Don’t wait for your turn; take it. Life lessons from Latina leaders at IKEA.
With over 40 years of retail experience between them, Ikea’s Ciannie Rodriguez and Jessica Santiago Byrd share a candid conversation about their paths to leadership and what it means to embrace their space at work.
Ciannie Rodriguez (She/Her)
With 30 years of experience in IKEA retail and management, I have consistently focused on business and people growth. I strived to integrate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into my vision and processes with my teams. Currently, as the DEI Manager, I am dedicated to embedding DEI principles deeply within the organization. In my current role, I lead initiatives to foster an inclusive workplace culture, ensuring that all employees feel valued and respected. I collaborate with various departments to develop and implement DEI strategies, policies, and training programs. I also monitor progress and measure the impact of DEI efforts, using data-driven insights to drive continuous improvement. At IKEA our work involves advocating for equitable practices in hiring, promotion, and employee development, as well as creating opportunities for underrepresented groups. Together we aim to create a more diverse and inclusive environment that supports the growth and success of both the business and its people.
Jessica Santiago Byrd (She/Her)
Jessica Santiago Byrd is the Multicultural Marketing Manager for IKEA US, where she leads the company's multicultural strategy. With almost two decades of experience working with Fortune 100 companies in strategic marketing roles, Jessica brings expertise in fostering cultural connections and driving growth. She spearheaded the launch of the IKEA US Spanish-language website and has successfully launched national marketing campaigns in-language, focusing on creating an omnichannel experience for Spanish-speaking consumers in the US, shaping IKEA’s approach to inclusivity and multicultural engagement.
Bridging the Gap: Turning Life Experience into Career Opportunities
Ready to turn your local skills into global success? Join PowerToFly’s Macarena Balague as she dives into how Latinx professionals from Latin America (and beyond) can transform their experiences into international opportunities. Joined by moderator Hunter Lee Canning, Maca will explore how to make the leap from local organizations to global companies, with a special focus on mastering communication and gaining confidence in a second language. Wondering how to improve your English, what fluency level is expected, or how to stand out in cross-cultural settings? We’ve got you covered! Don’t miss out on this fun, insightful conversation that will help you shine on the global stage.
Macarena Balagué (She/Her)
Macarena Balagué is an HR Manager with 6 years of experience in full-cycle recruitment and global talent management. At PowerToFly, she leads the internal HR team and strategy, with a focus on improving DEIB practices and the employee/candidate experience. Macarena has a strong track record of hiring diverse candidates from different cultural backgrounds and locations and is committed to creating more inclusive and diverse workplaces.
Cultivating Cultural Confidence
Join Evelyn "Ella" Pérez-Albino, CEO of Ella Elevates, for a lively and inspiring conversation about embracing who you are, owning your story, and confidently bringing your authentic self to work. Evelyn will share fresh insights on how to turn your unique identity into leadership strengths, tackle microaggressions with grace, and build strong connections with diverse colleagues. Plus, she'll offer actionable tips on creating a more inclusive and welcoming workplace where everyone can thrive.
Evelyn M. Pérez-Albino (She/Her)
Evelyn "Ella" Pérez-Albino is an accomplished Fortune 500 legal executive, employment attorney, and DEI professional turned speaker, career strategist, and founder of career strategy consulting firm, Ella Elevates LLC. Most recently, Evelyn served as Associate General Counsel at Meta (formerly Facebook), advising on all workstreams impacting global DEI and HR strategy. Before joining Meta, Evelyn was Director of Labor & Employment at JetBlue Airways Corp., where she counseled the airline and served as a thought leader for the airline’s diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy. She also served as Labor & Employment Counsel at Advance Publications, Inc., the media conglomerate parent of a renowned magazine publisher, Condé Nast, after her time at the New York City offices of Kelley Drye & Warren, LLP. As an employment lawyer with over 20 years of corporate experience, Evelyn brings more than just career strategy to the table - she is a first-generation Afro-Latina corporate professional, and intimately understands the struggle of the come-up! In her legal career, Evelyn has had a first-row seat to the thinking of management and top brass and has unlocked the key to skyrocketing her own personal brand and corporate career as well as that of her coaching clients. In founding Ela Elevates, Evelyn aims to fuse her experience and innate strength of human connection to support the career advancement of professionals of color in corporate, via individual executive coaching, professional speaking engagements, and corporate consulting to help organizations equitably bolster diversity in their leadership pipelines and elevate diverse talent. Furthering Evelyn's commitment to community organizations, Ella Elevates also provides consulting services to community organizations serving historically underserved minority populations. Evelyn received her J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. She graduated magna cum laude from the City University of New York’s Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College, with a B.A. in Psychology and Political Science. Born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City's Washington Heights, Evelyn is a native Spanish speaker. Evelyn is a culturally competent corporate professional, often recognized for her ability to build trust and communicate effectively across a variety of audiences, serving as a frequent speaker on topics at the intersection of law, diversity, and career development. Evelyn is also an enthusiastic mentor to young professionals of color wholeheartedly invested in their collective success. Evelyn lives in New York with her husband and two kids and enjoys eating good food, traveling, and creating memories with her friends and family.
Put Your Best Foot Forward: Prepare Your Profile to Get Noticed
How to turn your experience into a PowerToFly profile that shows employers your impact
How to get your LinkedIn ready for recruiters who connect with you or look you up after the fair
What to ask, say, and do at the job fair to stand out and follow up with confidence
Tauri StClaire
Tauri’s “break into tech” story began at Skillcrush—and now she helps others write their own! After ten years as a Front Desk Admin, she made the leap into tech and now guides students through the Break Into Tech program with empathy, structure, and insight. A proud queer Latina, Tauri’s mission is to open doors for underrepresented communities in tech. When she’s off the clock, she’s cooking, hiking, or out on the dance floor.
Room to Rise: Latinas in Tech on Mission, Momentum, and What Comes Next
Latinas in Tech has grown into one of the largest communities of Latina professionals in the industry, connecting members with mentorship, learning, and hiring opportunities at leading tech companies. In this conversation, Sara Restrepo Cortes shares how the organization’s mission has evolved and what Latinas in tech are up against right now, from the challenges to the successes. She’ll also offer practical advice for Latinas looking to grow their careers and what employers and allies can do to help them get there.
Sara Restrepo Cortes, MS
Sara Restrepo Cortes, MS is a product and marketing leader with 10+ years of experience building and scaling digital solutions in payments, media, and wellness at Fortune 500 companies.
Her work has driven over $25M in product revenue via merchant optimization engagements, scaled contactless payments in the US to 58% of US merchants, and launched a proprietary BNPL product in partnership with Apple and Sofi. She has managed a $5M marketing budget for omni-channel campaigns spanning event activations, editorial, social, and web to drive market awareness and demand. A people-first leader, Sara has led cross-functional teams internationally and on-site with an emphasis on developing talent.
Inspired by her own wellness journey, Sara is the founder of Just Reframe, a startup educating stress management for knowledge workers.
Sara serves on the leadership team of the Latinas in Tech NYC chapter and on the Associate Board of the New York Common Pantry. She holds a BS in Business Management with a minor in Psychology from St. John’s University, as well as a Master’s Business Analytics from Baruch College.