The Power of Yes! Laura Nieto’s Leadership Journey at Southwest Airlines

On a warm San Antonio morning, a little girl climbed onto a city bus with a backpack that felt too big for her shoulders and a map she’d traced with her finger the night before. She was nine years old, headed to a prestigious summer program on a college campus, drawn by pure curiosity and the idea that new places held new possibilities. That bus ride became Laura Nieto’s first “yes”—a small act of courage that would echo through her life.  

From the beginning, Nieto refused to let circumstances define the size of her dreams. She learned by watching parents who worked late into the night so their children could aim higher, internalizing a simple equation: effort plus heart opens doors. Those early observations became the lens through which she saw opportunity, not as something distant or reserved for others, but as a door she could walk through if she was bold enough to knock.  

Early Yeses: Curiosity to Calling  

After graduating from Texas Tech University, Nieto began her career at Sosa, Bromley, Aguilar & Associates, the premier Latino advertising agency in the Southwest at the time, honing the craft of connecting stories to people. Then came a bigger “yes”: a role at Southwest Airlines that was in its infancy— multicultural marketing.  

It was the late 90s, and Southwest had only just begun tapping into the vast and growing multicultural markets, thinking more deeply about how to authentically connect with diverse communities. Guided by both her professional instincts and her personal experience, she was eager to accept the opportunity in front of her. One of her earliest major projects was launching the company’s first-ever Spanish-language website—an initiative that not only broadened the airline’s reach but also sent a clear message: representation matters. 

Equally important, it recognized the buying power of these communities, proof that winning hearts and minds translates into measurable results on the bottom line.  

“That experience taught me to trust my perspective and my voice,” she would later say. “I didn’t know exactly how great the impact would come to be, but I knew there was an opportunity in helping Southwest authentically connect to the communities it served.”  

This was the beginning of many bold firsts for her at Southwest Airlines.  

Growing with the Company  

Over the next two decades, Nieto’s career grew in step with the airline’s expansion. From multicultural marketing, she moved into broader advertising, and then to building programs that deepened Southwest’s connection to communities across its network and reflected the breadth of the people and places it serves.  

On the horizon, another “yes” came into focus. As her scope widened, Nieto saw that while Southwest supported many causes, there was a gap for a cohesive strategy to steward long-term community relationships. She said yes to building the company’s first-ever Community Affairs function. The new outreach platform converted ad-hoc giving into a strategic engine — aligning investments with local priorities, cultivating civic and business partners nationwide, and creating a strong network of advocates who could help inform priorities and influence outcomes for the business. The result: Southwest was established as a trusted local leader in key markets.  

“It wasn’t just about dollars,” she says. “It was about people—showing up as a neighbor in the places where we lived and worked.”  

That foundation ultimately became the basis for the Brand Partnerships & Community Engagement team that she leads today. As Managing Director, she and her team bring the Southwest Heart to life through partnerships and initiatives that help people connect to what matters most in their lives.  

“Community is more than a place; it’s at the heart of what brings us together,” she often says, and it’s the guiding idea for both the work and the relationships behind it.  

Heritage as a Compass  

Nieto’s leadership is shaped not just by roles and titles, but by the home that formed her. Growing up in a modest neighborhood, she watched her parents, Marie and Jose Silva, work multiple jobs so their children could dream beyond the walls they knew. Her mother’s relentless work ethic and her father’s quiet strength were her first leadership lessons. They taught her that success is never handed to you; it is built with one sacrifice, one choice, one act of perseverance at a time.  

Today, as a mother herself, Nieto continues that legacy by instilling in her daughter, Sobie Nieto, the same values—tenacity, humility, and heart—that carried her from San Antonio to her executive role at Southwest Airlines. Her family’s sacrifices are not just part of her past; they are the compass she uses to “lead with corazón.”  

The Courage to Bet on Herself  

Looking back, Nieto credits the power of saying yes as one of her greatest assets, noting that the willingness to bet on herself has fueled opportunity after opportunity. Taking on multicultural marketing when it was uncharted territory required trusting her perspective and leaning into her experiences. That risk paid off, laying the groundwork for both her career and the airline’s broader commitment to inclusivity.  

As one of the company’s high-ranking Latina leaders, she is mindful of what her visibility represents. 

