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shifting the conversation
Hispanic heritage month: Shifting the conversation with Mariana Perez Ponce de Leon
Mariana highlights how continuous learning, mentorship and a supportive community have fueled her professional growth.
September 5, 2024
At Sabre, we are committed to embracing and celebrating our diversity. In this inclusion & engagement series, Shifting the Conversation, our people share their stories to engage in open dialog and shed light on their broad, rich and unique perspectives. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Mariana Perez Ponce de Leon, an active member of the Latinos in Travel Technology (LiT) inclusion group, highlights how continuous learning, mentorship and a supportive community have fueled her professional growth. LiT strives to be the catalyst for Latinx and Hispanic team members to come together in support of professional growth, cultural awareness, community service and to network across the organization.
“Life is like a balloon, if you never let yourself go, you’ll never know how far you can rise.” – Linda Poindexter
When I joined Sabre nearly 22 years ago, I didn’t realize what an amazing journey I was about to embark on. At that time, I was just a young girl finishing high school and getting ready to attend college. In Mexico, you can combine studies with a part-time job, which while not easy, is not impossible.
I started as a receptionist but quickly pursued other internal opportunities to expand my reach and learn more about the company from different perspectives. Over the last two decades at Sabre, I’ve never stopped learning. I have had the opportunity to develop myself in a multitude of areas including training, marketing and sales. While every position brought unique challenges, the guidance and support of inspiring leaders and mentors made it all worthwhile.
Establishing a solid mentorship relationship provided immense advantages, such as new knowledge, expanded networks and career advancement. A mentor is more than setting and achieving goals; it’s about having someone in your corner who can provide valuable feedback, encouragement and support to help you grow – inside and outside of your role.
In 2021, I was elected as AFEET’s president and reelected in 2022. AFEET (Asociación Femenil de Ejecutivas de Empresas Turísticas) is a prominent women’s travel industry association in Mexico with nearly 300 female executive leaders. As president, my main responsibility was to increase female participation in leadership positions in the travel industry and work with international organizations, such as the World Travel Tourism Council, to establish programs that empower all members to lead.
As the youngest president the association had ever elected, it was an honor, a great responsibility and a challenge during a period of uncertainty as the travel industry recovered from a devastating pandemic. I shared best practices related to mentorship programs to allow increasing youngest participation in the association.
All of this wouldn’t have been possible without my mentors, and Sabre’s support and cooperative culture.
Sabre is shifting the conversation with stories from passionate and bold inclusion group members. At the heart of our inclusion & engagement efforts, our eight inclusion groups, and counting, aim to amplify the voices of our team members and create a sense of belonging for all. Together, we celebrate diversity, applaud individuality and embrace unique perspectives to empower our global team members to bring their true selves to work every day. Learn more about our inclusion & engagement mission.
about the author
Mariana Perez Ponce de Leon is a proud member of the Latinos in Travel Technology (LiT) inclusion group at Sabre. She continues to contribute to the company culture by leveraging her extensive experience to inspire and support others through mentorship and leadership.