As a child, Laura Chavez was amazed by the things figure skaters were capable of doing over a sheet of ice. At a young age her parents enrolled her in multiple sports; ballet, tap, gymnastics, and skating, and when the time came to stick to only one sport, she chose figure skating. “We reached a point where I was no longer able to continue with all three sports and they let me choose what I wanted to continue in,” she shares. “I chose figure skating as it was what I enjoyed the most.”

By Christine Bolaños

Latinas in Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics (STEM) careers are not only reaching bars set by their predecessors but aiming higher than even before. Their tenacity, passion, hard work and strong ethics are the perfect recipe for success in various industries and numerous roles that have potential for impact at the company, at the national and global levels. Among these pioneering women are Livia Cruz at Merck, who was taught to dream big and overcomes obstacles with wisdom and grace and Markia Archuleta at Oracle, who understands the unique role and potential of Latinas in STEM careers.