Latinas in Artificial Intelligence
By Melissa Barrera
Artificial intelligence, first defined in the 1950s and more commonly referred to as AI, is technology that enables computers and digital devices to learn, read, write, create, and analyze. Today, AI is used in a variety of ways in almost every industry - from healthcare to marketing, education to agriculture - and in our everyday lives via smartphones, tablets, automobiles, and more. Recent studies indicate that 10.4 percent of the American workforce works in AI occupations. Of that number, less than three percent are Latinas. In an age where AI usage grows exponentially by the day, the demand for AI workers increases as well. AI trailblazers such as Noelle Russell, Micaela Flores, Belén Sánchez Hidalgo, and Leticia Latino Van-Splunteren are doing their part to clear a path for Latinas who are looking to make an impact in this brave new world.
After her experiences at Amazon, Microsoft, IBM, and Red Hat, she knew she could help them understand the power and importance of AI.
“I could help them not only understand the importance of AI but getting results that impacted revenue and success in a big way,” she shares.
In her role as CAIO, Russell is tasked with assisting organizations in “using AI to add value, solve problems quickly, and create a culture of innovation.
“In essence, I'm there to make sure that companies don't just use AI for the sake of it, but that they use it safely, ethically, and in ways that really make a difference,” she shares. “It's about leading with intention and ensuring that technology serves a greater good, aligning with the principles of mindful leadership that are so important to me.”
This “greater good” is part of her purpose. As a parent to a child with Down Syndrome, Russell looks “for ways to make the world a more accessible place for him.” But getting into the field proved difficult. With it came learning new things, working longer hours, and putting in more effort than ever before.
“I was motivated by the thought of creating a world where my son and others with similar needs could thrive…I wanted to be a part of something that could help not just my son but millions of people to have a better life,” she explains. She credits her entry to the world of AI to three things – “being in the right place, fueled by the right reasons, and putting in the work to get there.”
Still, her path to success wasn’t without struggles. As a person who stood out for her “divergent thinking and distinctiveness”, she found obstacles along her path - including being told that her dream job would be forever out of reach for no other reason than “simply because they won’t allow it.” Another time she was told she “was of no use to the entire company.” Still, she refused to “dwell on the heartache or setbacks,” and instead chose to “focus on the positive” and on how she could “contribute to the world.”
This positive mindset was instilled in her at a young age by her Puerto Rican mother. “The way she raised me is like the rich soil that helped me grow into the person I am today,” she shares. “Just like a plant stretches up to the sun, I learned to reach high and be proud of who I am, thanks to my family.”
Russell believes “entering STEM as a Latina is about creating a legacy that transcends your individual achievements and contributes to a more inclusive STEM community” and encourages those wishing to enter the field to embrace their identity as Latinas, sharing “your unique background is a treasure trove of insights that can lead to groundbreaking innovations.”
Russell also believes that mentorship is key and says Latinas should seek out individuals who inspire them and can serve as guides. And lastly, she advises them to “own your space with confidence. Lead with boldness and creativity.” As Asimov would say, “never think you’re not good enough yourself.”
Micaela Flores, Machine Learning Engineer, LinkedIn
Noelle Russell, Chief AI Officer, AI Leadership Institute
As a child, Noelle Russell was introduced to the writings of science fiction greats - Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, and Arthur C. Clarke. Not your typical reading material for a child, to be sure, but recognizing “a kindling curiosity” with her, Russell’s father exposed her to the pages of their work, where Russell found not only an interest in technology but also a desire to create.
“It was here, amidst the imagined worlds of science fiction greats that my career found its first breath – a quest to harness technology in service of creating better human experience,” she states.
As Chief AI Officer at the AI Leadership Institute, a company she launched in 2016, Russell has helped to create an organization that focuses on “empowering organizations globally to harness the power of AI safely and responsibly.”
Micaela Flores is a machine learning engineer on LinkedIn’s Feed AI team where she works to help improve the algorithm that ranks content and recommends personalized feeds to its members through AI-driven solutions. She describes a typical day as one where her “tasks can look like experimenting with different model configurations, analyzing data and results, or enhancing processes to increase efficiency. It is the perfect fit for someone with a deep love of math, problem solving, coding, and statistics.
Her role also fits in with her passion for communicating and connecting with others and helping them reach their professional goals.
“Despite mainly working behind a computer screen, I'm most enthusiastic about the human aspect of tech: forming connections with people by supporting their ambitions and personal endeavors,” she shares. One of the most fulfilling parts of her position is knowing “that my work contributes to providing quality content that helps our users find jobs and advance in their careers.”
Flores attributes the work ethic and resourcefulness needed in her role to her Latino roots. “As Latinas, we’re taught early on the value of responsibility, hard work, and tenacity,” she explains. “I see my entire job as a privilege, so I want to take advantage of the opportunities in front of me by being responsible and working diligently in my tasks.”
Throughout her career, these values have played a vital role, especially when faced with challenging situations. “In the times when I get stuck, I’ve learned to be resourceful, asking for help and not giving up by looking for alternative solutions when roadblocks arise,” she shares.
Deeply passionate about promoting diversity in tech, Flores encourages Latinas to pursue careers in STEM. “Right now, being a Latina engineer is already pretty rare; being a Latina in AI specifically even more so,” she shares. “I really want to reach young Latinas who are just starting out and encourage them to pursue technical education and careers.”
Flores is excited about what the future holds for all things AI, as it has permeated not just the tech world but every industry.
“I consider things like personalization and intelligent chatbots as helpful means to enhance user experiences and increase productivity in ways that have never been possible before, but despite all the benefits,” she maintains. “It’s important that AI remains responsible, accessible, and equitable in the spaces where it’s used.”
