Alyssa Alvarez YP Member Spotlight - April

Name: Alyssa Alvarez

Where do you work? Funeral Directors Life Insurance Company (FDLIC)

What’s your job title/what do you do? I am a Software Engineer. I do the “behind the scenes” work needed to implement new features to our many applications. This includes writing code to fix bugs and improve features to help us stay on the cutting edge of our industry.

Where are you from? I spent most of my life in Marfa, Texas but moved to Alpine my sophomore year of high school.

If you’re not from Abilene, how long have you lived in the area and what brought you here? I came to Abilene in 2011 to attend McMurry University. I ran cross country and track for the Warhawks all four years, met my husband Nic, and graduated with a degree in Information Technology.

What is your favorite thing about living in the Big Country? The Marfa/Alpine area is literally the middle of nowhere. Coming to Abilene was a bit of a culture shock for me because it was much bigger than what I was used to. My husband is from Houston, so he felt the exact opposite! The Big Country has really been a great meet-in-the-middle place for us. It's not too big and not too small. It has a lot of the amenities of a big city, but still holds that’s small town vibe I’ve grown up around. It really has become home to us.

What do you do in your free time? In my free time I enjoy running, working out and being outdoors. I also enjoy sitting down with a good book! 1.

Do you serve on any boards in the community or participate in any other groups? FDLIC has given me so many opportunities to give back to others. I volunteer with the Abilene Youth Sports Authority (AYSA) in February with their Sports Expo and then again in September with their annual Mud Run. I am a part of our company Meals on Wheels program and have also had opportunities to volunteer and support other organizations like the Abilene Alzheimer’s Association, Pregnancy Resources of Abilene and Camp Able.

What’s your favorite restaurant in Abilene? I am a lover of all foods, but I can be found frequency at Mian Bistro. Their orange chicken is the best in town!