Launched in 2009 to highlight individual Latina achievements in the corporate arena, the LATINA Style Corporate Executive of the Year program recognizes the hard work and dedication Latinas are performing at the top of their respective companies. Meet 12 Latinas nominated by their superiors and peers for their achievement, commitment, and success. They have been selected based on their excellence in business impact, contribution to the development of their company, corporate leadership, mentorship, and dedication to working with their communities locally and nationally. The winner of the LATINA Style Corporate Executive of the Year Award for 2022 will be announced at the LATINA Style 50 Awards and Diversity Leaders Conference on May 24th in Washington, D.C. 

Alina Plasencia
Regional Transaction Manager for Latin America
CBRE

Alina Plasencia is a Regional Transaction Manager for Latin America at CBRE. She is responsible for proactively managing real estate transaction activities for CBRE’s corporate client’s property portfolios in Latin America, by optimizing their real estate exposure through preparing, recommending, and implementing a portfolio-wide real estate transaction strategy. 

Prior to transferring to A&T-GWS Latin America Operations, she worked as a Producer under the Advisory & Transaction Brokerage Services in CBRE Miami, FL for five years. 

She has successfully advised clients seeking to establish new offices in South Florida and local businesses looking to relocate, consolidate or expand existing locations. Plasencia focused on trying to understand her clients’ needs and business drivers while simultaneously targeting bottom-line, balance-sheet savings and risk-averse solutions for her clients’ business longevity. 

Plasencia is also the Chairperson for HOLA, an Employee Network Group for Hispanic Employees. She also serves on the CBRE Global DE&I Council Committee. 

Audrey McKinley
Founder & President
Auto Network Consulting 

Audrey McKinley is a trailblazer for women in the automotive industry. She is the founder & President of Auto Network Consulting Inc., a multimillion-dollar company, and her own brand AudreyMcKinIey.com. Since the early 90’s, she has built a successful career in automotive sales and finance. Starting out as a receptionist in a large car dealership in Southern California, she quickly worked her way up the ladder, breaking all glass ceilings. McKinley is dedicated to coaching and training new sales professionals in the workplace to bring them the mindset, tools, and processes for success. She works with C-position financial strategists within dealerships and organizations to help them scale and prosper. 

In addition to her success in the automotive industry, McKinley has a passion for philanthropy and sits on many nonprofit boards as well as a mentor to youth in the Latino community. As a motivational speaker and author of Pathway to the Land of Milk and Honey, she strives to have a global impact with people on their pathway to success. 

Barbara Borgonovi
Senior Vice President
Corporate Strategy & Development
Raytheon Technologies 

Barbara Borgonovi leads Corporate Strategy & Development for Raytheon Technologies. She is responsible for the company’s profitability and performance initiatives, and for assessing merger and acquisition opportunities to drive overall enterprise growth. 

Borgonovi, who joined the company in 2001, has held positions in program management, supply chain, operations management, and quality engineering. 

Most recently, she was president of Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance Systems for Raytheon Intelligence & Space. She also directed Raytheon Vision Systems, a leader in focal plane array technology. 

Prior to that role, she was vice president of Integrated Communication Systems in the company’s Space and Airborne Systems unit, where she had previously served as vice president of Operations and as director of Program Operations for the Electronic Warfare Systems mission area. Borgonovi was recognized with the 2017 Gold Stevie Award for Most Innovative Woman of the Year in Manufacturing. 

Elizabeth Atlee
SVP, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer
CBRE 

Elizabeth Atlee, SVP, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, CBRE, a global leader in commercial real estate services and investment, oversees CBRE’s robust global Ethics and Compliance Program. (NYSE: CBRE) A $26B revenue company with more than 100,000 employees, CBRE entrusts Atlee to ensure the program is effective at encouraging employees, vendors and stakeholders comply with CBRE’s Standards of Business Conduct and RISE values. Her role includes identifying risks and preventing, detecting, and correcting noncompliance with laws, regulatory requirements, policies and procedures to safeguard CBRE’s reputation and brand. Atlee is responsible for CBRE’s investigations center of excellence, known as the Trust function which completes independent internal investigations. She also has oversight of CBRE’s Insider Threat and Global Data Protection and Privacy Programs, which ensure compliance with domestic and international security and privacy regulations. 

Geena Mayback
Managing Director, Senior Market Executive
Bank of America 

Geena Mayback is a Managing Director and Senior Market Executive with Bank of America Private Bank. She leads the Private Bank markets in New York City. As a Senior Market Executive, she oversees a diverse team of more than 300 professionals, including client advisory, investment management, trust services, operations, and business-support functions. She is responsible for implementing the markets’ strategic direction, creating a preeminent experience for the firm’s private and institutional clients. Working directly with senior leadership within the Private Bank and across Bank of America, Mayback is also responsible for leading firm-wide initiatives across New York City, sustaining a culture of excellence and integrity. 

Ingrid Tolentino
Chief Executive Officer
MetLife Legal Plans 

Ingrid Tolentino is Chief Executive Officer of MetLife Legal Plans. A subsidiary of MetLife, MetLife Legal Plans is the nation’s largest provider of group legal plans, serving over five million people at more than 4,000 organizations, including over 220 Fortune 500® companies. In this role, she is responsible for the business’s overall operations, profitability, and performance. 

