Mary Ann Gómez Orta serves as President and CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI), committed to the vision of advancing the Hispanic community’s diversity of thought.  Guided by her conviction that “diverse points of view create exponentially better results for all,” she has positioned CHLI as a premier convener for elected and appointed officials, international leaders, corporate executives, and emerging voices committed to the rule of law and diplomacy.

Gómez Orta brings more than two decades of corporate leadership from Coors Brewing Company, McDonald’s Corporation, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. Her expertise spans corporate strategy, public affairs, marketing, and community engagement—experience she leverages to drive meaningful impact for CHLI’s interns, alumni, and stakeholders across the public and private sectors.

A graduate of the prestigious Presidential Leadership Scholars Program (2025), Gómez Orta has been recognized with the Raíces Award by the Hispanic Lobbyist Association for her commitment to advocacy and mentorship. She serves on the board of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility and advisory councils for Global Americans and the American Latino Veterans Association and serves as a national advisor to Hispanas Organized for Political Equality.

Deeply committed to leadership development, Gómez Orta is a certified life coach who has completed executive programs at The Aspen Institute, Center for Creative Leadership, and the John Maxwell leadership program. She has also shared her expertise as an educator at American University and the University of Phoenix.

She earned her B.A. in Communications from the University of the Pacific and her M.B.A. from St. Mary’s College of California and has been honored with distinguished alumni awards from both institutions.

The proud daughter of parents from Michoacán, Mexico, and Brownsville, Texas, she was raised in California’s Central Valley by parents who worked the fields while ensuring all five of their children earned college degrees. Her leadership is shaped by her family’s faith, legacy of service, and belief in education as a pathway to opportunity.