Ana Larrea-Albert, born and raised in Ecuador, I moved to the US to complete my university studies. I studied French at La Sorbonne in France, International Relations at Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador, received my undergraduate degree in Marketing at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) in Florida, a Master in Business Administration specializing in International Business also from FAU and am currently pursuing my Master in Public Administration at Harvard University in Massachusetts.

I’ve worked in international businesses in several functions including financial, operations, marketing and sales, all of which have given me a well-rounded approach to running an international business. I have conducted business in multiple languages and in every continent.

I want to empower women to reach their goals regardless of their discipline, political inclinations, age or success level. I firmly believe that the advancement of women should be a bi-partisan and truly inclusive initiative, so I welcome and feature women who have distinctively different as well as similar ideas and backgrounds than me. The female empowerment conversation as it stands now has failed to do this, so I’m taking it upon myself to show what diversity and inclusion also mean.

It is an important step to chose to leave your country of birth and create a life elsewhere, so I’m especially interested in featuring women that have walked a similar path to mine. Defining and sharing one’s ethnic or cultural identity under “Latina” given our place of birth can be challenging at first, especially when there are significant cultural differences among Latin American countries and within each country. As a Latina, I understand we do not look, speak or think the same way, but I want to add to the conversation of empowering us as professionals and to help other trailblazers reach their goals.

I am proud to have been named a 2017 Latina of Influence by Hispanic Lifestyle and a nominee for 2018 Everyday Hero by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Palm Beach County and hold those titles with great pride and responsibility.