1. Corporate LEADERSHIP
38 news  Winter 2014
Bold Decisions Steer Latina Leader to Corporate America
Priscilla Guasso, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist at Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Priscilla Guasso’s
success in adulthood
has been shaped by her
childhood experiences
and through the
continuous support
from her husband and
family.
Priscilla’s mother
emigrated to the U.S.
from Mexico while
her father spent his
time growing up
between both the U.S.
and Mexico. After
her parents divorced,
Priscilla lived with her
mother, who despite
not having the chance
to obtain a college
degree, worked very
hard and committed
herself to providing
for her two daughters.
Priscilla spent her
weekends as a young child at the shopping mall where her mother
worked, observing and being inspired by her mother’s dedication,
perseverance and unwavering work ethic. Regular visits with her
father, who attended college and went on to obtain an MBA, gave
her exposure to the comforts and security that often come from
having a higher education. She learned from him the importance of
creating a plan, to cherish higher education and to actively pursue a
college degree. Together, these values learned from both her mother
and father shaped her outlook on life and enabled her to make the
decisions that have led to her current position at Hyatt on the global
leadership and diversity and inclusion team.
“My younger sister and I spent enough time at the mall while my
mother was working that we could have gotten into a lot of trouble,
but I always felt the eyes of my younger sister looking up at me,”
said Guasso. “I knew that I had to step up because life wasn’t going
to hand me everything, and, with her watching me, along with the
sacrifices my parents had made for us, the impact of my decisions
were even more important for my future, and for hers as well.”
From a young age, Priscilla understood the value of education,
so she studied thoroughly. During middle school, she worked
at her grandmother’s banquet hall, then continued to hold jobs
through high school and seamlessly moved on to college while also
working as a Resident Advisor of Intersections, overseeing monthly
discussions with more than 60 students that focused on culture,
countries, community, and inclusion.
As she finished her degree at the University of Illinois, Priscilla
examined her employment opportunities. She realized that working
at Hyatt would provide her with a supportive, passionate culture
Get to Know Priscilla
• She continues her education: “My parents’ hard work did
not go unnoticed. I am starting the application process
for an MBA. Education is still a critical component to my
life and my professional growth.”
• She is motivated to break barriers: “Through my actions, I
want to help redefine how Latinos are viewed through the
eyes of others. It may sound elementary, but I was taught
that your actions speak louder than words.”
• She happily serves as her sister’s role model. Her youngest
sister is ten years old and middle sister is 25 years old: “As
with most older sister’s, sometimes I do take being their
role model too far to heart,” she laughs.
that also promised growth potential. During the spring break of her
junior year, she put on her business suit and boldly set off to the
corporate offices in Chicago to meet with Sal Mendoza, who at the
time was the Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion at
Hyatt.
“I didn’t have an appointment. I didn’t even know if he would be
there, but I just knew that I needed to act and show my potential
if I wanted to work with Hyatt,” Guasso laughed. “Sal and I talked
for over fifteen minutes, and later he connected me with associates
at Hyatt Regency O’Hare. Over the next year I stayed in touch with
him and the hotel, calling every quarter to check-in since I was
so impressed by the company’s work in the areas of diversity and
inclusion and knew I wanted to be a part of it.”
After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in business and
marketing, Priscilla turned down two positions with other
corporations so that she could start her career at Hyatt a week after
graduation. Now, after nearly eight years with Hyatt working in both
the hotels and corporate office, she proudly serves as specialist on the
global leadership and diversity and inclusion team.
“I aspire to be a senior leader one day. I want to be the kind of
leader that listens, connects, and inspires others, while keeping the
workplace creative, innovative and most importantly, fun. The best
leaders I wish to emulate are those that are genuine and embrace the
differences of others.” finishes Guasso. “If I could give one piece of
advice to young people, it would be to take chances and be bold –
whatever bold means for you, go for it.”
Hyatt is a proud partner of LULAC. By providing authentic
hospitality, they make planning meetings that lead to national events
possible. In October, Hyatt hosted the LULAC staff retreat, where
staff came together to help create a strategic plan for LULAC’s growth
and community impact. In addition, Hyatt also provides support
during the National Convention, which gathers 20,000 participants
annually. The 2014 LULAC National Convention will be hosted in
New York City from July 8-12, 2014.