Hispanic Heritage Month: 30 Outstanding Women in Tech

With over 20 years of experience in the technical and security industry, Andreia is a Business Analyst and Project Manager who excels at managing multiple projects efficiently, delivering on time and within budget, and fostering innovation. She is a skilled communicator bridging the gap between technical requirements and stakeholders' needs, and she is passionately committed to diversity and inclusion. In summary, Andreia is a seasoned professional ready to tackle any organizational challenge with her technical expertise, project management skills, and commitment to excellence.

Anna Garcia is a seasoned leader with a track record of attending leadership seminars from November 2011 to February 2014. She served on the Inclusion and Diversity team from 2017 to 2021 and currently holds the role of LatinX Membership Chair in the company's ERG. Since 2013, Anna has been an active Toastmasters member and possesses strong data analytics skills, proficiently using Tableau, PowerBI, SAP Lumira, SAP Business Objects, and excelling in MS PowerPoint and Excel.

Arlyssa M. Jaquez, a Network Security Architect at Verizon, hails from Oklahoma City with Mexican heritage. While her journey into engineering was initially uncertain, her path became clear when she overheard conversations about engineering projects during her college years. Today, she stands as a network security architect, dedicated to enhancing network security and mitigating threats. Her role involves designing and implementing security controls across applications, systems, and networks, reducing the risk of data breaches. Beyond her technical prowess, Arlyssa values the collaborative atmosphere at Verizon, attributing its success to exceptional leadership and fostering trust, inclusivity, and professional growth. Committed to mentorship and engagement in women-focused organizations like Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, she is dedicated to empowering the next generation of professionals.

With over 17 years of international experience in Talent Operations, Recruitment, and Leadership, Dani Herrera is a highly accomplished DE&I Consultant. Fluent in two languages, Dani is a recognized authority in the field and has received awards for their work. Additionally, they are a sought-after speaker, a Founding Partner at Allies in Recruiting, and serve as a valued panelist on NASA's DEI Practitioners Database.

Dani's primary mission is to help companies, teams, and leaders foster intentional inclusivity. Their work involves elevating organizational cultures that not only attract but also retain talent from historically underserved communities. Dani excels at developing strategies that effectively minimize biases and promote diversity and inclusion.

Delia Gutierrez boasts two decades of impactful leadership, specializing in transformation, solutions delivery, outsourcing, customer service, and strategic sourcing. She's renowned as a Technology Evangelist, skillfully blending business acumen with technology to drive operational excellence, cost savings, and sustainable growth.

As an Executive-level IT professional, Delia has held pivotal roles across diverse domains, supporting prestigious organizations such as Aon Corp., Rockwell Electronic Comm., and SBC/Ameritech, with clients including the City of Chicago, IBM, Motorola, Lucent, Amtrak, and American Airlines. Her ability to seamlessly align technology with business strategy has made her a trusted advisor among Fortune 500 companies. Delia's career highlights encompass leading multimillion-dollar global IT projects, establishing bilingual call centers, optimizing premium processing worth $2 billion annually, implementing channel programs across Latin America and the Caribbean, and receiving national recognition in 2011 as a "Top 100 Hispanic IT Executive."

Ellen Ochoa, an outside director and prominent speaker, boasts 30 years of aerospace experience as an astronaut and government executive. She excels in change leadership, thrives in high-risk environments, and champions diversity, particularly in STEM fields. From 2013 to 2018, she directed NASA's Johnson Space Center, implementing transformative changes and fostering innovation through public-private partnerships.

As the first Latina astronaut, Dr. Ochoa flew on four space shuttle missions, earning a place in the Astronaut Hall of Fame and inspiring seven schools named after her. She holds memberships in prestigious organizations and serves on the boards of Fortune 1000 companies, including Service Corporation International and Mutual of America. Additionally, she actively participates in corporate director associations and sits on the boards of influential organizations.

Dr. Graciela Perez has held executive-level digital roles at Chevron, Microsoft, and GE HealthCare, accumulating over three decades of diverse industry experience. Her expertise spans Federal Compliance, Nuclear, Pharma, Biotech, Energy, Cloud Technology, and Healthcare. Grace holds a Doctor of Science in Engineering and is certified in Data Science, Lean methodologies, and Human Operational Performance. She leverages Augmented Reality (AR) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to lead comprehensive digital transformations, extending beyond basic IoT applications. Currently, at GE Healthcare, Grace serves as VP, Chief Digital Program Officer, and Executive Lean Leader, passionately sharing her knowledge to empower individuals and organizations worldwide.

Isaura Gaeta, as the Vice President of Security Research at Intel, leads a global team of engineers and researchers dedicated to upholding the highest security standards across all Intel products. With nearly four decades of experience in the semiconductor industry, she boasts a track record of delivering innovative solutions that elevate the performance, reliability, and quality of Intel's technologies.

