Dr. Laura Murillo has served as the President and CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Founding President and CEO of the Greater Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation and Founding Executive Producer and Host on CBS, KHOU, Univision and Audacy. She is a #1 International Bestselling Author in the U.S., Canada, and Australia for her book LEAD IN LIFE, People. Passion. Persistence: Succeed in the New Era of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
She is a recent graduate of Harvard University’s Women on Corporate Boards Executive Program, selected from women worldwide. She serves on the Prosperity Bancshares, Inc. Board of Directors and on the Corporate Board of Directors for The Plaza Group. Dr. Murillo is the first Houstonian appointed to the Washington, D.C., Federal Reserve System Community Advisory Council. She also serves on the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Business and Community Advisory Council, the Harris County Women’s Commission, the University of Houston Board of Advisors, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors, the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority Executive Committee and the 2026 FIFA World Cup Houston Committee.
In 2023, Dr. Murillo received the Houston Business Journal (HBJ) Diversity in Business Lifetime Achievement Award. She was also named Outstanding Diversity Champion, Top 100 Texans to Watch in 2022, and Most Admired CEOs. In 2023, she was named Global Leader of Influence by the World Affairs Council, Top 30 CEOs by Texas Magazine, one of the Most Powerful & Influential Women in Texas, and Women Who Run Houston by the Houston Chronicle. She received the Women of Substance Award and 2024 Houston Treasure by The Social Book. Dr. Murillo is the first and only Hispanic featured on the cover of HBJ and the Houston Chronicle’s Texas Inc. Magazine.
Born and raised in Houston’s East End, Laura earned Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees from the University of Houston, where she received the Distinguished Alumni Award and the President’s Medallion. Her daughters graduated from St. John’s School. Marisa graduated from Columbia University and is an Astrophysics Researcher. Mia is a senior at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and an Advance Associate at The White House.