Paul Castellanos found little stability during his first few years in America. The challenges of adapting to a new language and culture were daunting. But the principle animal tech supervisor found solid work at the Center for Laboratory Animal Science 15 years ago, and has been there ever since.

Castellanos didn't speak much English when he emigrated from a small town outside of Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1986. So he took language classes while working on a farm in Dixon. Quickly becoming proficient in English, he began looking elsewhere for employment. "It was hard work, which I didn't mind," Castellanos says of his job picking squash, cucumbers and melons. "But I knew there wasn't a future for me there."

He was hired as an assistant animal tech at the CLAS in 1989. He has since worked his way up to a supervisor position. He now oversees five techs and makes sure "everything runs nice and smooth."

Castellanos says he works principally with mice, rats, rabbits and cats that the center uses for medical research. He and his crew see that the animals have food and water and clean cages.

When off the clock, the Davis resident likes to take his wife and children fishing. He says he also tries to help people when possible, whether they need a sprinkler repaired or some other handy-man job done. As long as the task does not involve paperwork.

"At the beginning, when I was first promoted to supervisor, my number one fear was paperwork," Castellanos says. "I've gotten used to it though."