BCM Family is celebrating the return of Staff Spotlight, a short feature on a Baylor College of Medicine staff member who exemplifies our values of Respect, Integrity, Innovation, Teamwork and Excellence (RIITE).
Peter Contreras, senior IT project manager in the Office of Information Technology, started at Baylor College of Medicine in 2021.
Born in New Jersey, he spent his early childhood there before traveling permanently to Bogota, Colombia, to attend a bilingual school from 5th to 11th grade. Contreras said he felt like he didn’t fit in because he was a “kid coming from the U.S. with a weird accent when speaking Spanish.”
Peter Contreras speaks at a Bastille Day event in July 2024.
“Back in the 70s, 80s, it was a different type of educational system,” he said. “If you didn’t conform, kids weren’t treated nicely by teachers.”
Contreras lived a typical and happy childhood but developed a fear of public speaking in elementary school after a few negative experiences, particularly after a misunderstanding with another student on the soccer field. The incident led to years of “walking on eggshells” around others and fear of speaking up in class or giving presentations.
The fear followed him to college, and he admits it may have affected his career. While working for an oil and gas corporation in 2016, Contreras found a coach to help him find his voice.
“Every time I was in a group setting, and the spotlight was on me, my heart would start racing, I would sweat and forget to breathe when I was called on,” he said. “When I finally had some coaching on it, it was a matter of staying in the present moment; not thinking of the future and what people will say.”
Learning how to meditate was one of the first steps in overcoming his fear, he said. One meditation is called grounding; a person sits quietly as they imagine the energy in their body turning into honey or molasses. Then, they picture the molasses slowly draining from their head to their feet, eventually leaving the body and forming a tree root.
“You visualize yourself rooting down; you’re no longer looking at yourself from the top or looking toward the future,” Contreras said. “You go back to your physical self. It helps with distinct moments of anxiety.”
Once he learned how to ground himself, Contreras said he was finally able to speak authentically and was able to connect with the people he was talking to. What he did not expect was to make a complete switch from fearing public speaking to seeking opportunities to share lessons he learned at speaking events and emcee opportunities.
In July, he served as emcee before 2,500 guests for a Bastille Day event hosted by the Consulate of France at Rice Stadium. The event’s special guests who he had the honor of introducing included Houston Mayor Pro-Tem Martha Castex-Tatum and Sophie Adenot, a French astronaut.
Peter Contreras speaks at a Bastille Day event in July 2024.
Contreras also has spoken during public comment at Houston City Council and Harris County Commissioners Court meetings in the hopes of bettering his community. He speaks at his church and has even done a couple of open-mic standup comedy routines.
In his career, he has been a speaker on a number of occasions at local Project Management Institute Conferences in front of his professional peers.
“You feel connected and alive; you feel the love between you and your audience. It feels kind of addictive,” he said. “Sometimes, it requires a higher level of preparation, and it’s very common if you bomb (at comedy). But I did it, wasn’t nervous and felt good about it.”
Contreras recommends coaching to those who may feel anxiety at the thought of public speaking or being under any type of spotlight or “stage.” The sooner they seek help, the better, he said.
“Time is precious, and everyone needs help in some way or another,” he said. “Get the coaching and help you need to reach your goals.”
Story by Julie Garcia
Nominate a Baylor staff member to be featured in Staff Spotlight by emailing Julie Garcia at julie.garcia@bcm.edu.
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