Pregnancy cravings are no joke. But try being a pregnant Latina foodie. That’s what 27-year-old Venezolana-Italiana Melissa Berthier experienced last year. Since her Mexican-Lebanese esposo, Alfonso, no longer was an executive at Mexicana airlines who could lavish her with dulces from Latin America, what could a food-obsessed couple do to satisfy mami-to-be’s authentic cravings?

It took about nine months, but on the same day their daughter Sabrina was born, another entity was birthed: Mister Gallo, the mascot for LatinBag.com, the new parents’ e-commerce site that would launch a few weeks later in October 2010. The Berthiers had tapped into a nostalgia market for authentic comidas Latinas. So, they now offer to bag the groceries from your homeland for you, with customers as far away as South Korea and Australia.

The Bethesda, Md., couple balances fulfilling orders daily between day jobs: Melissa works for Metro in Washington, D.C., and Alfonso owns a distribution company. LatinBag is a work in progress -- from shipping and tracking, to storage and inventory. Now raising a growing toddler, Melissa concedes, “There is no such thing as spare time.” But her job provides stability and health insurance, as they’d like to have another child. Eventually, however, they’d like to devote themselves full-time to LatinBag and expand their inventory. “I’d love to sell authentic Oaxaca cheese,” says Melissa. “But it’s a matter of storing it properly.” So for now, LatinBag stocks an assortment of dry and canned goods, as well as pan dulce, café, candy, spices and more goodies to satisfy those cravings -- whether you’re pregnant or not.

Described as the Spanish media’s “Latina Oprah Winfrey,” Cristina Saralegui lives up to the comparison to her television hermana: She’s an award-winning television journalist, a bold interviewer and a compassionate listener. Did we mention that she has the requisite eponymous magazine?

When Saralegui’s television contract was not renewed in 2010, she wondered if she had, at 62, come to the end of her run. “I thought, ‘Well, at my age, one retires,’” she says. But in her corazon, Saralegui wanted to continue doing groundbreaking television. A fateful charla with a TV ejecutivo clarified the circumstance. He had waited 10 years for her to be available to bring her to a new network. Saralegui saw an opportunity to start fresh and began planning a new show. “We always have to start anew, with new hope,” she says.

With twice the budget, Saralegui created “Pa’lante Con Cristina,” debuting to ecstatic audiences last October. Not only did top talent such as Pitbull inaugurate a spectacular set, but Saralegui also snapped up the coveted seven-to-nine Sunday evening slot when familias typically spend time together.

Saralegui is determined to make her new show a hit on the small screen. As its executive producer, more of the responsibility now weighs on her. One priority will be to reach younger, English-speaking viewers about important issues, such as la salud and la sexualidad. And though she occasionally thinks about retiring, Saralegui clarifies that “the old lady” is not worn out. “I’m leaving when I want to, and that must hold true for all of us.”

Making the right impression on our boss is important because so many career decisions, such as promotions, salaries, bonuses and even work reputations, are made or broken as a result of quick impressions. Career Coach Wilka Toppins of The Corporate Latina shares helpful tips.

1. Dress appropriately. Follow your higher-ups’ dress codes. “You don’t have to change your personal style,” says Toppins, but certain office trends can be implemented into your wardrobe. Ask yourself if they wear suits or jeans. Do they ever wear sandals, loud prints, or loud jewelry? Never wear anything low-cut or provocative.

2. Act your wage. Many employees act below their position,” says Toppins, sending the message that they are not ready for their responsibilities or their salary level. If you are unsure whether you are acting or behaving at your level, Toppins suggests asking a trusted friend, a mentor or even your boss for feedback. “If anything, they will be impressed that you asked.”

3. Be dependable. “Be punctual with everything.” This includes getting to work on time, lunch breaks, errands and deadlines.

4. Have a positive and problem solving attitude. “People who freak out and demonstrate their stress do not do well with bosses,” says Toppins. “Remember that your boss has a boss, and is under tremendous stress.” Instead, demonstrate that you can handle difficult situations by offering solutions, even if they’re small. “Just the fact that you offered a solution will be enough to impress your boss.”

As Mexican-American Anna Maria Chávez tells it, when she came home from elementary school one day in tiny Eloy, Ariz., and announced she wanted to go to Girl Scout camp, her abuelita was not pleased.

“Oh, no, no, m’hija,” said the woman she called Nana. “We came from the migrant camps; we don’t want to go back!”

Thankfully, the confusion was cleared up, and then 10-year-old Chávez was able to attend sleepaway camp. It was, of course, worlds away from the fields in which her father had labored. But both would turn out to be the key to Chávez’s success. Her parents’ toil, she says, provided their three kids with “the gift of education and the ability to reach out and live that American dream.”

Chávez attended Yale University, went to law school and worked a number of state and federal government jobs -- including one for Janet Napolitano, former Arizona governor and current secretary of Homeland Security -- before going back to her Girl Scout roots. This summer, she was tapped to become the next CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA -- the first person of color in the organization’s 100 years.

“I truly am living the American dream,” says Chávez. With 2.3 million girl members and nearly 880,000 adult members, the Girl Scouts is one of the nation’s largest nonprofits. Like many, it is increasingly trying to make inroads among Latinos: A concerted push on the organization’s part resulted in the numbers of Hispanic Girl Scouts rising 55 percent between 2000 and 2010.

“They need encouragement,” says Chávez of her charges. “They need someone to tell them that anything is possible.”

According to Chávez, kids also need to believe in themselves in order to combat issues such as bullying.

Step No. 1: Understanding that gossiping, teasing and exclusion aren’t just kid stuff.

Step No. 2: Building confidence. “It’s a crucial step towards empowering them to prevent relational aggression before it starts and stopping it when they see it,” she says. “Girls truly are the future of this country.”

“I want all youth -- and girls in particular -- to understand that anything is possible as long as you study hard, give back to the community and stay positive when obstacles get in the way.”

When we first knew her, she was MTV’s first Latina VJ: tough, fun and trendsetting. Her chunky blond highlights became the beach-blown look of the ’90s, and New Jersey sounded cooler through her pink-frosted lips. As the blond strips gave way to subdued sun-kissed tresses, Fuentes became an international fashion icon. Here, her secret of how her bright, sassy style became an $800 million clothing, perfume and accessory line.

You started your business when celebrities shunned the idea of licensing their names to retailers because it was considered “selling out.” Why did you see it differently?
I don’t turn down an opportunity just because it’s not what everybody else is doing. I’m not an actress. I’ve hosted many shows about fashion, so it made sense to me. I just do what feels authentic.

What gives a brand staying power?
I started with sportswear and added categories one by one. You have to take the time to establish identity. In my line, the looks go from day to night and work to weekend. It’s classy and affordable, which is exactly what I would want!

What category would you love to develop next?
I love beauty, skin care and hair. I study the latest news, ingredients and formulas. I love new challenges. I would also love to develop my own wine!

Photo: Getty Images