The essential read for Latinas at the mid-career stage.
Book Launch, October 6th, 5:30–7:30 PM ET
Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) initiative challenges women and employers to turn connection into access, influence and opportunity
Latinas do not lack talent or work ethic but we have to understand how leadership and power work, build influential relationships and then use our influence to create opportunities for others.”— Maria Brewer
ROCKVILLE, MD, UNITED STATES, October 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Maria Brewer had navigated war zones, bombings and some of the most demanding assignments of a 29-year U.S. Foreign Service career. Yet when she prepared to present her credentials as U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone, she felt something unexpected: nervousness.
On that occasion, she was no longer advising the ambassador—she held the title herself.
That moment reinforced a conviction Brewer now wants to share with other women: securing a place at the decision-making table and feeling equipped to wield your influence once you are there are not the same thing.
During National Hispanic Heritage Month, Brewer is issuing a challenge to 250,000 women across America to build their own leadership capacity while deliberately creating pathways for others.
This appeal comes at a time when Latinas continue to be severely underrepresented in top corporate roles. Although Latinas make up roughly 9% of the U.S. population, they hold only about 1% of C-suite positions, according to a recent report on The State of Latinas in Corporate America by LeanIn.org. Studies further indicate that Latina professionals exhibit strong ambition yet face considerable obstacles to advancement throughout the leadership pipeline.
“Latinas do not lack talent, ambition or work ethic,” Brewer said. “But excellence alone does not create access, sponsorship, visibility or influence. We have to understand how leadership and power work, build influential relationships and then use our influence to create opportunities for others.”
From Connection to Collective Power
Brewer contends that Latinas already have a key leadership advantage: deep traditions of family, community, loyalty, and mutual support. The challenge, she explains, is converting those bonds into professional and collective influence.
This involves cultivating relationships that yield information, powerful networks, mentorship, sponsorship, high-visibility projects, and advocacy. It also requires organizations to assess whether Latina professionals are receiving not just entry points into the leadership pipeline but also the access and backing needed to progress within it. “Representation tells us who is in the room,” Brewer said. “The bigger question is whether they have the access, influence and authority to make a difference once they get there.”
Power, Presence and Purpose
Brewer’s viewpoint was forged through nearly 30 years of diplomatic leadership spanning multiple cultures and continents. She directed international teams, managed complex political and organizational settings, and learned firsthand how relationships, influence, and executive presence shape leadership. Those lessons became the foundation of Power, Presence and Purpose, the concepts underlying her Ambassador’s Leadership Edge™ framework and book, The Ambassador’s Leadership Edge.
Now Brewer is expanding those ideas beyond individual leadership growth through Leadership Edge Ambassadors, a new community set to launch October 6th in Washington DC at Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired (DACOR) Bacon House.
The concept is straightforward: women strengthen their own leadership while intentionally leveraging their relationships and influence to create opportunities for others. “When one Latina rises, she expands what others believe is possible,” Brewer said. “When Latinas rise together, they change institutions.”
During Hispanic Heritage Month, Brewer is urging both Latina professionals and employers to examine what happens once talented women enter the leadership pipeline: Who receives sponsorship? Who gets high-visibility assignments? Who gains access to influential networks? Whose name is brought up when leadership vacancies appear? And who is keeping the door open for the next woman?
About Maria Brewer
Maria Brewer is a former U.S. Ambassador, global leader, executive coach and leadership mentor with 29 years of U.S. Foreign Service experience. She served as U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone and Lesotho and held leadership assignments across multiple continents. Today, she develops emerging and established leaders through the principles of Power, Presence and Purpose embodied in The Ambassador’s Leadership Edge™. Brewer is available for media interviews and expert commentary on Latina leadership, executive presence, women’s advancement, mentorship and sponsorship.
About the Book
The Ambassador’s Leadership Edge: For Latina Leaders Ready to Rise to the Top is available in paperback and ebook on Amazon
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