Giorgina Pinedo-Rolón, PhD

I attribute my success to my faith, which is really important because in our path you can have your ups and downs. My determination is key - when somebody says no to me, it's like saying yes, and I never give up. I don't see things as negative or mistakes, I see them as learning experiences. I'm a very positive, optimistic person, but I'm also very realistic. I know that anything you put in your mind can be achieved, no matter what people tell you. When you feel down, you just keep going. You fall, but you keep going. My approach has been to set goals at different levels - Level 1, Level 2, Level 3, Level 4. When I achieve one, I tell myself 'you got this, let's go for more,' and I keep going. I'm realistic about my goals, starting with small achievable goals that take me to the big goal. My father told me when I was little to never give up, to achieve my dream no matter how difficult it may seem, and that education is the key. The more that you know, the better that you become. I lead with faith, gratitude, resilience, and service. I'm always thankful to the people who helped me get where I am, and I never forget them. On my way up, I remember to lift somebody else along the way, because if you don't do that, you're not doing any good to our community. My biggest accomplishment is when my former coworkers tell me I was the best manager they ever had - that's my greatest satisfaction. You don't know the impact you can have when talking with somebody and giving them advice until they come back years later and tell you how it changed their life.

I have 3 individuals that have opened the doors to me when I moved to this place, and they were the trailblazers that saw something in me, and got me under their wings, and gave me advice anytime that I needed assistance. Mercy McCall, Laura Santos, and Linda Larman Gonzalez. I volunteer my time for a year and a half in Telemundo when I was working for Disney, and the door opened, and I became the face of the station, Mercy McCall was the one who introduced me to Laura Santos, And Laura Santos was the one who introduced me with Mercy McCall to Linda Larman Gonzalez. I have one man who was an incredible leader who was very supportive of me, who gave me the green light and open to all my suggestions, and this was Roberto Viscon, and he was my biggest champion and supporter, he was an incredible leader.

Do not wait for permission. Prepare yourself, build relationships, stay grounded in your values, and walk into rooms knowing that you belong there. And when you rise, reach back and lift another woman with you. Don't let anybody put you down or say that something is not possible. Never give up to achieve your dream, no matter how difficult it may seem. Education is the key - it is your best tool to succeed, because the more that you know, the better that you become. If you believe in yourself and you believe that what you're doing can make a change in any field, you can go ahead and achieve it. Always be thankful to the people who helped you get there, and never forget the people that took you there. On your way up, remember to lift somebody else along the way, because if you don't do that, you're not doing any good to our community.

One of the biggest challenges—and opportunities—in my field is increasing women’s representation on influential boards and leadership tables while intentionally preparing the next generation of women leaders to step into those roles with confidence and impact.

I think my leadership is grounded in faith, service, and strategy. I lead with heart and execute with discipline. I believe that you can be compassionate and decisive at the same time. I think you can do all those things and be successful. Resilience and gratitude are among the biggest things that I have. Faith, gratitude, resilience, and service are really important values to always keep in mind. I'm always thankful to the people who helped me, and I never forget the people that took me there. When I speak in public or have an opportunity to talk to the young generation of women, I always close with these two sentences: 'Influence is not about being the loudest voice in the room, it's about being the most intentional.' And I also say, 'I don't just want a seat at the table, I want to build longer tables.' Because sometimes as women, we are not sitting in big boards or influential boards where we can make a difference and have our input. I think that we need more of those influential women to help other women to get into those spaces. For me, influential women means it's not about titles or recognition, it's more about responsibility. Influence means to me using your voice to open doors for others, to advocate for those who may not have access, and to create spaces where people feel empowered. I think true influence is measurable by impact, not by applause.