Mariela Salas

SomosVC

Dr. Mariela Salas is the Executive Director of SomosVC, where she is dedicated to growing and supporting Latino/a investors in the venture capital ecosystem. With nearly 20 years of experience across entrepreneurship, finance, infrastructure, and technology, she has held executive leadership roles at JP Morgan, Verizon, and Ascendus (formerly ACCION USA). Mariela also brings a global perspective from her work in strategic management consulting across emerging and frontier markets in West Africa, Central, and South America.

She completed her Doctorate at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School, where she now serves as a Post-Doctoral Fellow. Her research focuses on Latino/a identity, Career Management, and Venture Capital, combining contemporary theories, advanced analytical methods, and her executive expertise to provide evidence-based insights that shape the business world.

Mariela holds a Master of Science in Policy Analysis and Management from The New School University in New York City and a Bachelor of Science from Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas. She is also an active member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., where she most recently served as the Southwestern Region’s International Expansion Chair. Mariela is passionate about creating opportunities and driving systemic change within the venture capital industry and beyond.