Executive DBA Candidate Mariela Salas Appointed as Executive Director of LatinxVC

LatinxVC, a non-profit focused on growing and supporting the Latinx venture capital ecosystem, announced it has appointed Mariela Salas — a candidate for the Pepperdine Graziadio Executive Doctor of Business Administration program —  to the position of Executive Director.

In her role, Salas will focus on growing and supporting the Latinx venture capital ecosystem with the support of LatinxVC's Board members. Founded in 2019, LatinxVC is the first non-profit to focus on increasing the number of Latinx professionals in VC. The organization has built the leading community for experienced Latinx VC professionals with over 100 active members, including the majority of Latinx general partners in the U.S. 

In her role, Salas will focus on growing and supporting the Latinx venture capital ecosystem with the support of LatinxVC's Board members. The Board’s top priority after receiving 501(c)(3) designation in March was to identify a strong operator with an entrepreneurial mindset who could elevate the organization to the next level. 

"As the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants, I feel very close to the mission of LatinxVC," said Salas in LatinxVC’s press release. "Today, Latinx investment professionals only make up an estimated 2% of the venture capital industry workforce despite comprising 19% of the U.S. population as reported by the Pew Research Center.  This needs to change. My goal is to scale our organization and grow the number of Latinx professionals in venture capital, help Latinx venture investors flourish in their careers and network, and increase the dollars flowing to Latinx venture investors."

Salas has nearly 20 years of experience in the entrepreneurship, finance, infrastructure, and technology sectors, holding executive leadership roles at JP Morgan, Verizon, and Ascendus (fka ACCION USA). At Graziadio, Salas’ research leverages contemporary theories, advanced analytical methods, and her executive experience to develop evidence-based insights to improve and shape the business world. Her current studies sit at the intersection of Latinx Identity, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Venture Capital.

Read more about Salas’ appointment at LatinxVC here. To learn more about Graziadio’s Executive DBA program, visit the Pepperdine Graziadio website.