Long before the executive leadership roles, the board appointments, and nearly two decades of corporate influence, Iris López was simply a young girl with big dreams shaped by family, culture, and resilience.

Raised in a proud Mexican family with roots in the small town of San Ignacio, López grew up surrounded by traditions that celebrated community. Her earliest memories are filled with colorful Mexican parades, lively ferias, and large family gatherings where laughter, music, and storytelling reinforced the importance of culture and connection.

Those moments grounded her.

Her grandfather Emilio, a bracero who came to the United States seeking opportunity, represented the kind of determination that would shape the values of the entire family. His journey was built on sacrifice and the belief that each generation should have more opportunities than the last.

At home, that belief was reinforced daily.

Her grandmother Alejandra owned a small candy store, and young Iris loved helping behind the counter. Watching her abuelita run a business while always finding ways to support neighbors in need left a lasting impression.

“She never turned anyone away,” López recalls. “Watching her taught me the importance of serving others.”

Even as a young girl, López had a sense that she wanted to build something meaningful with her life. She loved dancing folklórico, participating in extracurricular activities, and helping her parents as they worked hard to support their family. When her younger sister Jamie was born, López naturally stepped into a leadership role at home, helping her parents balance responsibilities.

But one small moment planted a dream that would stay with her for years.

While walking through an airport, she noticed a confident woman in a business suit moving through the terminal with purpose. Something about her presence stuck with López.

“I remember thinking, I want to be that someday,” she says.

She didn’t yet know what that path would look like. But she knew she wanted to become a professional woman who carried herself with confidence and purpose.

Today, López has turned that childhood dream into a remarkable career.

She has spent nearly two decades building her professional legacy at PepsiCo, one of the world’s most recognizable global brands. Over the years, she has worked across multiple areas of the business—from manufacturing and operations to sales and strategic leadership—developing a deep understanding of how large organizations operate and how brands connect with consumers.

Her ability to lead across different functions has helped her build credibility and relationships throughout the company.

Looking back, López says the most meaningful moments of her career have not been tied to a single milestone, but rather a series of moments when she realized the journey had grown bigger than herself.

One of those moments happens when younger professionals approach her for guidance.

“When someone tells me something I shared helped them believe in themselves or navigate their career, that’s when I realize the journey has become bigger than just my path,” she says.

Another moment came after years of working across teams at PepsiCo. Sitting in meetings surrounded by leaders she once admired from afar, López realized she had built strong relationships and credibility throughout the organization.

Even her children have their own perspective on her career.

“My kids love telling their friends their mom works for Pepsi,” she laughs. “They think it’s fun that the brands they see every day are part of my professional world.”

But López’s influence reaches far beyond corporate leadership.

She also serves as Vice Chair of The Concilio, a Dallas-based organization that helps Latino families access education, healthcare resources, and economic mobility programs.

The work is deeply personal.

Growing up, López saw how much her parents valued education, even when navigating those systems wasn’t always easy.

“They believed education would create opportunity,” she says.

That belief became even more powerful once she became a mother herself.

One experience with The Concilio left a lasting impression. During a program event, a grandmother attended on behalf of her children and grandchildren, determined to help them access educational opportunities.

The woman reminded López of her own grandmother.

“It made me realize how many Latino families are doing everything they can to create a better life for the next generation,” she says.

For López, organizations like The Concilio help bridge the gap between hard work and access.

“Latino families are incredibly hardworking,” she says. “Sometimes they just need guidance and opportunity.”

Mentorship has also been a defining part of her journey.

Early in her career at PepsiCo, López met a Latina executive who would shape her path in profound ways: Vivian Robillard.

Seeing someone who looked like her in a leadership position changed everything.

“She became my example,” López says.

Over time, Robillard became more than a role model—she became a trusted mentor who helped López navigate some of the most challenging moments of her career and life as a working mother.

Sixteen years later, that relationship continues to influence how López shows up as a leader.

Through organizations like DFW Hispanic 100, López now mentors the next generation of Latina professionals, ensuring they have the support and encouragement that once helped shape her own path.

“Mentorship ensures the next generation doesn’t have to figure everything out alone,” she says.

Her career has not been without moments of doubt. Balancing demanding professional responsibilities with raising two young children alongside her husband, Olmo, while living far from extended family was not always easy.

But during those moments, López often thought about the sacrifices made by her parents and grandparents.

“My mom used to tell me my job was to be better than hers because of the sacrifices she endured,” she says.

Now, as a mother herself, that message resonates more deeply than ever.

“I want my daughter to grow up believing she can go even further than I have.”

Culture has also remained central to López’s leadership style.

She proudly brings her full Mexican-American identity into professional spaces—something she once worried might hold her back.

Today, she sees it as one of her greatest strengths.

Understanding traditions like Día de las Madres, family gatherings, and cultural celebrations helps her connect authentically with Hispanic communities and consumers.

That perspective has helped shape how PepsiCo brands engage with Hispanic audiences in ways that feel genuine and culturally meaningful.

For López, authenticity is not separate from leadership—it is part of it.

When life becomes overwhelming, she turns to the two anchors that have always guided her: faith and family.

Her relationship with God provides clarity and perspective, while her husband and children remind her why perseverance matters.

Motherhood, she says, has been one of the greatest leadership lessons of her life.

“It teaches patience, empathy, and purpose,” she says.

It has also reshaped how she defines legacy.

For López, legacy is not just about career accomplishments. It is about the people impacted and the opportunities created for the next generation.

When asked who she chooses to #COSIGN, López smiles without hesitation.

“I #COSIGN my daughter, Lucia.”

Watching her daughter grow reminds her of the limitless potential of the next generation of Latina leaders.

More than anything, López hopes Lucia grows up believing she can pursue any dream she chooses, carrying forward the values that shaped generations before her—faith, humility, family, and resilience.

Because for Iris López, success has never been about standing alone at the top.

It has always been about lifting others as she climbs.