Christy Haubegger, Founder, Latina Magazine

Christy Haubegger is the founder of Latina magazine, the first of its kind. Born to a Mexican-American mother and adopted by a ""tall blond family"" at a very small age, Haubegger was encouraged to embrace her Mexican heritage. What she saw in the media, however, was another story. It was a rare occasion to see a character on television who looked like her.

Haubegger earned a degree in philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin and then went to Stanford Law where she enrolled in business classes. Motivated by the lack of Latina faces she saw in the media and making decisions within the media, Haubegger took on a class project to design a business plan for a Hispanic women's magazine inspired by Essence magazine. She made the plan into a reality when she approached Essence's Ed Lewis. The magazine launched in September 1996 and has continued publication since, reaching over 4.5 million readers through its media platforms. In 2005, Haubegger transitioned from publishing to the agency life at the Creative Artists Agency where she continues to ""change the complexion"" of America working with Latinas in Hollywood.