We couldn’t imagine a more meaningful way to begin 2026.

Our first guest of the year on Corporate Cafecito is Marie Quintana.

Marie is a Cuban immigrant, CEO of Quintana Group, strategic advisor, executive coach, board director, and author. Long before ERGs, before representation became a strategy, she was building, leading, and opening doors in corporate America. From IBM to PepsiCo to serving as Chief Marketing Officer at Tenet Healthcare, her career spans decades of leadership, transformation, and impact.

But this conversation isn’t about titles.

It’s about her story.

Marie shares a moment from first grade she calls “White Dress Day.” Picture day. A handmade white dress. Walking into a classroom and realizing she was different. That moment didn’t break her. It became the foundation for resilience, courage, and leadership.

We talk about living in two worlds. About vulnerability as strength. About faith, cultura, and what it truly means to bring your whole self to work. Porque cuando compartimos nuestras historias, abrimos camino para otros.

Marie is also the author of Last Flight from Havana, a powerful memoir about leaving Cuba, identity, resilience, and healing. Her book is an extension of this conversation and a reminder that our beginnings do not limit us. They shape us.

If you’ve ever felt like you had to edit yourself to belong, this episode is for you.

📍 Learn More:

📘 Book (Last Flight from Havana): https://a.co/d/1P1hRV1
🌐 Website: https://www.mariequintana.com/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariequintana/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marietquintana/

Support the show

If you’d like to join Nallely and Carlos from Corporate Cafecito for a cafecito conversation, collaborate, or suggest a topic that matters to our community, we would love to hear from you. Corporate Cafecito centers real conversations that move culture and careers forward. Visit www.corpcafecito.com/contact-us
or email admin@corpcafecito.com.

Elevar Development, founded by Nallely Suárez Gass, helps professionals and organizations grow with clarity and purpose. With over two decades of corporate experience, Nallely is known for helping people lead authentically, uncover strengths, and make confident, aligned decisions. Through personalized coaching and impactful workshops, Elevar creates practical, lasting change. Learn more at www.elevardevelopment.com or email Nallely@elevardevelopment.com.

Every business decision carries social, political, and economic considerations. Avizo Consulting helps organizations navigate complexity with intention, cultural awareness, and strategic insight. Carlos Butler Vale partners with leaders who want their values and actions aligned. Learn more at www.avizoconsulting.com or email carlos@avizoconsulting.com.

Two leaders. One shared commitment to growth, cultura, and impact.

We made it through 2025.

That alone matters.

As we step into 2026, this episode of Corporate Cafecito is about choosing how we move forward. Not rushing. Not reacting. Choosing with intention.

This conversation is an honest look at what last year required from us and what it actually gave back.

What truly moved you forward in 2025?

What quietly drained your time, energy, or headspace?

What are you no longer willing to carry into this year?

We talk about taking a real audit of 2025 through return on investment. Time. Energy. Focus. We walk through Start, Stop, Continue as a way to move with clarity instead of obligation.

We also talk about visibility with intention.
Being seen by the right people.
For the right reasons.
Without shrinking who you are or hiding your cultura.

This episode is rooted in lived experience. Career and life. Ambition and rest. Growth with boundaries. Todo con intención y con corazón.

We would love to hear from you.
What is one thing you are choosing to start, stop, or continue in 2026?

Check out the trailer below, but head to our website, www.corpcafecito.com, to watch the entire episode.

Support the show

If you’d like to join Nallely and Carlos from Corporate Cafecito for a cafecito conversation, collaborate, or suggest a topic that matters to our community, we would love to hear from you. Corporate Cafecito centers real conversations that move culture and careers forward. Visit www.corpcafecito.com/contact-us
or email admin@corpcafecito.com.

Elevar Development, founded by Nallely Suárez Gass, helps professionals and organizations grow with clarity and purpose. With over two decades of corporate experience, Nallely is known for helping people lead authentically, uncover strengths, and make confident, aligned decisions. Through personalized coaching and impactful workshops, Elevar creates practical, lasting change. Learn more at www.elevardevelopment.com or email Nallely@elevardevelopment.com.

Every business decision carries social, political, and economic considerations. Avizo Consulting helps organizations navigate complexity with intention, cultural awareness, and strategic insight. Carlos Butler Vale partners with leaders who want their values and actions aligned. Learn more at www.avizoconsulting.com or email carlos@avizoconsulting.com.

Two leaders. One shared commitment to growth, cultura, and impact.

Before we step into 2026, we wanted to pause and talk honestly about 2025. Not just what we survived, but what we learned, who showed up, and how our community kept moving forward even when things felt heavy.

In this episode, we reflect on the realities of 2025 for our community and our workplaces. We talk about fear and resilience, DEI shifts, AI changing the job market, cultural guilt, and the pressure so many of us felt to stay quiet just to stay afloat.

We also take time to lift up what mattered most. The teachings we shared throughout the year. The Latine-owned businesses and organizations we highlighted. The leaders, mentors, and community builders who reminded us that visibility, access, and community still matter.

If you’re looking for guidance, reflection, and real conversations rooted in experience, we invite you to explore the episodes, the stories, and the businesses we’ve highlighted along the way.

This is an honest look at 2025. Lo bueno, lo difícil, y lo real.

Support the show

If you’d like to join Nallely and Carlos from Corporate Cafecito for a cafecito conversation, collaborate, or suggest a topic that matters to our community, we would love to hear from you. Corporate Cafecito centers real conversations that move culture and careers forward. Visit www.corpcafecito.com/contact-us
or email admin@corpcafecito.com.

Elevar Development, founded by Nallely Suárez Gass, helps professionals and organizations grow with clarity and purpose. With over two decades of corporate experience, Nallely is known for helping people lead authentically, uncover strengths, and make confident, aligned decisions. Through personalized coaching and impactful workshops, Elevar creates practical, lasting change. Learn more at www.elevardevelopment.com or email Nallely@elevardevelopment.com.

Every business decision carries social, political, and economic considerations. Avizo Consulting helps organizations navigate complexity with intention, cultural awareness, and strategic insight. Carlos Butler Vale partners with leaders who want their values and actions aligned. Learn more at www.avizoconsulting.com or email carlos@avizoconsulting.com.

Two leaders. One shared commitment to growth, cultura, and impact.