Meet Some of the Most Inspiring Inspiring Latina Women in Tech

Anuli Akanegbu
Mar 25, 2015

The tech industry has often been likened to an “old boys’ club,” or even more accurately, a young boys’ club. Of course, there are women making waves, but there’s still much work to be done. Women may make up half of the American workforce, but the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey discovered that women only hold about a fourth of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, (STEM) jobs. For African-American and Latina women in particular, those numbers are even lower, with only three percent of Latina women represented in the STEM industry. Thankfully, there are Latina #girlbosses out there serving as shining examples of what’s possible when you wholeheartedly pursue your dreams.

1. Tanya Menendez: Tanya Menendez is the co-founder and COO of Maker’s Row, which truly brings the idea of “Made in America” to life. It’s an online marketplace that connects entrepreneurs with American manufacturers. Prior to Maker’s Row, Menendez worked at Google in their Strategy and Integration group, before meeting business partner Matthew Burnett at the Brooklyn Bakery, where she managed sales and operations. (Photo via Latinos in Tech)

2. Diana Lopez-Obaldo: Diana Lopez-Obaldo is the Director of External Affairs and International Relations at 1871, a collaborative space for startups in Chicago. Diana’s job consists of serving as the front-line liaison between 1871 and community leaders, public officials, non-profit organizations and major corporations. Before becoming a major power player at 1871, Diana worked as a Multicultural Group Account Manager at Marketing Werks and an Account Executive at Relay Worldwide. (Photo via 1871)

3. Cindy Alvarez: Cindy Alvarez is the Director of UX and Product Design at Yammer, a Microsoft company. Alvarez is an expert in maintaining a lean start-up culture inside much larger companies. In fact, she wrote the book on it. Lean Customer Development aims to help readers develop products that people will actually buy and use. (Photo via Cindy Alvarez)

4. Eliana Murillo: Eliana Murillo is the Head of Multicultural Marketing at Google. The Harvard grad doesn’t mind helping others follow in her footsteps, and actually helped found the US Hispanic business development and community outreach team at Google. Murillo is also the savvy businesswoman and owner of Tequila Alquimia, 100-percent, all-natural USDA organic tequila. Let’s drink to Murillo’s continued success. (Photo via Levo League)

5. Katia Beaucamp: Katia Beauchamp is a founder and co-CEO of Birchbox, one of our favorite subscription services. The company, which opened the doors of its first brick and mortar store last year in New York, currently sends beauty boxes to more than 800,000 subscribers each month. Now how’s that for being a #girlboss? (Photo via Latino Built)

6. Natalia Oberti Noguera: As the founder of Pipeline Fellowship, an angel investing bootcamp for women, Natalia represents the epitome of “each one, teach one.” Pipeline Fellowship’s angel investing bootcamp has trained over eighty women who have committed more than $400K in investments since April 2011. The bootcamp started in New York City and has expanded to Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. (Photo via Pipeline Fellows)

7. Jennifer Argüello: For nearly two decades, Jennifer Argüello has focused on the advancement of women and minorities in STEM. Outside of her work as Senior Tech Advisor at the Kapor Center, where she devises strategies to diversify Silicon Valley, Argüello also teaches computer science at Stanford to underserved high school students for Level Playing Field Institute. She sits on various advisory boards for organizations diversifying tech, including Yes We Code, CODE2040 and Globaloria. (Photo via @engijen)

8. Laura I. Gomez: Gomez has a truly impressive resumé. She has worked at YouTube, Twitter and Jawbone, just to name a few. She’s now taking what she learned at those companies to start her own. Her company, Atipica, offers companies solutions to tackling diversity issues in tech. (Photo via Christopher Wiggins/USA Today)

9. Lisa Morales-Hellebo: Lisa Morales-Hellebo has worked at start-ups and Fortune 500 companies such as Coca-Cola, Procter + Gamble and Hasbro. The Carnegie Mellon University and TechStars alumna is a lover of fashion, and used her passion to co-found the New York Fashion Tech Lab and build Shopsy, a platform that allows women to shop online the way they shop offline. She currently serves on the Board of Advisors for SnobSwap, Voysee, and Viawear. (Photo via Lisa Morales-Hellebo)

10. Luz Rivas: Luz Rivas is the founder and executive director of DIY Girls, an organization aimed at increasing girls’ interest and success in technology and engineering, along with providing innovative educational experiences and mentor relationships for nearly 400 girls. It won’t be long until DIY Girls and similar organizations inspire an increase in the number of women in STEM careers.

