Maria Brewer launches push to grow Latina leadership

Former U.S. Ambassador Maria Brewer is calling on 250,000 women to strengthen their leadership and open doors for others during Hispanic Heritage Month. The effort aims to close a wide gap: Latinas are about 9% of the U.S. population but hold only about 1% of C-suite roles.

Why it matters: - Latinas remain sharply underrepresented in corporate leadership despite strong ambition and talent. - Brewer’s campaign frames leadership advancement as more than personal preparation. It also depends on access, sponsorship, visibility and influence. - The effort asks women and employers to change how leadership pipelines work, not just who enters them.

What happened: - Maria Brewer is using National Hispanic Heritage Month to call for 250,000 women across the United States to strengthen their leadership and intentionally open doors for others. - Brewer’s message builds on her 29-year U.S. Foreign Service career, including service as U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone and Lesotho. - Her new community, Leadership Edge Ambassadors, launches October 6 in Washington, D.C., at Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired (DACOR) Bacon House.

The details: - Brewer says preparing to present her credentials as U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone made her nervous because she was no longer advising the ambassador — she was the ambassador. - Brewer argues that earning a seat at the table and knowing how to use influence once there are different challenges. - Latinas make up roughly 9% of the U.S. population but only about 1% of C-suite executives, according to LeanIn.org’s report on The State of Latinas in Corporate America. - Research cited in the release says Latina professionals show strong ambition while facing barriers at multiple stages of the leadership pipeline. - Brewer says Latinas already bring leadership strengths rooted in family, community, loyalty and mutual support. - Brewer’s framework centers on Power, Presence and Purpose, which also underpins The Ambassador’s Leadership Edge and her book, The Ambassador’s Leadership Edge. - The book, The Ambassador's Leadership Edge: For Latina Leaders Ready to Rise to the Top, is available in paperback and ebook on Amazon. - Brewer is available for media interviews and expert commentary on Latina leadership, executive presence, women’s advancement, mentorship and sponsorship.

Between the lines: - Brewer is shifting the conversation from representation to power. - Her message suggests that many leadership programs focus on getting women into the room, while fewer address who gets sponsorship, visible assignments and influence after arrival. - The campaign also puts responsibility on employers to examine whether Latina professionals have real advancement support, not just entry-level opportunity. - The push reflects a broader argument that collective advancement can change institutions faster than individual progress alone.

What’s next: - Brewer’s Leadership Edge Ambassadors community is set to launch on October 6 in Washington, D.C. - During Hispanic Heritage Month, Brewer is pressing Latina professionals and employers to answer a set of practical questions about sponsorship, networks, assignments and succession. - Brewer is positioning the initiative as an ongoing effort to expand what leadership looks like for Latina women and the people who follow them.

The bottom line: - Brewer’s campaign is less about motivation and more about access. - The goal is to turn connection into influence, and influence into opportunity for more Latina leaders.