Annette - Center for Hispanic Leadership

Leadership and Faculty

Annette Prieto-Llopis: Director, Client Relations (Trainer/Coach)

Annette Prieto-Llopis is the Director of Client Relations at the Center for Hispanic Leadership (CHL). She also serves as a CHL Trainer / Coach and is the Deputy Editor of CHL's Latina Expert Blog. Ms. Prieto-Llopis is also a contributing writer to CNN.com. Annette has had an accomplished career in sales and training with more than 17 years of professional experience in both the public and private sectors and brings that practice to CHL. In addition to serving as CHL's Client Relations Director, Annette works on developing culturally-tailored training to give Hispanic business leaders the tools they need to grow and thrive. One of Annette's greatest passions is empowering individuals to be their best selves in both their personal and professional lives. She has quickly become a sought after coach and mentor by young Latinas.

Annette's goal is to propel the Hispanic business community forward and train its next generation leaders. She believes it is her responsibility to inspire the younger generation to thrive for greatness and fulfill their aspirations. Annette is also passionate about empowering Latinas by helping them "trust their brand" to aspire them to be impactful and purposeful in how they advance themselves as professionals and citizens in society.

Annette has been inspired to succeed in business, as in life, by her parents Antonio and Lucy Prieto who emigrated from Cuba in the 1960s to escape the oppressive communist regime. Her mother left Havana in 1961 at the age of 13, along with her sister, as one of 14,000 children of Operation Peter Pan (Operación Pedro Pan), an operation coordinated by the United States government, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami, and Cubans. The operation was designed to transport children - whose parents opposed the Communist government - from Cuba to the United States between 1960 and 1962.

Prior to co-founding CHL, Annette spent over a decade working as a sales representative, corporate trainer and regional manager with industry giants Allergan, GlaxoSmithKline, Medicis and SkinMedica. Annette has been a top performer consistently falling in the top tier of performers throughout her career. Some of her career highlights include: Regional Territory Manager of the Year, Circle of Excellence, Leadership Council for Performance Excellence, Excellence Award, Above and Beyond Performance Awards, Outstanding Teamwork Awards, Gold Pyramid Club.

Annette began her career in the Miami-Dade County School District, the fourth largest in the country. From 1994 to 1999 she taught Language Arts at Miami Springs Middle School whose student population is 79% Hispanic.

Born and raised in Miami, FL, she maintains homes in Miami and in Orange County, CA with her husband.

"I approached the Center for Hispanic Leadership extremely worried about my future in the corporate world as a Latina employee. I was experiencing hardship trying to identify my brand and I failed to recognize the unique characteristics that make me so valuable in the workplace. Annette's dynamic leadership style helped me identify and amplify those traits that make me exceptional. She gave me hope when I was about to give up. I truly appreciate the advice Annette gave me during our coaching session. Her help was priceless."

- Luisa

A Message from Glenn Llopis