Meet Gerson Zaragoza | MD, Researcher, Problem Solver & Guitarist/Bassist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gerson Zaragoza and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gerson, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work AND life?? I think of work life balance as being controlled chaos of sorts. It is an ever evolving and subjective dance based on goals and timing. My capacities tend to change just as dynamically as well so my “balance” can look different at any stance. For me, I try always look at the big picture and triage the most important efforts to help shape what my schedule may look like. This may be a little tricky at times, but I make sure to find those bouts of “free time” to prioritize myself, of course! I love hanging out with my dog, Johnson, playing Catan with my squad, pulling up on the homies if they are playing a show in town, hitting the gym and throwing back a liter with the boys! This R&R time gives me that necessary refresh that I need to get back to my version of balance! Yes, I do find time to sleep as well!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an MD/researcher/artist/beer drinker with a foundation in problem solving who happens to be a musician as well! My experiences in becoming an MD helped me develop a foundation of holistic thinking and it taught me to be able to take on complex tasks with a more intentional approach.

That being said, my biggest contributions as a creative are the ones where I am part of a richly collaborative project or part of artist development. In the realm of music, I like to play a coordinating/music director roll, but I have had a hand in nearly every part of the musical process ranging from sound design, production, musicianship, engineering, artwork, tech, live sound, the list goes on. At this time, I get very excited when artists who I rock with start to trust me with artist direction and development. In a live setting, this can range all the way from live arrangements, stage management, gear management, playback engineering, etc. Being able to play on stage with them is just the cherry on top! I am a rockstar at heart so I definitely have to insert that flare in the mix! It has definitely been a long road with many experiences thrown in the mix but, overall, it has been a mix of both easy and hard but, the wisdom you gain from these experiences makes each lesson quite enjoyable.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If a friend of mine was visiting Seattle for the weekend, they had better be hungry. I follow many instagram pages that showcase the latest and greatest of local Seattle eats so we will more than likely hit up at least one of these before going to a concert or hitting up a Kraken, Mariners or Seahawks game depending on the season. Other than that, depending on the the time of day or night, I would like to take them out to get a proper Seattle dog after an evening drinks or fried green tea ice cream at Ohana’s on 1st Ave.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I have many people I would love to shoutout from friends, teachers, organizations, etc. but, if I only had one feature, it would have to be Rogelio Zaragoza, my Dad, also known as the “ChessKing”! Growing up, I realized that we did not share many of the same interests, especially in the creative space. He is into chess, survival techniques in the outdoors and gardening, whereas as I like beer and loud music! Our differences have really highlighted why I value a counter personality like him so much! He is certainly the wisest anchor point in my life and his guidance has been the most monumental influence in my life. I am who I am today largely because of him! Love you, Dad! Thank you for being you!

Instagram: https://instagram.com/gersonmancan

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gersonmancan

Facebook: https://facebook.com/gersonz

Image Credits
@reggieb253
@kexp
@almee_alacam
@kmat.jpg