Her professional values are rooted in her Latino values of family, faith, hard
work, resourcefulness and enjoying life.
“Over the years much of my community services has been to support
issues that are important to the airport and to me as well,” she shares.
This has led her to serve on various educational boards including Parents
Step Ahead and the Tarrant County Community College Foundation, on
business-focused boards like North Texas Commission and Visit Fort Worth, and
Hispanic-100, which serves as a catalyst for increasing participation of Latinas
in employment, procurement and social issues.
“My advice for any young Latina is to become as technically competent as
you can possibly be and then never stop learning,” she shares. “Your competence
will open doors and after that it’s about being a great problem solver and
opportunity maker.”
Vania Montero Wit
Vice President
Deputy General Counsel
United Airlines
Growing up in Chicago, Vania Montero Wit was always fascinated by the
stories she heard of her grandfather’s legacy in Bolivia as a lawyer of
integrity serving his community. Her intrigue in her grandfather’s profession
culminated in her decision to follow in his footsteps and pursue law in the
United States.
Today she serves as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel at
United Airlines where she oversees a team of 30 lawyers and other legal
professionals. Her team is responsible for managing litigation and legal
compliance globally in the areas of intellectual property, antitrust and
competition, commercial, employment, labor, and benefits.
Her staff works closely with business stakeholders to provide counsel
and direction in all these areas. The proud mother of two sons is also
responsible for legal operations.
“I’m going on 20 years later this month in an industry that’s very
exciting. One thing that stands out prominently is this wonderful merger
between Continental and United that began in 2010,” Wit says. “We really
had to roll up our sleeves in the areas of labor and employment and bring
together two cultures and two workforces and figure out how to do that in
a way that created fair processes or policies that were the best of the best
in a newly merged company.”
Her Latina roots taught her the importance of human connections in
any area of life, including business, which has helped her stand out.
“I’ve just always been fascinated with other people’s stories and what
makes them who they are,” Wit says. “As I have worked here at United
and become the person and attorney I am, my background and who I am
is something I bring into the conversation. I want people to get to know me
a little better and to understand them better.”
Earlier in her career she came across fellow professionals who
doubted her legal abilities because she came from a different background.
Vania Montero Wit, Vice President, Deputy General Counsel,
United Airlines.
Instead of letting that doubt bring her down, Wit used it as motivation to
work harder and smarter so that she never entered a room unprepared for
what may come.
“It’s OK if you’re nervous but don’t let that overtake the overall feeling
or how you portray yourself,” she advises emerging Latina professionals in
the legal and aviation industry.
Her Latinidad has also made her an advocate for immigrant
and women’s rights. She is a member of the American Bar Association and
Hispanic National Bar Association. Wit serves on the Leadership Board of
the National Immigrant Justice Center and recently helped a Salvadoran
woman fleeing violence in her home country gain asylum in the United
States.
She is a founding member of the Western Suburban Giving Circle
of the Chicago Foundation for Women which awards grants to worthy
organizations.
Wit is a 2017 recipient of Latino Magazine’s Brava Award for her
mentorship efforts.
“I love mentoring younger attorneys and sharing my experiencing with
others who perhaps faced similar challenges as I have in the past,” she
says.
LS
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