Katie Fernandez is New York born Cuban-American with deep ties to her Latina roots, finding joy and pride in its music, food, and traditions. Growing up in a sports-centered household, her parents often shuttled her, her twin sister, and younger brother to practices and games, nurturing a love for athletics and a drive to compete and win. Fernandez earned her law degree from Columbia Law School and started her career as a litigator at a top NYC firm, handling a variety of cases from IP and trade secrets to class actions. She honed her expertise representing consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies, where she found a calling: helping brands manage legal challenges so they could focus on growth. That passion took her practice of law in-house, where she could really influence the business in addition to providing legal counsel.
After nearly a decade at Chobani, supporting teams across the org from marketing to quality, communications to sustainability, Fernandez joined the sports division of the Coca-Cola Company in 2022, responsible for the making, marketing and selling of the BODYARMOR and POWERADE brands. As a former athlete, the sports industry feels like home, and she now proudly leads both legal and people and culture functions, supporting the company’s five hundred employees. In her role, Fernandez is passionate about modeling and fostering the unique BODYARMOR culture, born from the “Mamba Mentality”— obsessed with being better today than you were yesterday. She finds motivation in two things: helping our team become number one in sports hydration, and making her family, including her two sons, Rio and Desi, proud.
For its annual list, LiS: Latinos in Sports spoke with Fernandez about her deep connection with her Cuban roots, the magic of sports, and the importance of never underestimating yourself.
What inspired you to pursue a career in the sports industry, and how has your cultural background shaped your journey?
I’m in my dream job in the world of sports, and as a former athlete and avid sports fan, it feels like “home.” It’s also extraordinarily motivating to be in this industry. The world’s greatest athletes have proven it’s the hard work, the discipline, the commitment, and the sacrifice that pays off. The inputs. The same applies to success in the corporate world. I feel deeply connected to my Cuban roots, which has profoundly impacted my journey.
In addition to the food, music, and traditions, there’s a spirit of resilience and determination. My grandparents, like many American immigrants, left their homeland to build a better future, and their grit, tenacity, and resilience are values I carry with pride and gratitude.
Which Latino athletes, executives, or leaders have inspired you the most, and why?
My boss, CEO of BODYARMOR Federico Muyshondt, has been a huge inspiration for me and part of the reason I came to work for him. Fed uses his platform to proudly share the tale of his hard-fought American Dream. His tenacity, resilience, and work ethic are unmatched—and took him from a kid raised in war-torn El Salvador to earning success in the highly competitive CPG industry, now sitting amongst some of the smartest in the country on Coca-Cola’s North America leadership team. Fed encourages his leaders to be fearless, to think big and dream bigger.
But what inspires me the most about Fed is his appreciation for and encouragement of people who carve their own path, who decide to do things the way they’ve never been done before, and who are motivated and not deterred by adversity.
“To encourage the next gen of leaders, it’s about visibility—if you can see it, you can be it.”
Katie Fernandez
How are you using your platform to advocate for more representation of Latinos in leadership positions within sports?
As the chief of people and culture at BODYARMOR, I’m fortunate to influence our hiring practices. We have a commitment to hiring, retaining and promoting diverse talent in all senses of the word “diverse.” Our talent-sourcing playbook rewards potential without over-indexing on specific experiences that diverse populations are less likely to have. Diversity of thought accelerates business growth, but you need organizational support to realize the true up-side.
To me, organizations like Latinos in Sports are part of the engine to support Latino talent and redefine who gets a seat at the coveted tables in this industry. Creating an environment not only for current Latino executives to connect and network but paving the way for the next generation to take the baton. To encourage the next gen of leaders, it’s about visibility—if you can see it, you can be it.
What role do you believe sports play in uniting and empowering Latino communities, both in the US and globally?
Sports are the ultimate unifier. The athlete mentality is easy for us as Latinos to connect with. Hard work pays off—nothing is given, and everything is earned. Making that connection for people and showing how that spark inside their favorite soccer player is the same exact spark that is inside them can be incredibly powerful. Same with tapping into the underdog mentality. Overcoming the odds, taking what you deserve even when no one thought you could—the magic of sports has many parallels to the modern-day Latino American experience, and leaning into that is one way to harness the unmatched passion of Latinos for their favorite teams and players.
“The magic of sports has many parallels to the modern-day Latino American experience, and leaning into that is one way to harness the unmatched passion of Latinos for their favorite teams and players.”
Katie Fernandez
What advice do you have for the next generation of Latino leaders looking to break into and excel in the sports industry?
It’s really the same advice I would have for someone looking to break into any competitive industry. First, don’t underestimate yourself. When I got the call for my dream job, I initially thought the role might be too big for me. But my boss believed in me, telling me to bet on myself—and that made all the difference. My advice is, don’t wait to get lucky; be that voice for yourself.
Last, never forget that your reputation is defined by three things: your work, your work ethic, and how you treat people. You can’t operate at 100 percent, all of the time, but don’t sacrifice anything that you may regret in the future. Focus on the three things, and your reputation will take you where you want to go.
What is your walk-up song?
“I Like it Like That” by Cardi B and Bad Bunny (clean version).