Esther Aguilera

A 2X CEO and social entrepreneur, Esther is a growth and transformation catalyst with a 30-year track record for building enterprises, organizational effectiveness, and driving impact. Drawing upon a unique cross-section of experiences, Esther brings a keen understanding of the intersection of the nonprofit, business, association, and government sectors. She has worked with our nation’s most powerful leaders, including Members of Congress, Cabinet Members, corporate directors, and CEOs. She has forged hundreds of strategic partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, institutional investors, search firms, and private equity to positively promote the talent/leadership landscape.

Today, Esther is Senior Advisor at Altura Capital and Strategic Advisor for ALPFA – the Association of Latino Professionals for America. She serves on the Advisory Board of Angeles Investors and on the Board of Directors of the Women’s Business Collaborative. She is immediate past President and CEO of the Latino Corporate Directors Association (LCDA), where she led LCDA’s rapid expansion to build the largest national network of accomplished and respected Latinos in corporate governance and leadership and she accelerated the narrative for inclusion in America’s boardrooms. 

Other past roles include President & CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) where she changed the life trajectory of thousands of students and young professionals; Executive Director of the U. S. Department of Energy office of small business utilization (SES level); and Executive Director/Legislative Director of Congressional Hispanic Caucus at the US House of Representatives, among others.

Esther is a sought-after speaker, including as a featured moderator and panelist at the Bloomberg Equity Summit 2021 and 2022, The Financial Times’ ODX conference, NACD NXT TownHall, CNBC’s Equity & Opportunity, Women Corporate Directors Global Institute, and the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, among others. She has been quoted and her work covered by tier one news outlets from CNBC, Bloomberg, WSJ, NYT, CNN, and the SF Chronicle, among others. She received the Alumni Seal Award for Service to Community from her alma mater, Occidental College. Most recently, recognized by Al DÍA News Media as the 2021 Person of the Year, 50 Most Powerful Latinas 2021 and 2022, and Hispanic Executive Magazine 2021 TOP TEN Lider, among others. She has a BA in Public Policy from Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA, and completed the Harvard Corporate Governance Executive Program in 2005.