NMFP honors Tacloban City native Curielabreu as civilian of the year

Being named Civilian of the Year marked a defining professional moment for Paula Curielabreu. For the Naval Medical Forces Pacific honoree, the recognition represents more than career success, bringing her personal mission into full focus.

Within a command centered on the health and readiness of U.S. warfighters, the award validated a journey grounded in family legacy, service, and a promise to honor her late brother. The distinction also reinforced her place within a family long connected to the Navy community.

Her road to becoming a key manpower analyst at Naval Medical Forces Pacific began far from her current post. Born in Tacloban City and raised in San Diego, Curielabreu graduated from Mar Vista High School in 2002 before earning a communications degree from Kaplan University in 2012.

Her life changed profoundly in 2013 following the death of her brother, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Paul F. Hickey. Assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command San Diego, his passing became the driving force behind her commitment to serve the military community.

“I knew that his loss would change the course of my life forever,” Curielabreu said.

Purpose forged through loss and service

The tragedy reshaped her ambitions and pushed her toward work that would directly support service members. She later earned a master’s degree in human behavior from National University in 2016, choosing the field with the goal of helping military personnel.

Her opportunity arrived in 2019 when she entered federal service. Although she initially sought a mental health role, she soon realized that supporting the Navy mission extends across multiple disciplines.

Curielabreu eventually found her niche as a management analyst, embracing the broader impact of manpower and organizational support. She acknowledged the unexpected nature of the path but expressed gratitude for the chance to contribute meaningfully.

Leadership impact felt across NMFP

Her tenure has not been without obstacles. Entering during a major organizational transition and without prior military experience, she faced a steep learning curve but relied on mentorship and resilience to adapt.

That determination surfaced clearly when enterprise knowledge gaps emerged. Curielabreu helped co-develop and deliver the Total Force Roadshow, an in-person training program designed to standardize manpower processes across the command.

Command leaders have credited her initiative with strengthening operational continuity. Rear Adm. Kevin Brown, commander of Naval Medical Forces Pacific, praised her role in ensuring proper staffing to support fleet readiness and Sailor care.

Deputy chief of staff Vincent Ortiz likewise emphasized her broader influence. He described her as a catalyst for innovation whose work directly supports deployment planning and prevents potential staffing shortfalls.

Her rapid career rise underscores that impact. Since entering government service as a GS-6 in 2019, Curielabreu has advanced to the GS-12 level in fewer than six years.

Family legacy continues to drive mission

Curielabreu credits much of her determination to her mother, a first-generation immigrant from the Philippines whom she calls the embodiment of the American Dream. Her mother raised four children while working multiple jobs and eventually rose to a supervisory government role.

Today, Curielabreu draws daily motivation from her daughter Nayeli. She strives to model resilience, purpose, and service — values deeply rooted in her family’s story.

Looking ahead, she hopes to grow into a subject matter expert and trusted leader within the command. For now, the Civilian of the Year honor serves as a deeply personal milestone that ties her present work to her brother’s memory.

“I now get to honor his memory by working for the same organization where he spent his last days,” she said. “The loss of my brother puts me exactly where I am today. I owe all of this to God, and my corpsman in the sky.”