Episode 11
Diversity of Thought, Bipartisanship & Latino Leadership
Featuring Mary Ann Gomez Orta
February 17, 2026
Cornerstone University President Gerson Moreno-Riaño hosts Mary Ann Gomez Orta, CEO and President of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute, for a conversation on Hispanic leadership, higher education, and civic engagement on the Wisdom and Influence podcast. Gomez Orta describes CHLI’s bipartisan mission to advance the Hispanic community’s diversity of thought through internship and fellowship programs that place students in congressional offices and corporate settings, cultivating the next generation of Hispanic American leaders in public service. The discussion confronts a persistent challenge within Hispanic communities: the intergenerational reluctance to pursue higher education, driven by cost, cultural attitudes, and a pragmatic work-first mindset that risks leaving families behind in a technology-driven economy. Gomez Orta and Moreno-Riaño also examine the enduring value of a college degree, the need for universities to adapt to today’s students, and how a Christ-centered posture of curiosity and civility can bridge political and cultural divides. Listeners will gain insight into the barriers and opportunities shaping Hispanic American advancement in education, public service, and the workforce.