Meet Our Team
Meet the diverse, friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate professionals at E.T.C.
Our Team Members
Irma Diaz-Gonzalez
CEO
Irma Diaz-Gonzalez is the Chief Executive Officer of Employment and Training Centers, Inc., (ETC), a company she has led since its founding in 1986. Under her leadership, ETC has become a leader in human resource services specializing in recruitment, assessment, temporary and permanent staffing, as well as employee retention strategies. In the past three years, ETC has further expanded its impact by becoming a premier placement agency, serving employers searching for Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese speaking employees.
Ms. Diaz-Gonzalez began her career in workforce development as an Employment Counselor while attending college and working for the Illinois Migrant Council, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting migrant and seasonal farm workers in securing permanent employment. She relocated to Houston in 1982 and managed the City of Houston’s Youth Employment and Training Program, an initiative that placed over 10,000 young people in jobs annually.
Beyond her professional accomplishments Ms. Diaz-Gonzalez is a dedicated advocate for economic and workforce development in Houston. She has served on numerous boards committed to fostering the city’s growth and prosperity. A respected leader in the Hispanic community, she has played a key role in several organizations including:
- Chair, BakerRipley – Leading one of Houston’s largest nonprofit organizations which provides social services, education and employment opportunities to thousands of low income individuals.
- Chair Emeritus of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce – Served for over 20 years, advancing economic opportunities for Hispanic businesses and entrepreneurs.
- Chair, Mi Familia Vota, a national organization focused on building Latino political power;
- Lifetime Board Member, Memorial Hermann’s Children Hospital – Supporting healthcare initiatives for children
- Board of Advisors, Amegy Bank – Providing strategic insight to one of Houston’s leading financial institutions.
Ms. Diaz-Gonzalez pursued her education at Black Hawk College in Moline, IL, and the University of Coahuila in Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico. She further enhanced her expertise through executive education programs at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Business and Stanford’s Graduate School of Business’ Latino Entrepreneurship Education. Additionally, she is a graduate of Class XXVII of the American Leadership Forum in Houston, and the Leadership 2008 Class of the Center for Houston’s Future.
Roberto Gonzalez
Executive Vice President
Sofia Gonzalez
President
Born and raised in Houston, Ms. Gonzalez graduated from the University of St. Thomas Cameron School of Business with a BBA in Business, a minor in Finance and specialization in Economics and Chinese. After graduating she worked in the financial industry including Bank of America, Merrill Lynch as a VP, Financial Advisor for five years. She was recruited by Canada’s largest recruiting and payroll firm, S.i. Systems/Work Thru as an Account Executive and was responsible for North American business development for two years. In 2021, Ms. Gonzalez joined the Employment & Training Centers as Senior Vice President. She is responsible for business development, managing talent acquisition, staffing and payrolling accounts.
Sofia graduated from United Way’s Project Blueprint Class XXXIX, The Center for Houston’s Future Business & Civic Leadership Forum, and serves on the board of directors for Employment & Training Centers. She enjoys spending time with family, giving back to her community, rescuing canines from Houston’s city streets, and tacos.
Steven Zeffert
Director of Finance and Administration
Steven Zeffert, Director of Finance & Administration, oversees the financial controls and activities of ETC and ensures compliance with governmental and contractual requirements. He creates logical, organized management information that is valuable for trend analysis, forecasting, and decision making about complex issues. He has a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Baltimore School of Business and is a former CPA. He has worked for ETC for the past 23 years. Steven has managed staffing and payrolling projects and works closely with clients to craft programs to meet their needs and exceed their expectations.
