Jenn Espinoza’s first memory at Crescent Solutions made an indelible mark on her life. When she joined the company in December 2011 as our HR and payroll manager, she traveled to New Hampshire to receive training, and the trek was a bit rough due to stormy weather and plane delays. However, the clouds cleared up at the end of her trip when she stepped back on the plane, only to walk past the Los Angeles Lakers’ former basketball player, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar—her first time being star struck.
Jenn and her family
Espinoza is a huge Lakers fan, so this experience was monumental. Her two dogs—both a Pug-and-Chihuahua mix—are even named after the team’s past and present players, Shaq and Kobe. Although she loves them dearly and treats them as if they were her own children, she admits they have faces only a mother could love. “They’re the ugliest dogs you’ll ever see in your life,” she said. “They were adorable as puppies, but we didn’t know they’d grow up like that.”
Jenn’s pups, Shaq and Kobe
In addition to her dogs, her family includes her husband, Paul, and her 15-year-old stepdaughter, Dominque. Espinoza met her husband at a prior company she worked at, where they both crunched numbers in payroll. They were married just a couple of months before she started at Crescent Solutions, and to keep with her Lakers fandom, she even used the color purple—one of the team’s colors—as her wedding color.
Alongside of her love for the Lakers, she roots for the Dodgers and USC Trojans. In her free time, she can be found at a blackjack or Texas Hold ‘em table—anywhere from Las Vegas to Commerce Casino, as she loves gambling. She’s also a jet-setter, and has traveled to places like Colombia (where her parents are from), Costa Rica, Hawaii, and the Dominican Republic. Something many might not know about Espinoza is that she has a twin sister; although they’re not identical, they’re very close.
Even though Espinoza has worked in the payroll industry for the past ten years, her first job was as a recreation leader for a therapeutic recreation center, working with teens and adults with disabilities. Her passion in this field continued, as she eventually became a Special Olympics track and field coach, and is still involved in both programs to this day.
“I started working in payroll in 2002 and just kept pushing forward, eager to learn and grow in my career,” said Espinoza. “I love every aspect of payroll. Oddly enough, I love the stress.”
Our Crescent Solutions’ Director of Operations, Stephanie Le, joined the company at the same time as Espinoza, and say they both have a “special bond” because they share the same office anniversary. “Jenn is amazing in more ways than I can count,” Le said. She is always willing to go the extra step to help but beyond that, she does it with a smile. She’s also just a fun person to work with because she has such a great personality with a great sense of humor.”
The team recently celebrated Espinoza’s birthday with a lunch in the office, followed by a happy hour—and her twin sister and husband attended as well.
Jenn’s birthday celebration!
Espinoza has played a major role in the Crescent Solutions team, and she finds the company she keeps as “fun” and “hilarious.” “I truly love everyone I work with,” said Espinoza. “I have never worked for an owner who is so genuine and honestly cares about each and every individual working for him.”