With 30 years in business and operational transformation, change management, and talent development, she guides her team with a single-minded vision and audacity. An eye toward innovation, she leads product and operational advancements organically and through acquisitions. 

Tolentino’s commitment to diversity and inclusion reflects her leadership style and personal affiliations. By building diversity initiatives into business goals, she has expanded access to legal plans to a diverse member base—doubling the size of the legal plans business. 

She is a fierce advocate, passionately mentoring women and ethnically diverse associates. Tolentino co-leads MetLife’s Hispanic Executive Leadership Forum, is a board member for Facing History and Ourselves and College Visions in Providence, Rhode Island, and a 2014 Magic Circle Inductee for Big Brothers and Big Sisters. 

Jean Ibañez-Payne
Founder & CEO
TI Verbatim Consulting (TIVC)

 Jean Ibañez-Payne, Founder & CEO, TI Verbatim Consulting (TIVC) is a corporate leader in communications, marketing, diversity, inclusion, language translation, and interpretation. Born in the United States, Ibañez-Payne was raised in Colombia, and returned to the U.S. to finish high school and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1992, serving as a Yeoman until 1996. In 1996, she began her 20 years of experience in workforce training, communications, marketing, diversity, program management, and risk management. 

While she has spent time in the corporate world, her passion has always been helping others with language needs and increasing awareness and efforts around Diversity and Inclusion. This passion motivated her to start TI Verbatim Consulting (TIVC). In 2006, she moved to Virginia to join a Fortune 200 utility company of over 14,000 employees where she focused on Energy Trading, but her passion for people led her to Diversity and Inclusion efforts. She managed the Diversity and Inclusion program for the company which operated across multiple cultures in 14 states and four business units. She launched the first Employee Resources Group (ERG) program for Veterans and Women; a first in the utility company’s 100-year history. 

She holds a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master of Business Administration. She has certifications in Six Sigma and Change Management with an emphasis on Process Improvement and Service Quality. She is an ACC ICF Certified trained Coach pursuing a PCC, Certified Resilience Building Leader Program Trainer (RBLP-T) and a Certified Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Professional (CDP). She is also a Board Member for the Rappahannock United Way (RUW) and Germanna Community College Educational Foundation (GCCEF). 

Michelle Boston
Data Management Technology Executive
Bank of America

Michelle Boston is the Data Management Technology Executive for Bank of America. She leads the team responsible for data quality control across Global Technology, development of data technology strategy and the advancement of data management, data protection, and data privacy capabilities for Bank of America. 

Previously, Boston led a team responsible for defining technology strategies and delivering solutions supporting Legal, Corporate Audit and Retail, Preferred, Small Business & Wealth Management lines. Since joining the bank, she has served in several technology leadership roles, successfully managing large-scale technology development efforts. 

Throughout her career, Boston has focused on driving diverse representation in technology. Boston serves as the Global Technology Co-Chair for Women in Technology & Operations and is the executive sponsor of the North Texas WIT&O chapter and Bank of America’s Girls Who Code Summer Immersion program. 

Nancy Avila
EVP, Chief Information Officer and Chief Technology Officer
McKesson Corporation 

Nancy Avila is executive vice president, chief information officer (CIO) and chief technology officer (CTO) for McKesson Corporation. Avila is a Prior to joining McKesson, Avila was CIO at Johnson Controls (JCI), where she was responsible for information technology. She also held various leadership roles during her 22-year career at Abbott, served as their CIO and driving their back office shared services business transformation as VP of Global Business Services. She is recognized for developing high-performing teams and has proven success in transforming technology, back-office functions, and business service functions to improve the customer experience. 

Avila is passionate about healthcare, technology and making a difference in the community and serves on the board of Comerica, the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, the Dallas Regional Chamber and the Dallas Mavericks Advisory Council.

Sofia Santos
Managing
Head of Retail, Preferred and Small Business Strategy
Bank of America 

Sofia Santos is a Managing Director, Head of Retail, Preferred and Small Business Strategy with Bank of America. Among her responsibilities, she leads the development and implementation of strategic growth initiatives for the Retail Banking and Preferred Banking lines of business for the company. Santos is a thought leader and innovator supporting the bank’s Regional Banking business and driving core insights and research that enhances the banking experience for its clients. 

Santos is the Executive Co-Sponsor of the Parents and Caregivers Employee Network (PCN), and shares its mission to create a supportive environment for Bank of America employees with children and other caregiving responsibilities. She also serves as the Sarasota/Manatee Market Sponsor. Additionally, Santos is a member of the firm’s Hispanic Latino Executive Council (HLEC), and acts as Executive Sponsor for HLEC’s talent workstream. 

Sylvia Veitia
Executive Vice President of Global Operations and Customer Experience
Ford Credit 

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Sylvia Veitia knew well of the sacrifices her Cuban parents made so she could have a prosperous future. These sacrifices, made on her behalf, led her to build a career that is strongly driven by a commitment to “pay it forward” for the next generation. 

