LA INDUSTRIA QUE AYUDAMOS A PARIR

By Daisy Expósito-Ulla

During this International Women’s Month, a “big idea” from one of our colleagues at the agency was quickly embraced and, with a lot of work, brought to life by a team: Let’s celebrate trailblazing Latinas who have had, and still have, an impact in our industry. And, what better time to do it than this month in which women are widely recognized?

The criteria for the selection was in no way anchored in a specific discipline since we wanted to avoid a rigid approach. The list, with its series of profiles, had to obviously include some of the historic, fundamental pioneers of the U.S. Hispanic Market while, at the same time, be open to later generations of continuators. It also had to add key contributors from various fields of communications, as well as women who have helped champion Latino communications from diverse positions in Corporate America.
Through the different stages of “curating” the list, I confess that, in a way, I’ve been re-living my own professional life. I’ve remembered with gratitude the women who gave me my first chance at PBS and NBC, and then in advertising. I’ve also remembered the mentors and the mentees, and, all throughout the process, I’ve reflected on my good fortune of having worked or collaborated with almost all of the brilliant, visionary and courageous women represented in this ambitious series.

Helping “curate” the list has made me reflect on how some of these “guerreras” made their mark so many times against all odds, including that awful cultural perception —not only among Latinos and still quite widespread even after the “Mad Men” era —that the key leadership is — and should prevalently remain — a man’s lot. All things considered, the weight and depth of women’s presence in the making of the Hispanic communications industry is impressive. Who, after reading this list, or these profiles, can doubt —much less, deny— the importance of their crucial contributions?

To be honest, the list is not complete. With all candor, I’m the first to consider it as somewhat subjective as any choosing in life can be.

However, there is no doubt that the women included here, and throughout the series, are protagonists of some compelling stories of America’s Hispanic Market, the Latino Communications field, and the Multicultural milieu at large. It’s not a stretch to say that were it not for their vision, dedication and daringness many things that we take for granted today wouldn’t be around at all.

I see the series as a tribute to deserving women, but also as a living reference for younger generations. I am forever thankful and proud of these colleagues who helped give birth and shape to an industry, and continually in awe of the vibrant young contingent who are still shaping its future today.
Bringing these aspects of history out from the hidden, is not a female-driven mission much less a misandrist endeavor. It is, more than anything, the just thing to do — with a dash of poetic justice!

I would be remiss if I were to end it here without attempting an additional effort for inclusion. What follows is precisely that — a list of many unmissable professionals who are deserving of recognition. All in all, arriving here helps me clarify something: This series should be seen as a work-in-progress. Everyone in our fold should feel invited to add names and stories. To continue El Gran Relato de Nuestra Industria.

With a heartfelt GRACIAS to Gene Bryan and HispanicAd for quickly reaching out to us to pick up The Series, here are some of the other “guerreras.” All of them deserving to be here. Here’s to their unquenchable spirit!