She provides this advice, “Don’t let anyone make you feel like you don’t belong in the tech world. Recognize how unique you are as a Latina in STEM and know that you’re truly inspiring the next generation simply by existing in this space. You never know who could be watching you and thinking ‘Maybe I can do that, too!’”
Belén Sánchez Hidalgo, Senior Data Scientist, DataRobot
As a Senior Data Scientist at DataRobot, Belén Sánchez Hidalgo works to accelerate the adoption of AI in organizations by helping them design AI systems and then helping them build, deploy, and monitor their solutions in a trusted way. She also analyzes and monitors AI regulations, strategizing on how their product and service offerings can help customers comply with them while building robust governance.
Sánchez Hidalgo’s path to her current role has been anything but conventional. For 10 years, she worked in public policy and international development, but after her husband sent her a photo of a delivery robot not too far from her home, she knew it was time to “take the leap toward becoming a data scientist” and leave her career in public policy in the past.
She credits her Latino roots for helping her navigate through the transitions of her unorthodox career path, specifically the values of resilience and joy that were instilled during childhood.
“Resilience to keep up the good work and joy to always have fun doing what I do,” she shares. “Putting my energy and effort into things that truly matter to me.”
Those values also helped as she faced the obstacles that came with starting a new career.
“Becoming a data scientist [in my mid-30s] required me to learn a completely new set of technical skills,” she states. “Luckily, the concept of coding schools and bootcamps was available at the time when I felt ready to acquire those skills, and they really helped me jump-start my career in tech.”
Sánchez Hidalgo learned about DataRobot at the job fair of ODSC in Boston. As she talked to one of their representatives, she found out they had an AI for Good program. They believed her experience in public policy and international development would be a great asset for that team, which was aligned with what she was seeking at the time.
Sánchez Hidalgo describes her greatest accomplishment as a Data Scientist thus far as leading WaiCAMP by DataRobot, a 7-week AI and Data Science course taught in Spanish to over 60 Latin American women. As a result of this initiative, she was recognized as a Women in AI award from Venture Beat and was featured in Forbes Women. She believes that Latinas will continue to grow more involved in AI through investment in more educational programs like WaiCAMP.
Sánchez Hidalgo sees herself as an advocate not only for Latinas in AI but also for its responsible use. As AI continues to be integrated in various industries and areas of our lives, she emphasizes the need for “discussions about ethics, privacy, and the societal impact of AI, ensuring that this technology evolves in a way that benefits humanity while addressing its risks.”
She also shares her commitment to searching for ways to contribute in a positive way.
“That commitment keeps driving me to find ways to impact this industry,” she shares. “From helping NGOs through our AI for Good program, to introducing women to AI through WaiCAMP, to helping customers comply with regulations grounded in trustworthy and responsible AI principles.”
She offers this advice to Latinas desiring a career in AI: “Do not let biases… take you out of the game. Thinking about positive intent, having courageous conversations, and extending invitations can help others move away from their unconscious biases,” she shares. “As you keep growing, lift others as you rise.”
Most of all, she emphasizes, keep learning. “I believe that the participation of Latinas in AI will keep growing,” she shares. “To achieve this, we need to continue investing in educational programs, maintain the industry’s commitment to diversity, build community and networks, and share the stories of trailblazers in this field.”
Leticia Latino Van-Splunteren, CEO, Neptuno USA
As the daughter of the founder of Neptuno USA, Corp., a telecom infrastructure provider since 1972, Leticia Latino Van-Splunteren has had a front row seat to the evolution of the telecommunications industry. She shares one event that made a profound impact on her as a child. “I was fortunate to witness, at a very young age, the smiles on the faces of people in the rural areas of Venezuela being able to make a phone call for the very first time.” And though she started her professional career working in the financial market with Merrill Lynch, “the love for that kind of impact” became the catalyst for her switching careers, first working for telecom giant Nortel Networks and eventually joining the family business.
In her role as President and CEO of Neptuno USA, a role she’s held since 2017, Latino Van-Splunteren’s biggest challenge from day one was to set the strategic direction for the company and develop a plan that would help leverage decades of experience and a solid reputation in the Latin American market to garner the same credibility in the U.S. market.
Part of that plan included the creation of “disruptive innovation,” she states, which included being among the first companies to use Lidar technology and AI to create digital twins of Telecommunication sites.
Van-Splunteren is excited about the role AI will play in both in the near and far future, specifically in the area of robotics as well as “predictive and prevention capabilities” in the medical field.
“AI is undoubtedly a game changer and has started to impact many aspects of day-to-day life, from the now common chatbot to complex machine learning systems in large organizations,” she shares. However, she is quick to point out the need for establishing “the right policy framework to safely adopt and evolve” its use.
“Europe has taken leadership on this front by enacting the AI Act, which is the first ever legal framework on AI. The US needs to move quickly on doing the same,” she shares. “In Latin America, Brazil, Chile and Peru have some regulatory initiatives around AI, but there’s a lot of work to be done, and the region needs to also move at a faster pace. Focusing only on the promises of what AI will bring without recognizing that it will introduce new risks and accelerate security threats would be reckless.”
As for what advice she has to offer for Latinas looking to enter the world of AI, Van-Splunteren has a lot to share.
“We are living exciting times and AI-related opportunities are arising by the minute! The world is experimenting, learning and developing at the same time and this represents a unique historic time to be part of it and even lead the way,” she shares, “We need all sorts of diversity involved, not only of gender, ethnicity, or race, but of thought and perspective. My advice would be: Be curious and explore an AI career or augmenting your existing skillset, as it could help future-proofing your professional journey.”
LATINAStyle Vol. 30, No. 3, 2024