DR. LAURA G. MURILLO, President and CEO
Dr. Laura G. Murillo has been named President and Chief Executive Officer of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce effective March 1, 2007. In less than two years in the role of President and CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and with the support of HHCC’s Board of Directors, corporate sponsorships have quadrupled, membership has increased, and events have reached record breaking attendance, as well as exceeded previous revenue goals. According to the HBJ, the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has soared from #25 in 2006, to #4 in 2008 in its ranking of Largest Chambers of Commerce in Houston. The Chamber has also become the largest Hispanic chamber in Texas.
This year, the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, under Dr. Murillo’s leadership, has received the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s National Large Hispanic Chamber of the Year and Regional Large Hispanic Chamber of the Year Awards.
Prior to her role as President & CEO she was Senior Executive Director at Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center.
Dr. Murillo was also employed at the University of Houston for 14 years. During her last three years at the University of Houston, Dr. Laura Murillo worked full-time as a Major Gifts Officer; maintained an “A” average as a full-time doctoral student; was named Education Advocate of the Year by the Houston Chronicle and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; accepted the Senior Executive Director position with the Memorial Hermann Foundation and gave birth to a second child.
This dynamic professional has had many achievements during her career. The Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce awarded Dr. Murillo with the 2003 Senior Executive of the Year Award. Additionally, Dr. Murillo was the recipient of the 1st Annual National Hispanic Professional Organization’s Leadership Award. The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America, Inc., chose her to be recognized as one of the recipients of the 2006 ABC Channel 13 Women of Distinction.
Dr. Murillo is the youngest person elected to serve as President of Hispanic Women in Leadership, the largest organization of professional Hispanic women in the Houston area. She also became the youngest person to be inducted into the Hispanic Hall of Fame for her community and educational service.
Rolling Out Magazine named Laura one of the Top 25 Women in Houston. Texas Executive Women and the Houston Chronicle honored Laura as a “1997 Woman on the Move.” Texas Hispanic Magazine named Laura among “Houston’s Most Influential Hispanic Women.”
Laura was named as the UH College of Education’s Outstanding Alumni of the Year and she received Telemundo’s Excellence in Education Award.
She earned a Doctorate Degree in Education, a Master's Degree in Education and a Bachelors Degree in Journalism from the University of Houston.
Dr. Laura Murillo is the youngest of nine children born to immigrant parents. She was born and raised in Houston’s East End barrio, Magnolia. She and her husband of 17 years, Jose Luis Murillo, have two daughters, Marisa age 10 and Mia age 6.
