Most people don’t think about the work that keeps a building running until something stops working. When the air conditioning goes out. When equipment breaks. When a cooler stops cooling. When a safety issue suddenly demands attention.
As Facilities Manager, our Team Member of the Month, Marie Carmen Caballero, helps keep the systems, spaces, and infrastructure of the Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) running every day. Her work touches nearly every corner of the organization from refrigeration and electrical systems to maintenance, safety, and preparing spaces that support both day-to-day operations and large-scale events.
“The job of the facilities manager is to ensure that everything inside and outside of the facility works,” Marie explained. “Whether it's the different systems like the HVAC system, plumbing, electrical.”
And that work can take her almost anywhere.
No Two Days Look the Same
A typical day starts with an early walk around the facility to look for issues before they become bigger problems and make sure operations can get moving.
“I could be in the kitchen, I can be on the roof, I can be out in the warehouse, coolers, freezers, or I could be sitting in a meeting for a couple of hours talking,” Marie shared. “So, it's a pretty versatile job.”
For Marie, facilities work is ultimately about making sure others can do their jobs well.
“Facilities is an integral part of making sure that everything flows and everything is able to go to where it needs to go,” she said.
That responsibility becomes especially important when unexpected issues arise.
From electrical concerns to refrigeration problems, facilities often sit at the center of issues that can directly impact operations. Marie says some of the most critical moments involve situations that affect safety.
“Priority is the safety of our employees and the safety of the food that we give away,” she said.
Her colleagues describe her as someone who steps in quickly and solves problems without hesitation. Marie credits that mindset to both her engineering background and leadership philosophy rooted in service.
“I'm a firm believer in servant leadership,” she said. “So, if you want to help others, you got to step up, right?”
Finding Meaning
Before joining CTFB, Marie had already been searching for work that felt more meaningful. During the pandemic, she volunteered helping build food boxes through her church and found herself drawn toward work centered on helping others.
“I wanted a job that I could serve others, and I wanted a job that was useful and purposeful,” she shared.
That sense of purpose continues to drive her today.
“I love coming to work and knowing that whatever it is I'm going to do today, it will help others in some form or some fashion,” Marie said.
Facilities work often happens in the background. But for Marie, that’s part of what makes it meaningful.
“The best part about facilities is that if I do my job right, then everybody else can do their job great and amazing too.”
Through servant leadership, problem-solving, and a commitment to safety, Marie helps create the foundation that keeps CTFB moving forward every day.
