Mrs. Pineda is a local businesswoman and the President & CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana. Over the years, she has worked tirelessly to develop strong and long-lasting business relationships between Louisiana, the Hispanic community, and Latin America. She is a former Consul General of Honduras in New Orleans, Arkansas, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama. Mrs. Pineda has received multiple recognitions over the years, including the prestigious 2022 Woman of the Year award by CityBusiness.
Mrs. Pineda was also recognized in the 2022 and 2023 CityBusiness Power 50 and the 2021 and 2022 ICON Award by CityBusiness, as well as the 2021,2022 and 2023 NO Top 500 by BIZ Magazine and the 2022 Steel Magnolia by New Orleans Magazine. She received the 2020 Diversity in Scouting Gala “Vale la Pena Award.” Other recognitions include the 2019 Role Model by the Young Leadership Council, the 2018 Top Female Achiever by New Orleans Magazine, the 2018 Minority Business Champion by the US Small Business Administration, and the CityBusiness Women of the Year Honoree. She was also the 2017 Partner of the Year of WBEC South and accepted the 2017 and 2021 United States Hispanic Chamber “Chamber of the Year” award on behalf of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana.
She is a current and active board member of the following organizations:
- Board of Director, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Chair of the Board of Commissioners at Jefferson Economic Development Council (JEDCO)
- Board Director and Past Chair of New Orleans Hispanic Heritage Foundation
- Vice Chair of City Park Conservancy
- Healthy Louisiana Board of Directors
- Boy Scouts of America Southeast Louisiana Council
- The Historic New Orleans Collection
- Mental Health Steering Committee, United Way of Southeast Louisiana
- SEE Change Collective
What makes you proud or excited to lead a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce?
As a chamber leader, one of the aspects I cherish the most is facilitating meaningful connections for our members. These connections often evolve into valuable resources, skills, and opportunities that ultimately lead to important contracts and business growth. I view our organization as a close-knit community of like-minded individuals, all dedicated to a common goal. It’s like being part of an ecosystem where we mutually support and empower each other to thrive.
What truly fills me with joy is receiving feedback from our members who have reaped the benefits of attending our events, participating in our programs, or accessing contracts through introductions made by the chamber. Furthermore, I take immense pride in being a strong advocate for the Hispanic community and representing our community members across various platforms.
What should more people know about your local community of Hispanic business owners and entrepreneurs?
We work daily in two significant areas that we want people to be aware of within our community of business owners and entrepreneurs:
- To share valuable information and resources with the Hispanic community and provide technical assistance in various areas, such as workforce, immigration, and entrepreneurship.
- To inform the broader community about the services and programming our organization offers, dispelling the misconception that one must be Hispanic to be a part of our organization.
- The strength of our organization lies in the ecosystem of talented, hardworking, and diverse business owners who are making a substantial impact on the economic development of the State of Louisiana.
How can we better support Hispanic business owners and entrepreneurs?
To enhance support for Hispanic business owners and entrepreneurs, we as a Hispanic Leaders:
- Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the procurement process.
- Actively patronize and refer their services and products.
- Provide support for capacity development among business owners.
- Offer education and encouragement for certifications.
- Promote their involvement in network organizations, such as chambers of commerce.
These activities form a comprehensive strategy to empower and promote the growth of Hispanic businesses. To better support Hispanic business owners and entrepreneurs, we can promote diversity in procurement, actively patronize their businesses, offer capacity-building resources, facilitate certifications, and encourage their participation in network organizations like chambers of commerce.