Today, Veitia serves as executive vice president of Global Operations and Customer Experience at Ford Credit, Ford Motor Company’s global financial services company, with $150 billion in managed receivables. Since 2019, she has led 4,000+ employees globally to deliver key company initiatives in service of customers. This includes architecting and leading global client contact centers, developing the strategic direction for global business operations, overseeing global quality and process management, and evolving the strategic direction of customer service. 

As the highest-ranking Latina at Ford Motor Company, Veitia also pioneers initiatives and programs to inspire people at all levels across the enterprise. Vieta delivers global strategy meetings for Latino employees in Spanish. She is working with the company’s philanthropic arm, Ford Fund, and private and public academic institutions to drive greater equity in communities, and she volunteers as a translator to enable the pro bono work for migrants led by Jones Day. 

She also serves as president of the Ford Hispanic Latin Employee Resource Group (FHLN) – a global organization with a 30-year heritage – and has been a key advisor on multicultural issues to Ford’s dealer body. In addition, she supports Ford’s talent recruiting; advancement and retention programs for Latinos; and maintains a strong partnership with the DEI office.

Elizabeth Molina
Regional Director-Banking, Managing Director
JPMorgan Chase & Co. 

Elizabeth Molina joined Chase in 2005 as a branch manager. Prior to joining Chase, Molina held numerous roles such as teller, banker and sales manager. She started her career at Chase in Queens, NY, and managed several different branches prior to being promoted to District Manager in 2011. In 2015, Molina became the Market Director for the Bronx West Market which is comprised of 24 branches with an average of 250 employees. She then transitioned to the CT South Market and is a multi-year National Achiever which is an award given for outstanding performance each year.

Molina was promoted to Managing Director / Regional Director-Banking for the North Texas-Austin Region in 2020 which is comprised of 16 markets and approximately 2500 employees serving over 1.9 million clients from Fort Worth, Dallas and Austin. She believes in the power of leading teams to success and is passionate about Diversity, Inclusion and overall culture initiatives. She enjoys engaging and supporting the communities she serves and is actively involved with the DFW Hispanic 100 which serves as a catalyst for increased participation of Hispanic Women in employment, procurement and social issues. Liz is also the Executive Sponsor for both the PRIDE and Adelante BRG’s in Texas.  She lives in Frisco with her husband and loves to experience new cultures during her travels.

Distinguished Honorees

Rebeca M. Forero
President
International Convention of Human Rights and Migration Association 

Born in Bogota, Colombia, Rebeca M. Forero is the President of the International Convention of Human Rights and Migration, USA, owner of BlueTie International; President at Gulf Coast Latin Chamber of Commerce; President at Kiwanis Club of The Gulf Coast, Board Director at Kiwanis of Siesta Key, Sarasota, Fl; CEO and co-founder at Key Element, Mexico; International Trade Hub Ambassador of the Port of Manatee, Fl; Diversity and Inclusion Committee Member at EDC Sarasota County, Fl; President and Co-Founder of Fundación Recast Valley, Colombia. 

A business-minded leader and founder with years of experience in corporate image coaching, operations and event management, strategic planning, staff training, community advocacy, and international public relations, Forero has demonstrated excellent leadership success with specialized knowledge and experience in managing the unique challenges and needs associated with complex organizational structures. Forero was recently recognized as the “Peace Ambassador” by CEVER SIGLO XXI, Doctoral Institution, Faculty for peace honored by the United Nations. 

Maria Trusa
Chief Executive Officer
Formé Medical Center & Urgent Care 

Maria Trusa serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Formé Medical Center & Urgent Care in White Plains, New York. Trusa is recognized as an innovative leader in healthcare. Since joining Formé in 2015, she has focused on creative and entrepreneurial solutions to bring quality healthcare and services, in a medical membership model, to the vulnerable Latino community and other uninsured individuals and families in need. 

Trusa recently founded the nonprofit organization Yo Digo No Más (I Say No More), which focuses on raising awareness of the prevalence of sexual assault and abuse of children in Latino communities to help break the cycle of abuse. This organization emerged from the publication of her first autobiography, I Say No More. 

Trusa served on the Board of United Way of Westchester and Putnam, Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Westchester Hispanic Advisory Board to the County Executive, and YMCA of Central & Northern Westchester and most recently became a board member of the Business Council of Westchester. 

Raquel Boujourne
CEO
Indi Construction Partners, LLC

 Raquel Boujourne, CEO, Indi Construction Partners, LLC started her company in 2009 and has built a team that continues to strive for excellence. Boujourne believes in always continuing to learn. Boujourne is with the Associated Builders and Contractors Association, and she serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee and well as the Women’s Logics Committee. She is the former Vice Chair for the National Association of Minority Contractors and is still a member. She is also a member of the Latin Women’s Initiative in Houston, Texas, and a member of the Hispanic Women’s Network of Texas. 

Boujourne recently sponsored an 8th Grade Graduation for Navarro Black Middle school located in a prominent Hispanic and Latino neighborhood in East End Houston, Texas. She also sponsors 15 high school girls through HWNT. She is constantly looking for ways for her employees to grow in their craft and even encourages continuing education to better themselves