As Manager of Community Outreach for Southwest Airlines, Lidia was responsible for the local and regional community outreach across the country.  She crafted strategic plans around regional relationship development and imparted relationship management techniques within emerging markets to her Team.  

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Lidia established and maintained a portfolio of highly respected strategic partnerships with civic, business, and philanthropic organizations, as well as major universities, to achieve mutual strategic objectives. For almost 20 years, Lidia worked with stakeholders across the country to ensure that Southwest Airlines maintained a visible leadership position within our communities and set the standard for its outreach and corporate social responsibility.

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Lidia recently retired after 30 years of service to Southwest Airlines.  She served in the Marketing and Communications departments in Dallas, Chicago and San Diego.  In recognition of her service to the state of California, Assemblymember Todd Gloria (now Mayor of the City of San Diego) proclaimed July 16, 2020 as Lidia S Martinez Day.  Similarly, Councilmember Dr. Jennifer Campbell (now City Council President) also proclaimed July 16, 2020 as Lidia S Martinez Day in the city of San Diego.  On behalf of the United States House of Representatives and the constituents of the 52nd Congressional District of the state of California, Congressman Scott Peters issued a proclamation to honor Lidia’s 30-year career at Southwest Airlines and her impactful service to the San Diego region.  The San Diego Business Journal recently honored Lidia with their Lifetime Achievement Award and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce will be honoring her with the Herb Klein Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s 150th Anniversary celebration. 

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Lidia continues to serve her community by being involved in a variety of organizations dedicated to empowering underrepresented communities.  She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and The San Diego State University (SDSU) The Campanile Foundation.  Lidia is a Champion and Coach for Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE), and is on the SDSU President’s Latino Advisory Council, the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Chancellor’s Community Advisory Board, the San Diego Center for Children CEO Advisory Council and The San Diego Community Foundation’s COVID-19 Community Response Fund Leadership Council Executive Committee.  Lidia also co-chairs MANA de San Diego’s Leadership Advisory Council and serves as a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisor for CLASSY.  She recently finished her Board service to the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

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Born in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua and raised in El Paso, Texas, Lidia studied at the University of Texas in Arlington where she received a Business Administration degree with a focus in Marketing. She and her husband Ted have two children, Melyna (34),  Teddy (30) and grand-puppies Marley (12) and Rho (2). They currently reside in San Diego, CA.