Isaura's unwavering commitment lies in instilling a security-first culture and fostering collaborative partnerships with esteemed academic institutions for cutting-edge security research. Her remarkable contributions have earned her the prestigious Intel Achievement Award five times, recognizing her contributions to process innovation, product scaling, and risk management. Beyond her professional achievements, Isabela actively serves as a board member and chair of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley, where she passionately advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion within the tech sector.

Lidiane Jones, currently the CEO of Slack, boasts over two decades of experience in tech product and business innovation. Leading a diverse team at Slack, part of Salesforce, she's focused on simplifying and improving work lives.

Her career spans various roles, including EVP and GM for Salesforce Digital Experiences, where she prioritized customer experience. Before that, she led Sonos' software product team and spent nearly 13 years at Microsoft, working on different products, from Microsoft Office to Azure Machine Learning.

Lidiane holds a BS in Computer Science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and is not only a tech enthusiast but also an avid reader and dedicated mom.

Lilian Rincon is a seasoned product executive with over two decades of experience in the consumer Internet realm, accompanied by 15 years of leadership experience. Her track record includes spearheading leading products across diverse categories, such as Artificial Intelligence (Google Assistant), communications (Skype), Microsoft's Conversations as a Platform, search (Bing), advertising (adCenter), and mobile (Bing Mobile, Skype Mobile, Google Assistant).

Lilian's remarkable achievements have not gone unnoticed, as she was recognized among the top 15 power women at Google in 2019 (BI), celebrated as one of the leading women in tech by Refinery29 in 2018, honored as a top power woman by Marie Claire in 2017, and acknowledged as one of the top 20 Latinos in tech by CNET in 2016.

Lori Martinez is a dynamic leader known for her ability to drive data-driven, enterprise-wide strategies that navigate complex legal requirements. With a background at Salesforce, McKesson, and major tech companies, Lori's innovative approach to problem-solving and compliance has left a lasting imprint on cultures and practices. As a seasoned business partner, she excels in resolving intricate business, culture, and compliance issues while adhering to global legal constraints. Her effectiveness stems from her strong commitment to collaboration with diverse stakeholders and forging relationships that ease complex transformations. Lori is also celebrated for building and inspiring winning teams focused on continuous learning and performance alignment with strategic goa

Miri Rodriguez is a globally recognized storyteller, bestselling author of "Brand Storytelling," and the founder of Be Mindful Be Happy. With over 15 years of expertise, she offers valuable industry insights and consulting experience, all delivered with an authentic and engaging style.

Miri's accolades include multiple awards in digital marketing and customer experience, and she is consistently ranked as a highly sought-after speaker at major industry conferences worldwide. Beyond her professional achievements, Miri is deeply committed to social advocacy and philanthropy. She dedicates her time to training social enterprise leaders in Africa, coaching students at Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship in the U.S., and mentoring individuals in building their personal brands with empathy, passion, and purpose. Currently, she holds the role of Senior Storyteller for Health and Public Sector Industries at Microsoft.

Nina is a prominent business executive, philanthropist, and Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship (PAGE). She currently chairs Pinnacle Group, the largest Latina-owned workforce solutions firm, featured 13 times on the Inc. 500/5000 list. Nina has received awards like Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Goldman Sachs Most Intriguing Entrepreneur. She's been named among ALPFA/Fortune Magazine's Top 5 Most Powerful Latinas and is known for her civic and philanthropic work, including international initiatives.

Nina holds honorary doctorates from Northwood University, Mount Mary University, and Berkeley College, and she completed the Corporate Governance Executive Program at Harvard University. She's a Henry Crown Fellow at the Aspen Institute and a lifetime member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Paulina Villarreal Chaires has honed her expertise by engaging in diverse financial functions, including invoicing, risk management, and addressing market data inquiries. She has delivered these services to senior finance teams across the globe.

Paulina's standout achievements include the implementation of data analytics, streamlining processes for substantial time and cost savings, and fostering cross-organizational collaboration to cultivate a culture of operational excellence.

Pegleess Barrios Sánchez serves as a Program Manager on Pinterest's Diversity & Inclusion team, bringing a first-generation Latina perspective to the tech world. Her mission is to empower individuals to build fulfilling careers. Pegleess has explored various career facets, including recruiting, talent management, and community leadership. Currently, as the Program Manager for Pinterest's Employee Resource Group Program, she thrives on connecting people, facilitating connections to opportunities, and guiding them through corporate systems.

Pegleess is actively engaged with the Latinas in Tech Canada community and contributes her program management and facilitation skills to workshops, online communities, and partnerships that support Latinx talent while celebrating their rich cultures. Her personal commitment is to ensure that Latinx individuals not only have representation in the tech industry but are also fully included, valued, and thriving.

