Synthia is dedicated to serving Hispanic Business Enterprises in the United States and across the globe. She currently serves as the Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations for the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), America’s largest business advocacy organization for Hispanic Business Enterprises.
Prior to her role with the USHCC, Synthia was the first woman to hold the position of Director of the Economic Development Department (EDD) at the City of Albuquerque. Appointed by Mayor Tim Keller in 2017, she oversaw the recruitment and retention of companies, the International Trade Office, Small Business Office, Film Office, the local tourism industry, and the Albuquerque Minority Business Development Center.
During her tenure with the City of Albuquerque, she led several initiatives to sustain and grow existing local businesses, create jobs, and recruit outside companies. Under her leadership, numerous nationally recognized companies, including film giants Netflix Studios and NBCUniversal, chose to invest in Albuquerque. Most notable, Synthia led a collaborative effort among local and state entities to secure Albuquerque as California-based Netflix’s city of choice for an expanded production hub. The $2 billion project solidified Albuquerque as one of the largest high-tech and sustainable film production facilities in North America.
Synthia has prioritized initiatives to sustain and grow existing local businesses as well. She has led innovative programs to support small businesses and their employees during Covid-19; she guided and implemented a holistic plan for their sustainable recovery. Pre-pandemic, Synthia created the City of Albuquerque’s first Small Business Advocacy Office, which is solely focused on connecting businesses with the resources they need to launch or scale. She also spearheaded the creation of an innovative $1 million workforce training program called Job Training Albuquerque.
Synthia has a history of championing a culture of diversity and inclusivity. She was intentional about recruiting a staff that was reflective of Albuquerque’s majority-minority population, and under her leadership, the department funded business development and workforce development programs in Albuquerque communities that have historically been left behind. During her tenure, EDD won a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency to establish the Albuquerque Minority Business Development Center. In a short amount of time, it has created a more equitable economy through strategic support of minority-owned enterprises and by ensuring the City actively seeks contract procurement with local businesses owned by women and people of color. (Source: USHCC.COM)
At LA REVISTA BINACIONAL, we can’t wait to see what this amazing Latina woman will accomplish. It is an honor to feature her in our platform, as we consider her a true example of Latino Excellence.
