Despite increasing gains in educational attainment and presence in the labor force, Latinas are systematically and disproportionately underrepresented in leadership positions across industries and leader levels in the United States. Latinas’ contributions are undervalued in the workplace. As of 2022, Latinas are subjected to the most severe wage gap in the nation, earning a paltry $0.49 to every dollar made by White men. Although sparse, the literature shows Latinas face systemic and cultural oppression; and without parity in leadership representation, Latinas are confronted with a lack of role models, mentors, and sponsors needed to advance professionally.
This study sought to understand the process by which Latinas develop a leader identity. The concept of leader identity refers to an individual’s self-concept as a leader. Leader identity development is inherently complex, and functions as both an internal and social process. Little is known about how Latinas form a leader identity in the United States. To address this gap in the literature, this qualitative study used grounded theory methodology to consider how Latinas make meaning of their leader identity development and what factors facilitate or hinder that process. Data collection consisted of two in-depth interviews with 15 Latina leaders and two focus groups. The study revealed Latinas cultivate a leader identity through external validation, striving for excellence, and adapting their persona to their professional environments. Over time, Latinas leverage their voice to advocate for themselves and their community. These findings are significant because they can address the gap in representation by informing culturally tailored leadership development for Latinas.
","abstract_html":"<p>Despite increasing gains in educational attainment and presence in the labor force, Latinas are systematically and disproportionately underrepresented in leadership positions across industries and leader levels in the United States. Latinas’ contributions are undervalued in the workplace. As of 2022, Latinas are subjected to the most severe wage gap in the nation, earning a paltry $0.49 to every dollar made by White men. Although sparse, the literature shows Latinas face systemic and cultural oppression; and without parity in leadership representation, Latinas are confronted with a lack of role models, mentors, and sponsors needed to advance professionally.</p> <p>This study sought to understand the process by which Latinas develop a leader identity. The concept of leader identity refers to an individual’s self-concept as a leader. Leader identity development is inherently complex, and functions as both an internal and social process. Little is known about how Latinas form a leader identity in the United States. To address this gap in the literature, this qualitative study used grounded theory methodology to consider how Latinas make meaning of their leader identity development and what factors facilitate or hinder that process. Data collection consisted of two in-depth interviews with 15 Latina leaders and two focus groups. The study revealed Latinas cultivate a leader identity through external validation, striving for excellence, and adapting their persona to their professional environments. Over time, Latinas leverage their voice to advocate for themselves and their community. These findings are significant because they can address the gap in representation by informing culturally tailored leadership development for Latinas. <em></em></p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Padilla, Cristina"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"PhD Leadership Studies","degree_level":"Dissertation: USD Users Only","degree_discipline":"Leadership Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-05-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2022-05-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:41:28Z","subjects":["Latina leadership","Latina","leader identity","leader identity development","Latin American Studies","Leadership Studies"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/943","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Padilla, Cristina"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-05-09T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Leadership Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation: USD Users Only"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["PhD Leadership Studies"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Latina leadership","Latina","leader identity","leader identity development","Latin American Studies","Leadership Studies"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/943"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Despite increasing gains in educational attainment and presence in the labor force, Latinas are systematically and disproportionately underrepresented in leadership positions across industries and leader levels in the United States. Latinas’ contributions are undervalued in the workplace. As of 2022, Latinas are subjected to the most severe wage gap in the nation, earning a paltry $0.49 to every dollar made by White men. Although sparse, the literature shows Latinas face systemic and cultural oppression; and without parity in leadership representation, Latinas are confronted with a lack of role models, mentors, and sponsors needed to advance professionally.
This study sought to understand the process by which Latinas develop a leader identity. The concept of leader identity refers to an individual’s self-concept as a leader. Leader identity development is inherently complex, and functions as both an internal and social process. Little is known about how Latinas form a leader identity in the United States. To address this gap in the literature, this qualitative study used grounded theory methodology to consider how Latinas make meaning of their leader identity development and what factors facilitate or hinder that process. Data collection consisted of two in-depth interviews with 15 Latina leaders and two focus groups. The study revealed Latinas cultivate a leader identity through external validation, striving for excellence, and adapting their persona to their professional environments. Over time, Latinas leverage their voice to advocate for themselves and their community. These findings are significant because they can address the gap in representation by informing culturally tailored leadership development for Latinas.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Latinidad and Agency of Voice: Latina Leader Identity Development"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Padilla, Cristina"],"dc:date.available":["2024-05-09T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Despite increasing gains in educational attainment and presence in the labor force, Latinas are systematically and disproportionately underrepresented in leadership positions across industries and leader levels in the United States. Latinas’ contributions are undervalued in the workplace. As of 2022, Latinas are subjected to the most severe wage gap in the nation, earning a paltry $0.49 to every dollar made by White men. Although sparse, the literature shows Latinas face systemic and cultural oppression; and without parity in leadership representation, Latinas are confronted with a lack of role models, mentors, and sponsors needed to advance professionally.
This study sought to understand the process by which Latinas develop a leader identity. The concept of leader identity refers to an individual’s self-concept as a leader. Leader identity development is inherently complex, and functions as both an internal and social process. Little is known about how Latinas form a leader identity in the United States. To address this gap in the literature, this qualitative study used grounded theory methodology to consider how Latinas make meaning of their leader identity development and what factors facilitate or hinder that process. Data collection consisted of two in-depth interviews with 15 Latina leaders and two focus groups. The study revealed Latinas cultivate a leader identity through external validation, striving for excellence, and adapting their persona to their professional environments. Over time, Latinas leverage their voice to advocate for themselves and their community. These findings are significant because they can address the gap in representation by informing culturally tailored leadership development for Latinas.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/943"],"dc:subject":["Latina leadership","Latina","leader identity","leader identity development","Latin American Studies","Leadership Studies"],"dc:title":["Latinidad and Agency of Voice: Latina Leader Identity Development"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Leadership Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation: USD Users Only"],"thesis:degree_name":["PhD Leadership Studies"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:41:28Z"}