When it comes to your career progression, are you actively “leaning in” to create impact and making a difference or are you passively leaning back in your seat, letting opportunities slip passed you? You may be familiar with Sheryl Sandberg’s book, “Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead”, where she shares her perspective on what women need to do to move up in the business world, which is: to press ahead, to project confidence, to "sit at the table" and physically lean in to make herself heard. Meet Anna Dapelo-Garcia, Founder & President of Lean In Latinas, who shares her story of wanting to pass on the lessons she learned to the younger generation of Latina women. After visiting the Lean In Organization’s website, she decided to click and create a “Circle”. And that is the beginning of Lean in Latinas and Anna’s journey of paying it forward. Anna Dapelo-Garcia is an Inclusion, Diversity and Health Equity Leader at Stanford Health Care. She is also the Founder and President of Lean In Latinas. Anna has received numerous awards over the years and in 2015, she became the Founder of Lean In Latinas and was appointed as a Regional Program Leader by LeanIn.Org. Anna was featured in The New York Times for her role in creating Lean In Latinas, now a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Anna has also been featured in Forbes, National Public Radio (NPR) and the Wall Street Journal. In this episode, Anna shares her story of bringing Lean in Latinas to life, why you should never turn down an opportunity, the importance of your personal brand, and the benefits of having diversity in mentorship. Visit https://www.iambeyondbarriers.com where you will find show notes and links to all the resources in this episode, including the best way to get in touch with Anna. Highlights: [02:54] Bringing Lean In Latinas to life [10:13] Never turn down an opportunity [13:22] Gaining clarity on your strengths [19:14] The importance of your personal brand [26:14] Seeking out feedback [32:13] Benefits of having diversity in mentorship [37:55] Anna’s advice to women on accelerating success Quotes: “Every day you have an opportunity to determine your brand and how you want to be remembered.” – Anna Dapelo-Garcia “Be loud and proud of who you are and how you contribute to the world.” – Anna Dapelo-Garcia “Constructive feedback is a great opportunity to hone in on your skills.” - Anna Dapelo-Garcia “Mentors are critical at every stage of your career, whether you are an emerging professional or a CEO.” - Anna Dapelo-Garcia “Confidence is a game changer. Once you get it, it’s like the sun came up.” - Anna Dapelo-Garcia About Anna Dapelo-Garcia: Anna Dapelo-Garcia is an Inclusion, Diversity and Health Equity Leader at Stanford Health Care. She is also the Founder and President of Lean In Latinas. Anna acquired a Master of Public Administration from the University of San Francisco and a Bachelor of Arts degree in management from Saint Mary’s College. In 2013 she was named as a Silicon Valley Business Journal Woman of Influence and graduated from the Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) Leadership Institute program. In 2017, she was named as the Woman of the Year by the Women’s Health Care Executives. She also served as a State Commissioner with the California State Senate for Cost Control in State Government. She was vice chair and board member for the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley and is currently serving as vice chair and board member for the University of San Francisco. In 2015, she became the Founder of Lean In Latinas and was appointed as a Regional Program Leader by LeanIn.Org. Anna was featured in The New York Times for her role in creating Lean In Latinas, now a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. In 2018, she received a Top Latino Leaders Award by the National Diversity Council in Los Angeles. In 2019, Anna was appointed by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors to the Women’s Equality 2020 Leadership Council and in 2021 she was appointed to the Santa Clara County Hate Crimes Task Force. In March 2019, she was chosen by the Silicon Valley Business Journal for a Latino Leadership award. Anna has also been featured in Forbes, National Public Radio (NPR) and the Wall Street Journal. Links: Website: https://leaninlatinas.org/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-dapelo-garcia-927baa5/