PODER25™ is the General Counsel talent pipeline initiative of the Hispanic National Bar Association and HNBA VIA Fund. Its primary goal is to increase the number of Hispanic General Counsel in Fortune 500 companies to 20 by the year 2025. PODER25 is the first GC pipeline initiative that specifically supports Hispanic attorneys and tackles the unique challenges that they face, such as implicit bias against Hispanics/immigrants and lack of exposure to traditional career-building networks. This initiative helps promising Hispanic in-house legal talent build long-term relationships through recruiter introductions, speakers, and high-level mentorship and sponsorship. It also provides programming and coaching to increase participants' gravitas, board-facing and team leadership, competencies, and overall readiness for top GC and senior executive roles. Why is diversity important to Corporate America? Organizations that promote minorities to executive leadership teams are more profitable and innovative, have higher morale, and can better address the needs of all of their employees, clients, and other stakeholders than those lacking such diversity. In addition Hispanic attorneys often offer cross-cultural competencies, bilingual language skills and significant cross-broader professional experience. PODER25 tracks are limited to a select number of participants, and members are expected to demonstrate robust participation in the program. Senior members of the program also commit to serving as mentors to maintain a healthy PODER25 pipeline. For more information about PODER25, please contact Anna Maria Tejada, HNBA National VP of Programs at vpprograms@hnba.com. PODER25 Leadership Team Anna María Tejada, HNBA National VP of Programs Jessica Mendez, HNBA Deputy VP of Programs Carla Martin, HNBA/VIA Director of Programs Aida Rodriguez, HNBA VIA Fund, Independent Director Anne Marie Segal, PODER25 Facilitator PODER25 is a service mark of HNBA/VIA.