Building a "Systerhood" of Leaders: How HTI's Latinas in Leadership Program is Shaping the Future of the Academy
When mid-career Latinas step into HTI's Leadership Program, they discover more than professional development—they find sisterhood, "susterhood," and "systerhood."
5 min read
For many mid-career faculty, leadership can feel like a calling that requires both courage and community. Through the HTI's (HTI) Latinas in Leadership (LIL) Program, women across theological and religious education are discovering what it means to lead from a place of authenticity, faith, and collective empowerment.
Aspiring to lead in higher education is rarely a linear journey. For Latinas in theological education, it often involves navigating institutional structures that were not designed with them in mind, managing expectations from multiple communities, and discerning when to step forward and when to step back. The Latinas in Leadership Program does not just acknowledge these realities—it transforms them into opportunities for growth, solidarity, and systemic change.
"The Latinas in Leadership program was an incredible experience for me as mid‑career faculty. I was given the space to discern potential futures and to gain the confidence that I can thrive in any role, including that of a dean or president. We were gifted with a number of tools and resources around self care, setting boundaries, and developing our leadership styles, all toward the cultivation of our own individual proyecto vital. By the end, I was blessed with a new community of powerful hermanas, a sisterhood that became a 'susterhood' (as we sustained and supported one another) and then flourished into a 'systerhood' (women capable of creating and building new systems). This experience has shaped me in ways I have yet to discover, and I am grateful to HTI for the opportunity to be part of something so formative and lifegiving."— Rev. Dr. Kristina I. Lizardy‑Hajbi, Associate Professor of Leadership and Formation, Iliff School of Theology
Rev. Dr. Lizardy‑Hajbi's words capture the essence of what makes LIL transformative: it is not merely about individual skill‑building, but about cultivating a proyecto vital—a life project rooted in purpose, values, and vocational clarity. The program creates space for participants to envision themselves not just surviving in leadership roles, but thriving in them.
Leadership as Embodied Practice
What distinguishes HTI's approach to leadership development is its holistic framework. Rather than treating leadership as an abstract set of competencies to master, LIL recognizes that effective leadership is deeply embodied—rooted in who we are, where we come from, and the communities we serve.
"LIL has shown me that leadership is about leaning and living into the dreams God uses to call us forward. It has also taught me to stay rooted, to recognize the realities before me, and to see these realities as the ground from which new possibilities grow. LIL's holistic approach reconnected me with my vocation and the people I serve, modeling a leadership that is embodied and experiential. LIL has connected me to an incredible network—a great cloud of witnesses—whose wisdom, support, and companionship remind me that leadership is a calling we live out best in community."— Rev. Dr. Leslie Díaz‑Pérez, Senior Director of Enrollment, McCormick Theological Seminary
Rev. Dr. Díaz‑Pérez speaks to the tension that many emerging leaders face: the pull between visionary dreams and present‑day constraints. LIL does not ask participants to choose between these realities; instead, it equips them to hold both—to dream boldly while remaining grounded in the contexts they serve.
Why This Matters Now
At a time when theological institutions face unprecedented challenges—declining enrollments, financial pressures, and shifting cultural landscapes—the need for visionary, culturally informed leadership has never been greater. The Latinas in Leadership Program is not just preparing individuals for administrative roles; it is cultivating a generation of leaders who understand how to navigate complexity, build inclusive communities, and reimagine what theological education can become.
These women are not waiting for permission to lead. They are already leading—in their classrooms, on their campuses, in their communities. What LIL provides is the network, tools, and affirmation they need to expand their influence and transform systems that have too long excluded voices like theirs.
The Ripple Effect
The impact of LIL extends far beyond the individual participants. When one Latina leader steps into a dean's office, serves on a search committee, or mentors a doctoral student, she creates pathways for others. When she brings her full self—her cultural wisdom, her theological depth, her hard‑won experience—to institutional decision-making, she changes what is possible.
This is what Rev. Dr. Lizardy‑Hajbi means when she speaks of "systerhood"—women who do not just occupy leadership positions within existing structures, but who build new systems altogether. Systems that value diverse ways of knowing, honor community wisdom, and center the flourishing of all people.
Invest in the Future of Latina Leadership
The Latinas in Leadership Program transforms individual careers and entire institutions. Your support makes this possible. Help HTI continue cultivating the "systerhood" that theological & religious education needs.
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