After extensive outreach that resulted in over 90 applicants and a highly competitive selection process, Aggie Square welcomes their new receptionist, Derien Youngblood, to the team! 

Derien is a Sacramento resident who lives in one of the zip codes identified in the Aggie Square Community Benefits Partnership Agreement. He has a wide variety of customer service and administrative experience, previously holding positions at a trucking company and a car wash. Most recently, Derien worked seven months at UC Davis Health’s Health Education office. As an administrative assistant hired via UC Davis Temporary Employment Services, Derien worked as part of the team that organizes classes and resources for patients learning to manage their chronic conditions and implement healthy lifestyle changes.  When his assignment at UC Davis Health ended, Derien spent a few months traveling in Japan and New York.

Looking for a new job, Derien applied for the receptionist position. “My grandma actually found [the position] and asked if I wanted to apply for it,” Derien remarked with a chuckle. “It seemed really identical to what I was doing before at UC Davis Health, so I figured I’d be able to fit right in and get to work easily.”

Derien highly values this opportunity, hoping to gain a variety of skills through this position that will build a strong foundation for his career. He is eager to learn and looks forward to collaborating with the Aggie Square team. Derien is completing his associate’s degree at Sac City College and plans to transfer to Sac State to study computer science next year.

Outside of work, his hobbies include cars and video games. He likes to buy cars and repair them, commenting that, “I like them when they’re fixed, but when I’m working on it, I don’t have a lot of fun.” He mostly works with older cars but noted he likes newer cars as well. He also listed a few video games he plays: Valorant, Elden Ring, and Minecraft.

Derien’s first day with Aggie Square was May 30, 2023.