Only two Latinas have been CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Why so few Hispanic women make it to the top

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONSAn earlier version of this story misstated the number of Latina CEOs in the Fortune 500. There are two.

When Geisha Williams took over PG&E in 2017, she was stunned to learn she was the first Latina CEO of a Fortune 500 company.

There has only been one since.

Hispanic and Latina women make up just 1.6% of senior executives in the nation’s largest companies, according to a USA TODAY analysis of the S&P 100.

They lag behind nearly all other major demographic groups – white men and white women, Black men and women, even Hispanic and Latino men in the executive ranks –but are disproportionately represented in lower-paying, low-mobility jobs, the analysis shows.

In interviews with USA TODAY, Latinas said they are often seen as caretakers, not corporate leaders. They have few mentors and are passed over for promotions.

If they speak English with an accent, they are told they are too hard to understand or that they are not articulate enough. They face stereotypes of being the sexy or fiery Latina. And, despite high levels of education and experience, they are mistaken for domestic help and asked to get coffee or clear tables.

Geisha Williams, former CEO of PG&E
Geisha Williams, former CEO of PG&E

The daughter of Cuban political refugees, Williams said she's angry she's still one of only two Latina Fortune 500 CEOs.

She got the job just months before PG&E power lines sparked deadly wildfires and stepped down less than two years later as the California utility prepared to declare bankruptcy.

'It's got to change': Former PG&E CEO Geisha Williams speaks out on the lack of Latina executives in top companies

Cheryl Miller, the first female CEO of a publicly traded auto-dealership chain who was born in Puerto Rico, served as CEO of AutoNation from 2019 to 2020.

“There are an incredible number of supremely qualified and capable women. It’s not a question of there aren’t people available to serve in these positions,” Williams said.

Apple, Costco, and Netflix have no Latinas in senior leadership

Of the 92 companies in the S&P 100 reviewed by USA TODAY, 18 had no Latinas or Hispanic women in senior executive positions including Apple, BlackRock, Costco, Netflix, and Simon Property Group, the most recently available data shows.

None of the companies had a percentage equal to that of the U.S. workforce, although three companies came close: PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, and Visa.

According to the Latino Corporate Directors Association, Latinas hold fewer seats on the boards of directors of Fortune 500 companies than any major gender or ethnic group, just 1%.