Inspiring Latina Leader: Jasmin Hartmeier's Trailblazing Journey

Published July 29, 2024

At 33, Irasema Jasmin Jimenez Hartmeier is making waves in the world of public relations. A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Hartmeier’s story is one of resilience, determination, and an unyielding commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Hartmeier, currently pursuing a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership online at Johns Hopkins University, is set to graduate in the fall of 2025. Her academic journey is as inspiring as her professional one, driven by her experiences growing up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants in California’s Central Valley.

“Growing up as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, my family picked fruit in the California Central Valley fields, and I saw the Grand Canyon-sized divide in socioeconomic classes in my hometown,” Hartmeier said.

Witnessing firsthand the challenges of socioeconomic disparity and systemic racism, she has channeled her early experiences into a career focused on advocacy and representation.

“During my adolescence, there were countless subtle and overt racist moments I witnessed firsthand, so I did everything I could not to call attention to my heritage,” she shared. “But, then the COVID-19 pandemic shed light on systemic racism in the United States, and in 2020, I applied to graduate school to earn a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership.”

As the Senior Director of Public Relations at Chemistry Cultura, a minority-certified agency, Hartmeier has helped iconic brands like Carnival Cruise Line, Comcast, Heineken, and Microsoft engage with diverse audiences.

Joining the agency in October 2022, she quickly made an impact. In 2023, she was nominated for Digiday’s “Future Leader” award and played a pivotal role in the launch of the Latino Mosaic study. This research, commissioned by Chemistry Cultura and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, surveyed nearly 1,500 U.S. Latino adults, providing invaluable insights into Latino consumer preferences. The study received significant media coverage, including in Variety, Bloomberg, and AXIOS.

Before her tenure at Chemistry Cultura, Hartmeier was a trailblazer at PPG, a 140-year-old Fortune 500 manufacturer. She served as PPG’s first associate DE&I partner, leading the company’s DE&I communications and brand strategy. Her notable achievement includes launching PPG’s first-ever DE&I report in 2022, setting a new transparency benchmark in the manufacturing industry.

“The breakthrough DE&I report beautifully demonstrated the power of PPG and the grit, innovation, and talent of PPG employees,” Hartmeier said.

Hartmeier’s career in public relations began in San Francisco, where she worked for Ancestry, securing high-profile stories in major publications. Her stint at Edelman saw her spearhead a women in construction campaign for DowDuPont, gaining coverage in Fast Company and Forbes.

Beyond her professional achievements, Hartmeier is deeply committed to community service. Since 2020, she has provided public relations counsel to the Latino Community Center in Pittsburgh and now serves on its Board of Directors. She also holds a board position with the University of Oregon Alumni Association and is part of the Pato’s Network Steering Committee, supporting Latino students at her alma mater.

With her upcoming degree, Hartmeier aims to continue her work in public relations, aspiring to a Chief Communications Officer role. She aims to break barriers for Latinas in corporate America, where they are significantly underrepresented in leadership positions.

“Reaching the C-suite will fulfill not only a professional goal, but also a personal goal. The 2024 State of Latinas in Corporate America report by Lean In highlights that Latinas hold 4.9 percent of entry-level corporate jobs, 3.3 percent of managerial jobs, and 1 percent of C-suite roles,” Hartmeier noted. “The reality is that these numbers are not reflective of our country, especially since Latinos comprise approximately 19 percent of the U.S. population, according to the U.S. Census. Latinos have incredible spending power, they influence trends, they are innovative, and their perspectives are essential to our workforce.”

Hartmeier’s vision is to inspire the next generation of Latinas to strive for and achieve such roles.

“I want to normalize these types of professional titles for Latinas everywhere,” she said, reflecting on her ambition to reshape the corporate landscape.