20 Apr POWER SUIT: Oralia Castaneda, The Catalyst

HAVI McDonald’s executive Oralia Castaneda is a proven turnaround specialist and change agent

It was her hot pink Barbie Power Wheels that sparked Oralia Castaneda’s lifelong strategy of matching markets and needs. Like any proud seven-year-old owner of a child-powered car, she loved the thrill of the rides. But even more delightful was realizing she could rent her wheels to neighborhood children. Soon she had a busy enterprise and modest savings attesting to her success.

Castaneda’s entrepreneurial parents assumed she’d continue on this path as an adult. Instead, she aspired to law school. When her top choices wait-listed her, she took a position at a law firm, where she quickly realized that law was not the field for her. Her next move was into facilities leadership. As her responsibilities grew to include consumer goods and food, and her competencies were backed by an increasing knowledge of sourcing, procurement, and logistics, she came into her talents as a leader and influencer.

Castaneda then obtained her MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. Her newly expanded network and directed learning informed her ability to understand and add value to organizations.

“I’m who they call when they need a turnaround specialist,” she says.

Today, Castaneda is director of Supply Chain Planning and Delivery in charge of McDonald’s production and distribution chain for HAVI, a supply chain strategy and management company, in partnership with McDonald’s.

Previously, she served in several senior leadership positions at French food and facilities management company Sodexo. She has proven her acumen in forecasting, budgeting, and exceeding financial goals. She continues to be a catalyst for change at every level by questioning the status quo, inspiring teams, and causing movement for growth.

Diversity Woman: What are some of the workplace and career advancement challenges you have experienced personally—or others have shared with you—that may be specific to Latinas?

Oralia Castaneda: I was once a perfect fit for a leadership role within my organization. But because there weren’t any Latinas at the leadership level, the C-suite couldn’t envision me in that position. I had to make them see me there. So before they got a chance to post the opening, I moved into the office and started working in the role in addition to my existing responsibilities. When hiring discussions resumed, it was to talk about who would be backfilling me in my previous role. This kind of self-advocacy may not come easily to us, because Hispanic culture can teach us to appreciate what we get and not to ask for more. But it’s critical to understand your value and find your voice to advocate for it. 

DW: What are some insights about leadership that you gained recently in your career?

OC: It’s OK to not be OK. Sometimes we have to do twice as much, twice as fast, to prove our worth, and while that is truly unsustainable on many fronts, it has a role to play in getting to success. Don’t let the fear of failing stop you from taking action. On the other side, through the messiness of falling apart and putting yourself back together, you will find everything you’ve ever wanted.

DW: What career advice would you give ambitious new Latina college graduates?

OC: Congratulations! And if you were ever discouraged because there wasn’t anyone like you doing what you wanted to do, be proud of the way you’ve paved that road for the generations to come. Don’t forget to look back and bring others with you on your journey forward. You have a responsibility and an opportunity to help others achieve their dreams and recognize their value and worth. DW