Southwest Airlines recently named Laura Nieto director of its Community Affairs & Grassroots team. Nieto previously served as senior manager of the department. Under her direction, the national team ofCommunity Affairs & Grassroots professionals develops relationships with key leaders and organizations in theHispanic, African American, Asian, Women, and LGBT communities in every city Southwest serves. Nieto also oversees Southwest Airlines’ employee engagement and grassroots advocacy programs, designed to keep Southwest employees engaged in meaningful constituent relationships with their elected officials. These efforts ensure the airline is seen as a trusted corporate citizen and that its people stay involved in local communities nationwide. Nieto, an 18-year employee of the company, previously led Southwest’s multicultural marketing, advertising,promotional, and community outreach initiatives, which paved the road for the company’s positioning across diverse communities and the founding of the Community Affairs &Grassroots team. She has developed innovating company programs, championed multicultural initiatives internally and externally, and established an industry-changing community affairs platform. Under her leadership, Southwest Airlines is consistently recognized as an outstanding corporate citizen for its breakthrough Hispanic marketing efforts, and its commitments to supporting organizations that dedicate themselves to advancing education and economic outcomes for diverse communities.