Perla Villarreal, a Lead Software Consultant at Thoughtworks, brings over eight years of experience in consulting, software engineering, and technical leadership. She excels in data strategy and product management, delivering innovative solutions across diverse industries. Committed to continuous growth, Perla recently completed Stanford Continuing Studies courses in product management fundamentals and artificial intelligence for business managers. She's also a Samsung Innovation Campus Artificial Intelligence Course fellow with EDC certification.

In addition to her professional achievements, Perla dedicates herself to empowering Latinx and women in tech communities while advocating for responsible technology. As a fellow of the HITEC Emerging Executive Program, she supports Hispanic tech professionals' executive development. Perla is also an active member of The Alumni Society, connecting with like-minded leaders.

Sonia Sroka is a seasoned communications executive with a remarkable two-decade career marked by her role in spearheading strategic engagement for some of the world's largest technology companies, renowned public relations agencies, and prominent consumer brands. She possesses fluency in both English and Spanish and is proficient in Portuguese.

Sonia is celebrated for her creative and innovative problem-solving abilities, along with her profound expertise in constructing and leading high-performance teams, offering media coaching, and serving as a mentor. She holds a well-respected position in the industry and is often sought after as a public speaker and spokesperson, excelling in both traditional and digital media. Notably, Sonia is a vocal advocate for the significance of diversity and inclusion in the ever-evolving global marketplace of ideas.

Stephanie Saliba, an exceptionally motivated Global Manager in data analytics and a committed leader in Diversity and Inclusion, brings with her a solid history of accomplishments in the financial services industry. Her skill set encompasses SQL, Data Analysis, Bloomberg, Business Analysis, and Financial Analysis. Stephanie is particularly adept at people management and serves as a prominent diversity and inclusion advocate. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with a specialization in Business Administration and Management, earned from Centenary University.

With over 25 years of experience, Tania Missad has excelled in harnessing consumer insights to shape brand strategy, foster innovation, create award-winning content, and strengthen brand equity. Her impressive track record includes collaborations with renowned brands and Fortune 100 Companies like Warner Bros, P&G, and HBOMax Kids. Leading a substantial research team, Tania specializes in crafting consumer-centric strategies and insights across various industries, covering everything from trend analysis and early ideation to new product development, content creation, and advertising research. Her expertise spans youth consumers, CPG, beauty, entertainment, and multicultural research. Currently, she focuses on the entertainment landscape, delving into SVOD audience insights, content development, platform performance analysis, and entertainment brand strategy, all fueled by her unwavering passion for teamwork and high-performance development.

Thamara Ramírez-Walker, a Global Vice President for Sustainability ESG Marketing - Strategic Lead at SAP, is a distinguished leader with a track record of excellence. She has earned accolades such as the Emerging Leaders in Tech Award in 2021 and The Responsible 100 Award in 2020, along with the SAP Marketing Excellence Award for her role in championing diversity and inclusion. Thamara's commitment to professional development led her to complete the Kellogg School of Management Executive MBA program at Northwestern University in 2021. Recognized as one of SAP's top nominees for the MLT CAP 2020 award, she stands out as an underrepresented minority with exceptional leadership talent. Thamara is a strategic operations leader known for her hands-on approach to driving Purpose & Sustainability initiatives through operational excellence and data-driven insights, consistently delivering remarkable results and advocating passionately for diversity and inclusion.

Veronica Millan is a highly effective global Chief Information Officer (CIO) with a diverse career spanning advertising, financial services, startups, and extensive experience in managing international and dispersed teams. She's a dynamic leader and strategic partner, focused on modernizing technology, enhancing operational processes, advancing data analytics, strengthening cybersecurity, and ensuring governance. Veronica excels in guiding organizations through digital transformation projects, including mergers, acquisitions, and technology strategy overhauls. She is also a prolific writer on emerging technologies and their industry impact, regularly contributing as a columnist for LLBOnline. Veronica's exceptional leadership in technology innovation has garnered her multiple award nominations and wins. Prior to her role at MullenLowe Group, she held positions in financial services, publishing, and tech startups, collaborating with prominent brands like Visa Inc., Carrier Corporation, and Ziff-Davis Publishing, among others.

Wendy Gonzalez is a dedicated executive with a fervor for assembling top-tier, highly efficient teams that drive the development and expansion of groundbreaking and influential technology. With over two decades of leadership in both management and technology, her career encompasses esteemed companies such as EY, Capgemini, Cycle30 (later acquired by Arrow Electronics), and General Communications Inc. Wendy also plays an active role as a Board Member of the Leila Janah Foundation, where she contributes her expertise and passion for meaningful impact.