Today, we are introducing L500, a private, invitation-only network of Latina executives. L500 aims to empower and elevate more Latinas into executive roles, with the vision that every Fortune 500 company will have a Latina in the C-Suite.

The stats speak for themselves. According to a recent USA Today study:

• Latinas represent less than 1% in executives in tech.
• Only two Latinas have been CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
• Latinas make up just 1.6% of senior executives in the nation’s largest companies.
• Of 92 companies in the S&P 100 reviewed by USA TODAY, 18 had no Latinas in senior executive positions.

We want to change these numbers. We want more Latinas at the top. We want Latinas to have a voice and to be represented in executive positions, to serve on corporate Boards and to be on stage at every major event and decision-making conference.

In order to achieve this ambitious goal, we created L500, a private network of Latina executives who can empower each other, open doors for each other, create connections and impact younger Latinas so they can also aspire to have a seat at the table.

L500 is based on three pillars: 

• We want to Empower each other through peer-based career development programs, events, and retreats to enhance professional growth.
• We want to Connect with organizations and companies to provide a pipeline of diverse executive talent for leadership positions, Boards, and speaking engagements.
• We want to Impact young Latinas through mentorship opportunities.

While we started as a community of leaders in tech, we expanded our network to include Latina leaders across all sectors. Yesterday, we hosted a launch event in Austin, Texas, featuring more than 50 Latina leaders. While we are starting in Austin, we will continue to grow our network nationally, then internationally until one day we will become the most powerful network of Latina executives. 

L500 has an incredible Board of Directors comprised of accomplished leaders:

• Gretel Perera, L500 President (Director of PR, Expedia, Expedia Group)
• Clarissa Price, L500 Treasurer and Director of Membership (Vice President, Client Solutions Group, Dell Technologies)
• Leticia Schmaedecke, L500 Secretary and Director of Marketing (LATAM Marketing Director, Dell Technologies)
• Carolina Barcenas, L500 Director of Tech Innovation (Head of Data Science, Airbnb)
• Venus Piñeyro De Hoyos as L500 Director of Community Engagement (CEO, The Inclusion Plus Institute)
• Rosandra Silveira, L500 Director of Content Strategy (SVP, Global Consumer Sales, Dell Technologies)

We also have a group of Founding Members who have been with us since the beginning, helping set the foundation and strategy for L500. A huge appreciation for these women’s efforts and passion over the past few months.

L500 has been in the works for several years and was recently incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the State of Texas. L500 is a paid-membership organization with benefits such as access to a rolodex of Latina executives, private invitations to L500 member-only events, executive retreats, speaking engagement opportunities, participation in L500 Mentorship programs, and an active role in L500 community engagement activities. For more information on L500, please visit www.L500Inc.org. 

Stay tuned for more news as we get more Latinas into the C-Suite!