE is not just a job, it is a vocation. I love being able to serve God directly through our work and I love our mission of evangelization. I have always enjoyed sales when I really believed in the product I was representing. When the product we are selling is God, it doesn’t get any more meaningful than that.

Q: What is your favorite liturgical season and why?

A: My favorite liturgical season is Advent. My husband and I don’t really decorate for any other season. However, we go all out decorating for Christmas, starting in mid-November and continuing through the Baptism of Jesus. We have manger scenes everywhere and throw parties that make up for the rest of the year. Las Posadas is a New Mexican tradition reenacting the holy family’s journey to find lodging before the birth of Christ. We have a big Las Posadas party, where the kids dress as angels and shepherds etc. and we retell the Christmas story, ending in a live manger scene. We both have big families and my husband makes an ornament for each member once they hit age 18. He is up to about 50 ornaments per year.

Q: If you could go anywhere for a 10 day vacation, where would you go?

A: Australia or New Zealand. We have never been there but it is on our bucket list.

Q: What is the last book you read?

A: Graced and Gifted, Biblical Wisdom for the Homemaker’s Heart by Kimberly Hahn. I reread it when I am goal setting and highly recommend it.

Q: If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

A: Wine, isn’t that a food group?

Q: What’s your most prized possession and why?

A: My family, the most precious thing in the world to me.

Q: What topic could you spend hours talking about?

A: My daughters.

Q: What advice would you give to someone new in the business?

A: This job is such a gift that can grow with you as you grow. Treasure it! Even on our worst day, we are still furthering the Kingdom of God. It doesn’t get any better than that.