“The more we rise in our leadership, the more exposure we have,” she shares. “We play an important role in inspiring others, but also in making ourselves available to bring others up. Each time I stretched, I discovered new strengths, built stamina, and gained confidence that continues to guide me today.” With this mentality, it’s not a surprise to learn that Nieto also draws inspiration from her personal pursuits of running marathons. An Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Finisher, she has completed races around the globe—a discipline that requires months of training, early mornings, and mental toughness.  

“Running marathons has taught me discipline, grit, and the wisdom of pacing for the miles ahead,” she says. “Marathon running reminds me that true leadership requires endurance in vision, steadiness in values, and the courage to keep moving forward even when the path feels uncertain.”  

Lifting Others to Soar  

Nieto credits a constellation of mentors and sponsors—her personal “board of directors”—for shaping her growth. They told the truth, offered guidance, and said her name in rooms she wasn’t in.  

“Mentorship is important,” she notes. “But I think sponsorship is critical, because sponsors are the ones  

speaking on your behalf when you’re not in the room.” Now she pays it forward, seeking out emerging leaders who need a first believer.  

Nieto’s leadership is most visible in the way her team reflects that same philosophy of empowerment, transforming corporate resources into bridges of opportunity. In Dallas, her team champions Paul Quinn College’s Urban Work College program, which allows students—many of them first-generation college-goers —to gain professional work experience while earning their degrees. For Nieto, it isn’t just about education; it’s about opening doors to futures that once seemed out of reach, just as doors were opened for her.  

Through the Lánzate Travel Award, a partnership with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), Nieto helps create opportunities for students who cannot afford the travel costs of higher education. By providing round-trip flights to reunite families or connect students to distant campuses, the program removes barriers that too often stand in the way of dreams. In every initiative, Nieto brings her vision to life: that leadership is about lifting others so they, too, can soar.  

“Innovation happens when diverse perspectives are welcomed and when failure is seen as learning,” she says. “At Southwest, we aim to deliver unforgettable experiences through local community engagements and unique brand partnerships, and those experiences are born from creativity and collaboration.”  

Recognition and Service. 

Nieto’s leadership and impact have not gone unnoticed. In 2016, Texas Tech University named her a distinguished alumna. The Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals recognized her with the Social Impact Trailblazer Award, and Latino Leaders Magazine named her one of the 100 Most Influential Latinas. 

Her intuition to say yes extends beyond the airline industry, serving on advisory boards for the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and New Friends New Life, a Dallas-based nonprofit supporting survivors of trafficking.  

“Leadership growth isn’t the finish line,” she shares. “It’s the assignment—to teach, sponsor, and transfer what we’ve learned outside our own walls so every part of our community can thrive.”  

Laura Nieto, Managing Director, Brand Partnerships & Community Engagement, Southwest Airlines  

Photo by Minerva Consulting. 

Advice for the Next Generation  

When asked what advice she gives to aspiring leaders, especially women and Latinas, her answer is both simple and profound: Embrace your story.  

“Lean into your story, because our personal journeys and our culture are our strengths,” she shares. “We bring our whole selves to the table, and that makes us relatable. We’re tenacious, and sometimes we inspire others without even realizing it.”  

The practical takeaway is as clear as the mantra that has followed Nieto throughout her leadership 

journey: “Be curious, be bold, and be adventurous,” she shares. “If you can stay curious, keep learning, and take calculated risks, you can achieve whatever you are dreaming about.”  

It's advice born not of theory, but of hard-won wisdom, shaped by overcoming barriers and carving her own way forward.  

A Legacy of Heart  

Looking back, the common thread of Nieto’s story isn’t a list of titles—it’s a pattern of yeses: from a city bus to boardrooms; from a new function to inclusive firsts; from personal courage to collective lift. And the philosophy that ties it together is disarmingly simple. 

“Leadership isn’t about having all the answers,” she says. “It’s about creating the conditions for others to thrive. The most effective leaders don’t solve every problem themselves; they ask the right questions, listen well, and empower their teams to shine.”  

Today, she doesn’t see a finish line, unless of course she’s competing in her next marathon; she sees a larger canvas for impact.  

“When I think about the work I get to do every day, leading a team passionate about connecting people to purpose, I feel privileged,” she shares. “I’m fortunate to represent a brand that gives back to communities, and even more fortunate to work alongside people who share that mission.”  

Her legacy is heart in action: opening doors, stepping through, and making sure they stay open for the next person. Grounded in her roots and propelled by possibility, Nieto leads with authenticity and resolve. She reminds us that leadership is about carrying others forward—and that when we do, we create a future where more voices rise and more dreams take flight.