Hispanic Heritage Month Heroes: Diana Berron

Mexico native delivers employee recognition and customer service with a smile
As MIA’s Customer Initiatives Supervisor, Mexico native Diana Berron is on the frontlines of customer service at America’s busiest airport for international passengers. Whether it’s training the airport’s 90 Volunteer Ambassadors, coordinating MIA’s monthly employee recognition program for acts of customer service excellence, or responding to passenger emails, Diana says the work ethic and family values she learned growing up in Mexico help her do it all with a smile.

Little did she know at the time that her work experience in Mexico would give her some handy skills for the role she has had at MIA for the past 13 years. Diana began her career as an educational trainer at a Mexico City hospital, then worked as a store manager at a high-end retailer in Mexico City, followed by working as web manager and registrar for an educational institution with centers in 17 countries. After moving to Miami from Mexico in 1997 and joining the Miami-Dade Aviation Department in 2008, Diana was well-suited to handle the customer service issues of passengers from the 52 countries MIA currently serves.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re getting to know more about employees from the diverse Spanish-speaking regions we’re connected to, starting with our very own Mexican customer service star.

What is your current role at MIA?

I am MIA’s Customer Initiatives Supervisor, responsible for: responding to airport-wide customer inquiries and complaints; coordinating the Employee Reward and Recognition Program; overseeing customer service training for new airport employees; overall management of the airport’s customer feedback database; and coordinating MIA’s Volunteer Ambassador Program, which has an average of 90 volunteers annually.

What do you like most about your job?

I love interacting with customers and helping them have a positive experience at MIA. I also love training our volunteers about customer service and teaching the customer service section of our airport ID

I enjoy being with the volunteers at their information counters, helping them with different questions that passengers have, and setting an example of how to go the extra mile in assisting customers. This might mean going with the passenger to the place they are looking for or helping volunteers navigate our website to find the information passengers need, such as finding places near MIA where they can get the COVID-19 vaccine, informing them where they can get their passport processed in one day, or providing them their consulate’s contact information.

What are some of your biggest career accomplishments?

In 2020, I completed the Global ACI-ICAO Airport Management Professional Accreditation Program (AMPAP) and earned the International Airport Professional (IAP) designation, which took me two years to finish.

What makes you most proud of your Mexican heritage?

Mexicans are hardworking, honest, and reliable people who honor traditions, respect the elderly, and hold family values and principles in high esteem.

We also have a truly unique culture composed of a mixture of strong native legends, artistic expressions, and elements of Spanish culture. It is showcased in our traditions, art, music, clothing, dance, and even cuisine. For example, my favorite Mexican dish is mole poblano, a delicious sauce usually served with turkey or chicken. Of the many ingredients that can be found in the dish, the main ones are chili peppers, chocolate, plantains, almonds, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon sticks, anise, and cloves. These eight ingredients are among the most interesting, not only because they are essential to the dish, but because they have long, complex histories that date back to the ancient, pre-Colombian empires of Mesoamerica.

How does it feel to be recognized during Hispanic Heritage Month?

I am very proud of being Mexican and consider it a privilege to be recognized during Hispanic Heritage Month. Viva Mexico!