Running on Latina Power
By Gloria Romano-Barrera
Pivoting in times of crisis is nothing new to Toyota. As one of the most successful automotive companies in the world, it is also a great place
for Latinas to work. The San Antonio plant of Toyota like everywhere else was hard hit by the Coronavirus. Its employees, its suppliers, and
business partners who directly provide services to the company were directly impacted by the pandemic. Toyota Motor North America
experienced a temporary shutdown but quickly established new work from home policies, and put into place extensive COVID-19 safety
protocols throughout their plants. Through it all, the company remains strong -thanks, in part, to its San Antonio, Texas-based employees and a team
of experts including Luisa Casso, Leticia Garza, Estefania Davila-Lopez, Summer Valadez, Giovanna Ramos, Stephanie Martinez Garcia, Stephanie
Melchor, Zaira Dalila Sotelo, Valerie Molina, Martha Rodriguez, and Roxanne Soto. In addition to their dedicated workforce, Rosa Santana, the first and
only Latina direct tier 1 supplier to Toyota, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Santana Group and Forma Automotive, along with Lisa Navarro-
Gonzales, Vice President of Santana Group, and Vice President of Forma Automotive, and Genevieve Cruz, Training Specialist at Forma Automotive, play
a major part in Toyota’s success during times of crisis.
As Toyota works hard to assemble trucks, they also work hard to assemble a diverse team of employees. Located in the heart of the Lone Star
State, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas (TMMTX), embraces the culture that surrounds it in the deep south side of San Antonio with a 69 percent
Latinx workforce. Women make up 17 percent of their employees, breaking down the stereotypes that plague this traditionally male-dominated
industry. By committing to increasing their numbers of women and people of color in their ranks, TMMTX is reaffirming their two pillars of respect for
people and kaizen, or continuous improvement. The ingenuity and strength it takes to continue leading in the auto industry is sure to grow at pace with
their diverse employees.
Luisa Casso
Manager,
Corporate Communications
Toyota Motor North America
“I never thought I was going to be in the
corporate world,” shares Luisa Casso,
Manager, Corporate Communications at Toyota
Motor North America. “I saw myself primarily in
grassroots. But, I have truly enjoyed and aligned with the opportunity to make
a difference in peoples’ lives because I believe in that philanthropic work. The
partnerships corporations have with government and non-profit organizations
are the collaborations that really impact long-lasting change.”
The recession in the early 2000s occurred and life changes to Casso also
happened. This is when her corporate career began at Coca-Cola. Now, with
over 20 years of public affairs experience in the private, public, and non-profit
arenas, Casso is the manager of corporate communications for Toyota Motor
North America, Inc. In this role, she leads a dynamic team of professionals
responsible for the external and internal communications for Toyota Texas. In
addition, the team oversees community, media, and the Visitor Experience
Center. They are dedicated to advancing the workforce and education strategy
to ultimately strengthen and uplift the Southside of San Antonio.
“In my career, I’ve always had professional opportunities that have never
been monotonous,” she states. “Every day is different. I have the wonderful
opportunity to work with different groups at Toyota whether that be leading with
philanthropic opportunities, promoting our cooperative programs, cultivating
on-going relationships with local government every day is different. There is
always something challenging, whether internal or external and that is very
exciting to me.”
Prior to Toyota, she served as Director of Public Affairs and
Communications with The Coca-Cola Company, which brought her to Texas in
2010. Previously she also served as chief of communications to Mayor Jim
Baca in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As President, CEO of the Downtown Action
Team she led a community-driven, public-private partnership to revitalize
Downtown Albuquerque.
Having lived most of her life in New Mexico, Casso moved to San Antonio
10 years ago and today she feels she was destined to be there. “My father
grew up in San Antonio and when I was younger, he would always talk about
the people in San Antonio. He always had a tear in his eye because he missed
it so much,” she shares. “I ended up here and I felt at home. When I was brought
to Texas, I had a choice, Austin or San Antonio. When I made the right decision,
I knew it was meant to be. I knew it in my heart.”
Passionate about philanthropic endeavors and giving back to the
community Casso is grounded by faith, kindness, honesty, integrity, and lives by
the motto: kindness is a simple act of respect. And demonstrating kindness to
others through empathy and passion comes naturally to Casso.
“I think we, as gente, are loving people, we are kind people and that serves
us as professionals because we can bring people together and that is a gift that
I have,” she shares. “At Toyota one of the things I have appreciated is learning
a new way of conducting business. As a professional, I am using my varied
experience and talents as a convener and communicator in the Toyota Way. We
are a company that is grounded in Respect for People and that comes naturally
for me and my fellow Latinos.”
8 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle V ol. 26, No. 5, 2020
/www.latinastyle.com
