Licenia Rojas was told early on her career by a colleague that she was “too smiley” and that she would never be taken seriously in the workplace if she continued with her warm and happy disposition.
More than 30 years and many senior roles later, Rojas now holds one of the top technology jobs at TD Bank Group as its Chief Engineer and Chief Architect.
“I didn't know how to process the comment at the time, but I decided that I needed to be authentic to myself,” Rojas said.
“Interestingly enough, five years later when I was leaving for another job, the same person told me that they were very proud of me, that I had accomplished a lot, and that they were happy I didn't listen to them.”
Now, Rojas shares her story as a reminder of the importance of embracing who you are and leaning into your authentic self at work. For Rojas, this means celebrating her Hispanic identity – which includes being friendly and approachable and bonding over great food and music. She sees her identity as a strength that helps her connect with others at the Bank, inspires her community, and brings about positive change.
Growing up in Miami
Rojas was raised in Miami, Fla. in a neighbourhood known as “Little Havana.” Her parents immigrated to the U.S. in the 1960s, and their culture was a huge part of Rojas’ upbringing.
“My father was a Cuban exile, and he went to Nicaragua. My mother is from Nicaragua, so they met there,” she said. “Those are my two cultural heritages that have influence over the food I eat, how I dance, and the way I speak Spanish.”
When Rojas was five years old, her father became a political prisoner in Cuba. Even though he was a U.S. citizen at the time, it took many years – and endless advocacy efforts by her mother – to have him freed and returned to Miami.
“Unfortunately, our happiness of his arrival was short-lived as he passed away a year later,” Rojas said. “It took many years for me to be happy, but high school for me was a happy time.”
It was the 1980s when Rojas was in high school, and computer courses were just starting to gain steam. Rojas started learning how to use the technology and immediately fell in love with computers, even though she wasn’t sure what a career in tech could look like.
With a knack for math and science, she went on to study engineering at the University of Miami. During her early university years, she took programming classes, and started to see that computers could do more than data entry.
“I learned how to solve problems, how to help productivity, and bring ideas to life,” she said.
Rojas had to both work and go to school, so she switched to a university that accommodated working students. It was a difficult decision to forego the traditional college experience, but she had to pick up as many shifts as possible at work.
That decision paid off as she was recruited during her senior year for a computer programming trainee program at an insurance company. The only downside? The job was full-time; she couldn’t work part-time hours. Navigating life as a full-time employee and student wasn't easy, but she made it work.
“It was high risk,” she said. “I worked all day and then went to school from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. But it was one of the best decisions I ever made because I learned so much at that job.”
Leading innovation at TD
From that early trainee program, Rojas progressed up the corporate ladder. After five years at the insurance company, she moved on to another organization before landing at American Express working in technology. She spent more than two decades at the company, in progressively more senior roles, and was heavily involved in internal colleague programs, including acting as a co-sponsor for the Global Latin Network.
Rojas joined TD in 2021 as Senior Vice President and Chief Engineer for TD Bank Group and has since added Chief Architect to her title. In her role, she is focused on attracting and developing top talent and continuing to build best practices and standards to deliver capabilities faster, better, and simpler for TD.
“As the Chief Architect and Chief Engineer, I drive the strategy for modern technology – I am super excited about that,” she said.
“There's a lot that we're doing in architecture and shaping the future, making decisions on the business and technical capabilities that we're offering to our customers and colleagues, and thinking with our platform and business leaders around how to really bring ideas to life, whether it's solutions on digital platforms, or what’s happening in branches and stores.”
For Rojas, succeeding at TD isn’t just about developing new platforms or tools. It’s also about embracing her authentic self. That’s part of the reason why she believes she has excelled at being a leader – including at TD where colleagues are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work.
“I'm very open, and in Latin culture, you tell things the way that they are. I also bring the concept of caring to work and convey that it’s OK to show that you care,” she said.
“When we're talking about psychological safety, for example, if something is going wrong, I listen and show that I care about what the person is saying. That's a strength I bring to work.”
Rojas also likes to get to know colleagues over food, so she will often invite her direct reports out for breakfast or lunch to connect. Her love of music is another signature aspect of her leadership style as she incorporates music into all the events she organizes.
“I find music to play to a theme to help inspire people,” she said. “I bring music to everything I do. I've been doing this for years.”
Leo Salom, President and CEO of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank®, is pleased with the work Rojas is doing to drive innovation and the Hispanic colleague experience at the Bank.
"As a proud Cuban American, TD's commitment to the Hispanic communities we serve means a lot to me on a personal level. Leaders like Licenia embody the spirit of innovation and inclusion that drives our company forward," Salom said.
"I'm thrilled to see the way Licenia leads with authenticity and a vision for the future. She is not only advancing groundbreaking technology but also inspiring future generations of Hispanic professionals."
Hispanic Heritage Month and inspiring others
Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from to September 15 to October 15 in the U.S. and for the month of October in Canada, is a time for Rojas and other Hispanic colleagues across the Bank to celebrate their culture and reflect on their heritage.
But for Rojas, being engaged with the Hispanic community doesn’t just happen for one month a year. Within the Bank, Rojas is the Executive Sponsor for the Latin Employee Network (LEN) in the U.S., an employee resource group. Part of this work entails increasing cultural awareness while celebrating what makes Latinos unique, through mentoring and meaningful community involvement.
Outside of her day job, Rojas gives back to her community by volunteering, speaking at events, and mentoring people at all stages of their careers. She was recently named Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Co-Chair of the South Florida CIO Inspire Leadership Network.
“There are people that I've mentored now for more than 10 or 15 years,” she said. “One thing I’ve learned is that self-doubt is usually what inhibits people from going after the things they want. That's why I love working with early talent folks to help them build that strong foundation of mentorship.”
When she’s out in the community at a speaking engagement, for example, she doesn’t shy away from talking about her failures or hardships. She wants people, especially those in the Hispanic community, to learn from her experiences on their own pathway to success. Plus, being honest and open is part of who she is.
Rojas says that people often see her, or people in senior positions like her, and assume that their journey to the top must have been easy.
“But when they hear my story, they’re often surprised by all the struggles and challenges I faced,” she said. “That’s how I like to be a role model: talk about it all – the good and the bad – because a person listening might be in a similar situation.”
Today, just as she did back at her first job, Rojas smiles and exudes warmth in her role and celebrates these characteristics as being a result of her culture.
This time, however, she doesn’t question whether her friendly disposition will hinder her success; she knows it contributes to it.