Maria S. Salinas is the President and CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the largest business association in Los Angeles County representing member companies and serving the interests of more than 235,000 businesses across the Los Angeles region. Ms. Salinas took the helm of the organization in August of 2018 and became the first woman and Latina to lead the Chamber in its 136-year history. An accomplished businesswoman, entrepreneur, and a determined community leader, Ms. Salinas’ business acumen and financial expertise provide her with the right experience to lead the L.A. Area Chamber. 

Ms. Salinas, a steward of the Chamber’s new vision, “A Thriving Region for All,” has re-imagined the role of the Chamber. The Chamber looks to the future with a vision to build an inclusive economy and lead in three pillar areas of focus: advocacy work, global engagement, and through community collaboration for economic growth and mobility. The Los Angeles region, which is the 14th largest economy in the world, and the Chamber membership represents a broad spectrum of industries, small businesses, corporations, academic institutions, and nonprofits. Ms. Salinas was an appointee to Governor Gavin Newsom’s Commission on the Future of Work and named to his Business and Jobs Recovery Task Force during the COVID-19 pandemic.

She was appointed to the US Chamber of Commerce’s Committee of 100, a distinction reserved for the top 100 Chambers across the country. She represents the Los Angeles business community in state-wide policy initiatives with the Coalition of Regional Economic Association Leaders (R.E.A.L.), she is a member of the Board of Directors of Mobility 21, a regional transportation effort, and an appointee of Mayor Karen Bass to the Small Business Cabinet. She serves on the Board of Directors of The Music Center and Pacific Council for International Policy, among others.