Lourdes Hassler ’06 MBA is the first female Chief Executive Officer for the National Society of Hispanic MBAs. Not that her route there wasn’t circuitous. She spent 20 years traveling the world with American Airlines as director of Latin America sales and marketing. “Working in the travel industry was great for me, I was able to travel the world and gain access to a myriad of cultures,” Hassler said. That experience of both cultures and corporation exposed her to operations, finance, marketing, and leadership and gave her the opportunity to serve on several boards that led business initiatives. It was a good preparation ground for her current position.

She credits her rise to leadership to hard work, focus, a desire to serve the public and her personal conviction for education and Hispanic leadership. It’s a job she loves. “I am passionate about education, leadership, and professional development,” she said.

Hassler’s vision for NSHMBA, an organization that exists to foster Hispanic leadership, includes developing professionals, graduating Hispanics with MBAs, and supporting leaders. “I dream of an annual giving campaign, a building, and a legacy oriented around results,” she said. “We are focused on creating value for our constituents, our sponsors, and our educational partners.”