11. Karen Comas: Karen Comas works in strategic partnerships for Facebook’s U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets. Before Facebook, Comas was the Social Media Manager of Telemundo, where she helped the station reach Latinos at every touchpoint. (Photo via Business Insider)

Which women in tech inspire you the most? Let us know in the comments!

“Protective” Peter Gallagher Is “So Grateful” Mischa Barton Survived “Toxic Fame”

No matter what kind of day you're having, Marissa Cooper's having a worse one. Mischa Barton's The O.C. character went through the ringer during the first three seasons of the teen drama (remember how she overdosed in Tijuana...and also saw her parents post-hookup after their divorce?).

And during her time on The O.C., Mischa Barton struggled with drug and alcohol abuse. She was arrested for a DUI in 2007 and eventually received involuntary psychiatric hospitalization in 2009 after allegedly threatening to end her own life. And in a new interview, Peter Gallagher (who played Sandy Cohen on the show) says he's "just so grateful" for "the fact that she’s still alive."

  • Mischa Barton starred alongside Peter Gallagher in The O.C. from 2003-2006.
  • The actress has revealed the "trauma" of being a star at that point in her life.
  • Peter recently opened up about how he's thankful "she’s still alive."


Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for FLC/John Lamparski/Getty Images

The O.C. follows Ryan Atwood, who moves in with the Cohens after getting kicked out of his mom's house, and starts a relationship with Marissa shortly after. While Peter Gallagher played Adam Brody's TV dad instead of Mischa's, Sandy was a definitely father figure for Marissa, and it seems like Peter felt that same responsibility off camera.

"I’ve always felt very protective of her," Peter told The Independent. "First fame is toxic. First fame can kill you. She was 16 years old when she started working with us, so just the fact that she’s still alive, I’m just so grateful."

“You can go to therapy every day for the rest of your life,” Mischa said in a 2023 interview with The Sunday Times. “There’s just a certain amount of trauma [from] all that I went through, particularly in my early twenties, that just doesn’t go away overnight.”

Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage revealed that season 1 overdose not only served as a cliffhanger, but gave “network executives an escape hatch on a performer they had been wary about” (via People). But Mischa Barton got her big break, becoming "how people knew the show," and (thankfully) Marissa recovered — only to die after a car crash in season 3.

As hard as that season 3 ending is to watch, Mischa did have the opportunity to watch it with Rachel Bilson and Melinda Clarke for the first time on their rewatch podcast. "It needed to be a thing, after everything she's been through, but if it's here I'll watch it with you," Mischa says.

"I couldn't do it, Mischa, I couldn't do it," Rachel adds. "But I'm going to do it if you're going to do it."

Mischa says even though being written off the show "was a little bit of a bummer," it wasn't necessarily a surprise. "The character was just doing too much," she told Vanity Fairin 2023. "And I think they ran out of places for her to go. It was not the best thing in the world, [but] there wasn’t much you could do at that point. It was whether she could sail off into the sunset, or die. At that point, I guess it’s better to have the more dramatic ending.”
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See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

Former Disney Channel star Dylan Sprouse and model Barbara Palvin are certainly living the sweet life after tying the knot in Palvin's native Hungary. The couple, who have been together for nearly five years, have always been pretty low-key — except for the occasional and undeniably adorable Instagram post (and a stunning wedding!). We are simply ~obsessed~ with this celebrity couple, especially after they pulled out all the stops for their couple's Halloween costume. Keep scrolling to see some of their best moments :').

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Halloween Couple's Costume!

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For Halloween Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin stunned as the Phantom and Christine from Phantom of the Opera. Dylan wore a mask and a black cape, while Barbara wore a beautiful white dress. While the costume is obviously a nod to the musical, it also totally reminds us of their day as bride and groom.

"In Sleep He Sang to Me," Barbara said in a post, quoting the musical's titular number. "@dylansprouse my forever Phantom."

Who did Dylan Sprouse marry?

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On the couple's wedding day (July 15, 2023), Barbara wore a Vivienne Westwood wedding gown to celebrate her Hungarian nuptials, bringing together their nearest and dearest for an intimate(-ish) celebration. Barbara and Dylan tied the knot on her parent's property, which conveniently doubles as an event venue, with plans to host an larger wedding in California in the fall.

"This past weekend was supposed to be an intimate event, but we ended up having 115 guests in the end because there are a lot of people we care about, and we wanted them all to be there," Barbara told Vogue.

When did Dylan Sprouse and Barbara Palvin get engaged?

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Barbara Palvin on Instagram: "♥️"

After months of speculation surrounding the couple's engagement, Dylan and Barbara confirmed their engagement in conversation with Sprouse's twin brother, actor Cole Sprouse, for V Magazine in June, sharing that they got engaged last September.

