Archive for May, 2010

Mission Successful: The Inaugural Silicon Valley Latino Leadership Summit

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

On May 15, 2010, author Frank Carbajal’s vision to gather prominent Latinos and Latinas to strategize for the next decade, was realized. The culmination of months of planning and pitching were at last finished and the Summit began. This event was a partnership between Frank, Hispanic-Net and Gracefully Global.

SVLLS organizers: Michael Lopez and Margarita Quihuis of Hispanic Net, Graciela Tiscareno-Sato, Prinicipal, Gracefully Global, Frank Carbajal, Founder Es Tiempo, LLC and author of "Building the Latino Future"

My role was two fold: all marketing messaging and media relations work ahead of the event to promote it and sell it out (which we did!) and panel moderator during the event.

150 people gathered at the Quadrus Conference Center in Menlo Park for the Inaugural Silicon Valley Latino Leadership Summit. I moderated the panel titled, “Latinos Leading with a 2020 Vision” which contained CEOs, a professor and two venture capitalists. We heard presentations from Professor Federico Subervi, author of The Mass Media and Latino Politics, from Dr. Robert Rodriguez, author of Latino Talent and Margarita Quihuis, Chairman of Hispanic-Net. Our keynote speaker was Rafael Anchia, Texas State Senator who some call the “Latino Obama” because he is a rising political star and a true stateman.

For those who missed this year’s summit, don’t worry–planning has already started for the 2011 Summit. To get an idea of what you missed, including the very relevant questions fielded by the panelists, please visit the SVLLS site. This will be the primary site for testimonials from those who attended, photos and videos of the day’s activities, and information for subsequent Summits in the Silicon Valley.

A Cinco de Mayo surprise honor: LATINA Style Magazine Entrepreneur of the Year award

Monday, May 17th, 2010

On May 5th, I received an email surprise from LATINA Style Magazine publisher Robert Bard. In his letter, he informed me I had been selected as the “Entrepreneur of the Year” for the San Francisco Bay Area.  In his letter, he wrote, “You were nominated by our community partners and the co-chairs of the San Francisco Business Series event. You were selected for your lifetime achievements and your visibility as a true role model for our young women.”

My family and best friends at award luncheon

On May 13th, after participating in a panel session titled “Lessons Learned: Latina Entrepreneurs’ Financial Survival Guide,” I accepted the award at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco. My husband, three children, au pair, my parents, two best friends, and my editor honored me with their presence.

Grace at podium during acceptance speech

I addressed the audience of 300 Latinas, all entrepreneurs, small business owners, and corporate professionals. I shared leadership lessons gained during my nine years of military service and shared stories of how I have applied those timeless lessons as a corporate professional, mother and entrepreneur. Judging by the audience reaction and the conversations I had with audience members after the luncheon, the words of wisdom I shared hit the mark–they took away leadership lessons they could use the very next day.

Graciela and LATINA Style President and Publisher Robert Bard

I was truly honored to be recognized in this way by LATINA Style Magazine, the premier national magazine addressing the needs of the Latina professional and business owner. The award plaque is beautiful:  a childhood picture of LATINA Style founder and visionary, the late Anna Maria Arias, with my name and award below. It will always remind me of this beautiful day and I will treasure it always. I look forward to meeting more spectacular people associated with LATINA Style at the national symposium in Washington D.C. in September.  Thank you Robert, Tania, Ines, Isabel and Aida for your roles in this award and event.

San Leandro High Academy for Business and Finance

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

I’m excited to be attending this event tonight, where the Academy has teamed up with NFTE (Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship) to recognize youth entrepreneurs!  Bal  Theatre @ 14808 East 14th Street in San Leandro is the venue.

After the recognition ceremony, there will be a special screening of the documentary Ten9Eight – Shoot for the Moon. This is a thought-provoking film which tells the inspirational stories of several inner city teens (of differing races, religions, and ethnicities) from Harlem to Compton and all points in between, as they compete in an annual business plan competition run by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). Join me?