“I’m constantly very highly engaged,
constantly contributing, learning and
growing. My team and I work tirelessly to
make a difference in everything that we
do,” Santos says. “These qualities, along
with the ability to drive transformation in
development and technological solutions,
process and service; and ability to draw
Raised by Puerto Rican parents and
growing up in Queens, New York as
one of six girls, Elizabeth Agosto
was used to strict rules, expectations and
responsibilities from a young age. The
no-nonsense environment made her into
a strong and resilient person capable of
confronting and excelling in difficult situations.
“I’m not the kind of person who gets
easily flustered,” Agosto shares. “I see a
challenge as an opportunity for me to solve
a problem, improve on my talents and put
my fingerprint on something and learn
from it.”
Today, she is the Global Chief Administration
Officer for BNY Mellon’s Information Security
Division (ISD). She reports directly to Chief
Information Security Officer Jeff Lunglhofer
and leads the division’s administrative,
operational, human resources and financial
affairs. In her role, she is called to work closely
with human resource partners to deliver on
the division’s talent management strategies,
including staff planning, recruiting, retention,
salary administrations and terminations.
She sources and manages several projects
and strategic initiatives for ISD and advises
fellow senior executives on policy, procedure
and operational issues.
“
quick results, I think, are critical for UPS and
any company in today’s disruptive society.”
Santos is just as passionate about her
volunteerism as she is about her work. She
is an active member of UPS’ Crecer, Latino
Business Resource Group, and recently
became a Hispanics Inspiring Students’
Performance and Achievement (HISPA) role
Elizabeth Agosto
model. She is a longtime leader in her
community, evidenced by her many years
of involvement in United Way and multiple
nonprofit groups that work to improve
children’s lives.
“I feel it’s my responsibility to give forward
what was given to me,” she shares.
Global Chief Administration Officer,
Information Security Division,
BNY Mellon
Working in the Information Security
division provides her the opportunity to
work on cybersecurity, which she finds to
be the most exciting area within the technology
umbrella of STEM today.
Agosto also focuses on recruiting diverse
talent who can meet the unique needs of
cybersecurity. Her work in this space
shows her commitment to diversity and
inclusion at her company.
In 2017, Agosto made the Hispanic in
Technology Executive Council’s 100 list of
the most influential Hispanic professionals in
technology. Since 2008, HITEC has put together
a list of the top 100 Latino professionals
in the informational technology industry.
She is a member of Diverse Tech’s
steering committee at BNY Mellon where
senior professionals such as herself volunteer
their time to promote, attract and retain
diverse talent into the company. The group
works closely with organizations to help
Latino and Latina technologists advance
their professional and leadership development.
Agosto is also a member of her company’s
Latino Advisory Group, which is focusing
on greater representation and leadership
opportunities for Latinos at BNY Mellon.
According to Agosto, Latinas are proving
it is possible to have lucrative careers in
STEM regardless of prior backgrounds.
However, sometimes Latinas don’t know
how to translate their dreams into reality.
“Latinas in STEM careers help to bridge
that gap,” Agosto says. “I have a front seat
in this and I’m seeing it in big numbers. I
see a ton of Latinas in high tech. I met all
these women that were MIT grads. I see all
these engineers and I think, ‘How do they
say there’s a shortage?”
Latinas in STEM careers help to bridge that gap. I have a front seat in this and I’m seeing it in
big numbers. I see a ton of Latinas in high tech. I met all these wome n that were MIT grads. I
see all these engineers and I think, ‘How do they say there’s a shortage? ”
24 www.latinastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol. 24, No. 2, 2018
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