Maribel Acevedo, Doris Aguirre, Jessica Alazraki, Sonia Albán, Sarah Albiach, Rondiné Alcalá, Gabriela Alcantara-Diaz, Cristina Alfaro, Sandra Alfaro Rodriguez, Millie Almodovar-Colon, Gilma Alvarez, Patricia Alvarez, Loretta Anaya, Michelle Aragon, Anita Arcentales, Teresa Arias, Luz de Armas, Arlene Armenteros, Pilar Avila, Priscila Aviles-Jamison, Carmen Baez, Lucia Ballas-Traynor, Vanessa Bambina, FlorIvette Badillo, Mary Baroutakis, Rosemary Barton, Olga Bermudez Paiva, Monica Bernal, Meg Bernot-Rodriguez, Mary Black, Natalie Boden, Elda Bravo, Margie Bravo, Roxana Brightwell, Jackeline Cacho, Ilia Calderón, Leticia Callava, Marta Calvo, Anna Carbonell, Emma Carrasco, Chiqui Cartagena, Liz Castells, Tanya M. Castañeda, Ana Ceppi, Lorena Chambers, Sindy Chapa, Cristy Clavijo-Kish, Sara E. Clemente, Leila Cobo, Betsy Collazo, Maria Antonieta Collins, Lourdes Colón, Migdalia Colón, Cristina de Cordoba, Sheri Cornelius Mandry, Cynthia Corzo, Ada de la Cruz, Mercy Cubas, Marguerite S. Cueto, Linda de Jesus-Cutler, Cynthia Darr Hudson, Arlene Davila, Tracy Decker, Mandalít del Barco, Caroline Demy, Karla Diaz, Dora Diaz, Helene Diaz, Carmen DiRienzo, Luz Maria Doria, Rebecca Drucker, Carla Eboli, Rocky Egusquiza, Graciela Eleta, Betty Enriquez, Madeline Enriquez, Jasmin Espada, Marisol Espinosa, Mirna Eusebio Lithgow, Luisa Fairborne, Marilin Falú, Olivia Fantozzi, Brenda Feliciano, Ana Maria Fernandez-Haar, Jackie Fernandez, Mara Fernandez, Rocio Fernandez-Brusseau, Dortiz Ferreras, Arminda Figueroa, Elena Figueroa, Marina Filippelli, Conchita Funcia, Monica Gadsby, Patricia R. Gaitán, Sira D. Galán, Nelly Galán, Rosemary Gama, Yvonne “Bonnie” Garcia, Lourdes Garcia, Ruth Gaviria, Marta Gerdes, Mary Ann Gomez Orta, Linda Lane Gonzalez, Esther Gonzalez, Claudia Granados-Maher, Bibiana Grau, Christine Hahn, Cristy Haubegger, Michelle Headley, Betsy Henao, Jacqueline Hernandez, Rita Hernandez, MaryLuz Hervas, Maria Hinojosa, Maggie Hollands, Eileen Holmes, Jahaira Hooker, Sunny Hostin, Cynthia Hudson, Adriana Huguez, Marta Insua, Patricia Janiot, Susana Jaramillo, Myrna de Jesus, Natalie Judd, Maureen Justiniano, Betty Korzenny, Dolores Kunda, Evelyn Landesberger, Blanca Lasalle, Flor Leibaschoff, Betty Leon, Ilia Leon, Mercedes Leonard, Diane Librizzi, Roxana Lissa, Karla Lopez, Marta Lopez Miró-Pelaez, Cathy Lopez Negrete, Marielle Lorenz, Karla Lucia, Nicole Macias, Meiling Macias-Toro, Maria Madruga, Iveliesse Malavé, Michelle Maldonado, Beatriz Mallory, Yehudit Mam, Monique Manso, Laura Marella, Laura Marino, Nettie Marquez, Veronica Marquez-Pierce, Maria Cristina Marrero, Patty Marrero, Priscilla Marrero, Alicia Martinez-Fonts, Cristina Martinez, Laura Martinez, Rosa Mato, Kimberly McArthur, Cynthia McFarlane, Cynthia Mejias, Olga Merediz, Yvonne Meyers, Gilda Miros, Mary C.  Miqueli, Cookie Mohat-Portune, Terry Mireles, Jeanette Millan, Laura Mola, Angela Moncayo-Yera, Jackie Morey, Gaby Natale, Ana Navarro-Cardenas, Jennifer Neiman, Mayna Nevarez, Lisa Nolan, Esther Novak, Denise Oller, Lula Olmedo, Janet Oñate, Marjorie Ornelas, Raquel Ortiz, Silvia Ortiz, Paula Otero, Mary D. Padilla, Mercedes Palomo, Jessica Pantanini, Margarita Peces, Yvette Peña, Viviana Pendrill, Mary Pepper Pimienta, Rosita Perú, Gloria Piñeyro, Betty Pino, Giselle Pinto, Lynette Pinto, Alyssa Pomarico, Trisha Pray, Laura Puente, Claudia Puig, Melisa Quinoy, Celeste Quintana, Lisa Quiroz, Isabel Rafferty Zavala, Maribel Ramos-Weiner, Mara Rankin, Rosemary Ravinal, Juanin Reid, Marinella Rengifo, Mickey Reyes, Marimé Riancho, Betty del Rio, Mayrah Rocafort-Mercado, Jaqueline Rocco, Angela A. Rodriguez, Carmen Luz (Calú) Rodriguez, Claire Rodriguez , Gloria Rodríguez, Ines Rodriguez-Gutzmer, Mari Rodríguez-Ichaso, Michelle Rodriguez-Tapanes, Teresa Rodriguez, Lillie Roman, Claudia Romo-Edelman, Clara Romero, Ana Rosella Ibarra, Leslie Russell, Carmen Salazar, Catalina Saldarriaga, Maria Elena Salinas, Mayi Sanchez, Vanessa Sanchez, Conchita Sarnoff, Susan Suchman, Patricia San Pedro, Carolina Santamarina, Anita Santiago, Fabiola Santiago, Marilyn Santiago, Liz Sarachek Blacker, Helga  Silva, Verena Sissa, Lisa Skriloff, Mercedes Soler, Marissa Solis, Elena Sotomayor, Tracy Spence, Sara Sunshine, Esperanza Teasdale, Nancy Tellet, Raquel M. Tomasino, Jackie Torres, Lisa Torres, Gloria Tostado, Carla Trum Mercado, Susana Tubert, Giselle Turner, Julia Ulloa, Rosana Ureña, Beatriz Ursuga, Dolores Valdes-Zacky, Nancy Valencia, Lili Gil Valletta, Meg Valls, Claudia Varela, Michelle Vazquez, Sasha Vazquez, Laura Vega, Veronica Vela, Belia Verdecia, Nilda Velez, Ana Vidal Kaufman, Cristina Vilella, Jennifer Walus, Raquel Wasserman, Laurel Wentz, Kathy Whitlock, Leila Winick, Nuria Santamaria Wolfe, Jennifer Woods, Cory Zacharria, Estrella Zayas Bazan, Angela Zepeda, Macarena Zilverti, Michelle Zubizarreta.

 

Daisy Expósito-Ulla heads d expósito & Partners and was the leader of the largest multicultural agency to date, WPP’s The Bravo Group. She participates in various industry boards, serves as advisor to several corporations and was inducted into the AAF’s Hall of Fame.