Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Avanzando con Leidos

Each year, National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

Two members of our Hispano-Latinx Leidos Asociación (HoLA) Employee Resource Group reflect on their journeys within Leidos while staying connected to their culture and community.

Victor Salas

I am a first generation Hispanic currently in the role of Senior Corporate Financial Planning & Analysis Analyst (FP&A) supporting the enterprise Real Estate & Workplace Solutions. Aside from the routine FP&A duties, I am currently supporting the Strategic Occupancy Reduction Plan. I am working closely with the Group’s Directors of Real Estate and our JLL team to manage and track the cost and savings across all Leidos facilities in the next five years. I started as a Program Finance Analyst in managing a small portfolio of contracts. I was part of the Lockheed Martin IS&GS merger to with Leidos. Through hard work, maintaining flexibility, and building relationships I eventually got the opportunity to manage a large new program win called REACTS. This experience catapulted me into my next career opportunity as a Corporate FP&A Indirect Rates Lead. This role gave me insight into all the types of indirect costs and better understanding of how Leidos does business. I have met many great people along the way into my current role. The key to my success has been the relationships I have developed over time and is what keeps me loyal to Leidos; I see them like part of my family. I stay connected to the Hispanic community by speaking Spanish at home and with all my family members all the time. I try to mentor the Hispanic community every chance I get. There is unfortunately still a lack of information for the Hispanic community from my perspective so I try to be a resource as much as possible. This is why I enjoy being part of the Leidos HoLA community to provide any volunteer support to the community.

Mayra Navar

I began my career with Leidos (Legacy SAIC) in 2008, as the Conference Center Coordinator for our global headquarters facility in McLean, Va. My Hispanic parents instilled many important traits in me at an early age. These included hard work, commitment, loyalty, empathy, faith, mutual respect, and a strong ethical compass, all of which are valued in our culture. These beliefs have enabled me to successfully grow my career and capitalize on professional opportunities. Today, as the Conference and Dining Services Manager, I am responsible for the oversight and execution of all internal events across the enterprise. It’s ironic how things have come full circle, after 13 years, with a company I love and admire. To manage a business function that I once supported at a lower level is a dream come true. It has been, and continues to be, extremely rewarding and fulfilling.

Throughout the years, I have met some incredible people who, to this day, have become great friends and tremendous mentors. They have helped shape my career in numerous ways. Furthering my education, with the support of Leidos, and networking outside the workplace has contributed to career advancement. 

Being the daughter of immigrants, I was fortunate to be exposed to opportunities my parents did not have. Their paths were more challenging, but they recognized that fact and taught me the importance of having a strong work ethic and always putting family first. As the manager of a diverse team, I try and apply these principles to my organization. Treating the team like family, working hard, building rapport, gaining trust, strengthening bonds, and being supportive are my priorities. Together, we bring unique ideas to the table and contribute in numerous ways to achieving personal and professional growth. I credit my family, our Hispanic heritage/culture, and Leidos for helping me achieve success throughout my career.

From all of us at Leidos, happy National Hispanic Heritage Month!