"We didn't necessarily feel the need to be fully transparent with the public about that aspect of our engagement," Dylan said. "What we wanted to do with Stephen [Gan, V editor-in-chief] and the V team is make something that was kind of tongue-in-cheek about the nature of private versus public. We're playing with the idea of perception."

Barbara noted that the lovebirds wanted to announce the news "on our time," adding, "When some people leaked the information that we got engaged, our PR team was like, 'Hey, so you guys should do maybe a post about it or talk to this magazine or talk to that magazine…' That really annoyed me because I knew we were building this story up. So, I'm very happy that we ended up doing it our way."

When did Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse start dating?

Sean Zanni / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment

See Dylan Sprouse & Barbara Palvin's Dreamy Halloween Costume: "My Forever"

According to People, the couple met back in 2017 after a party when the Suite Life On Deck star slid into the model’s DMs (and as they say, the rest is history). The duo made their relationship Instagram official back in 2018 with Barbara’s sweet birthday tribute for Dylan’s 26th birthday.

Let’s be real here for a second though, we all knew they were endgame the minute Dylan went above and beyond to support Barbara at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show that same year (remember this viral video?). Three days after the fashion show, the Hungarian model told Vogue Australia that she hadn’t had a boyfriend in six years, but had now found “the perfect guy” in Dylan (we aren’t crying, you are).

How old are Barbara Palvin and Dylan Sprouse?

Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Barbara Palvin was born on October 8, 1993, making her 31 years old. Dylan Sprouse was born on August 4, 1992, meaning he's 32 years old. So there's only a one-year age gap between them!

Stay up to date with all of Brit + Co's favorite celebrity relationships. Let us know your thoughts on Twitter!

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Elle & Dakota Fanning Will Collab On Apple's 'Margo's Got Money Troubles'

2017's The Beguiled gave us one of the best groups of people of all time: Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Sofia Coppola, and Kirsten Dunst just to name a few. And we're finally getting an Elle and Nicole reunion thanks to Apple TV+! "THRILLED to bring @rufithorpe genius hysterical heart-wrenching heartwarming book to your TV screens alongside a dream group of people!" Elle says on Instagram. Rather than having to test the success of its pilot, the series has already been ordered — even though the book it's based on isn't even out yet! Here's everything you need to know about the series.

  • Dakota and Elle Fanning will produce the upcoming Apple TV+ show Margo's Got Money Troubles.
  • The series follows Margo, who signs up for OnlyFans after learning she's pregnant.
  • The cast includes Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Nick Offerman.

Who's in the Margo's Got Money Troubles cast?

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Margo's Got Money Troubles Cast

We couldn't contain our excitement when we learned Margo's Got Money Troubles will star Nicole Kidman and Elle Fanning, but knowing Michelle Pfeiffer is also joining the cast is too much to bear! This is the first time the actress will collaborate with her husband, TV creator David E. Kelley, so we can't wait to see the magic they'll create (via Deadline).

Nick Offerman from The Last of Us and Parks and Rec will also star.

When is Margo's Got Money Troubles coming out?

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Margo's Got Money Troubles Release Date

We don't have an official release date for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV show yet. I'm thinking if the TV show is in the early stages of planning, we could see it in 2025! Check out all of this year's best New TV Shows to hold you over until then.

What is Margo's Got Money Troubles about?

Amazon

Margo's Got Money Troubles Plot

Margo Millet is the daughter of a Hooter's waitress named Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer) and an ex-wrestler (via Deadline). She's always had to make it on her own, even though she's not sure how. When she enrolls in her local junior college, she's totally unprepared to get swept up into a torrid love affair with her English professor — or to get pregnant.

Now at 20 years old, Margo needs an income and fast. She decides to experiment with OnlyFans and ends up taking some of her estranged father's advice from the world of wrestling to create a character users will fall in love with. You can order the book now!

What is Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's new TV show?

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Margo's Got Money Troubles is coming soon to Apple TV+ thanks to a bunch of different producers. A24 is backing the film, as well as Elle and Dakota Fanning’s production company Lewellen Pictures and Nicole Kidman’s Blossom Films, to name a few.

What else has Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in?

Focus Features

Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman starred in 2017's The Beguiled. The movie follows John McBurney, an injured Union soldier, who winds up at a female Southern boarding school after deserting the Civil War. But soon, as the women help him, tensions turn to rivalries and friends turn to enemies.

Are you excited for Elle Fanning and Nicole Kidman's TV reunion? Let us know what other New TV Shows you're watching in the comments.

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This post has been updated.

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