Leading Latinas

Our annual Leading Latinas issue spotlights exemplary Latinas who are breaking barriers and paving the way for the next generation.

María Fernanda Espinosa, president of the seventy-third session of the United Nations General Assembly, official UN portrait, thumbnail image
María Fernanda Espinosa’s Presidential Purpose

“Garcés is my mother’s name,” begins María Fernanda Espinosa, the former president of the 73rd…

Maria Moret, Chief of Staff, Airbnb
Marisa Moret Hosts a Community Platform at Airbnb

Marisa Moret has always loved politics—a campaign volunteer from the age of twelve, the Georgetown…

Jennifer Rodriguez, FCB Global, portrait thumbnail
AT FCB Global, Jennifer Rodriguez Facilitates an Open Dialogue

Jennifer Rodriguez has gotten to where she is today by seizing opportunities, but she doesn’t…

Beatriz Perez, SVP, The Coca-Cola Company, thumbnail portrait red background
For Coca-Cola’s Beatriz Perez, Change Is the Real Thing

The world can’t be saved by one person alone, and Beatriz Perez doesn’t think it…

Zoe Saldana, Founder, BESE
Zoe Saldana on Sisterhood Over Competition

Last November, Zoe Saldana joined fellow Latina actors and activists America Ferrera, Eva Longoria, Gina…

Leading Latinas 2019
Leading Latinas 2019

An introduction from our guest editor Liliana Gil Valletta Founder & CEO CulturIntel and Cien+…

Ximena Juncosa, McKesson
Ximena Juncosa: The Lifelong Connector

Ximena Juncosa always prided herself on knowing, as she puts it, how to turn lemons…

Norma Cordova, Charter Communications
Norma Cordova Builds and Retains Great Teams

Work can teach a lot of skills: how to manage time, how to manage daily…

Maria Elena Salinas, Leading Latina 2019
Voz y Voto: Maria Elena Salinas

“I’m beginning to understand what it means to be independent … that I can do whatever I want. I want to work on projects that advance my interests. I opened up a production company and I’m in the process of exploring all the different possibilities.”

Taking A Shot: Gwen Ramirez

Five years ago, Gwen Ramirez was looking to advance her career. After working in several…

When Business is Personal: Lorraine Vargas Townsend

When Lorraine Vargas Townsend arrived at athenahealth last year, she didn’t find what she expected:…

Building Latina Paths to Leadership in STEM: Vanessa Diaz

Vanessa Diaz knows how difficult it can be to be left out. She chose to…

Leading Latinas 2018

Empowered women empower women. Few embody that sentiment more than our guest editor, Anna Maria…

Drinking from a Fire Hose: Karina Castro

Karina Castro’s first two weeks as director of IT operations for Danone North America made…

Go Beyond: Raquel Rivera

Raquel Rivera has always loved science and math. After moving from Puerto Rico to New…

Accounting for the Cruise Life: Gisella Mazzilli

Ever since she started saving her money in high school to visit Paris and learn…

Maria Fernandez Sony Music
Maria Fernandez: Top of the Charts

Maria Fernandez has always had a burning passion for music, but she never dreamed she’d…

Cristina Scarano BBC
Forging Her Own Path: Cristina Scarano

As an ambitious and talented young lawyer, Cristina Scarano set her sights on becoming one…

Courage & Integrity: Adis Vila

Over the past thirty-five years, Adis Vila has built a career on leading and developing…

Preparing For Greatness: Virginia McGathey

On the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade/CME GROUP, the roars of men aggressively…

Blueprints for Change: Bernadette Reyes

Bernadette Reyes is making room for women in her industry while helping Public Storage provide…