Abstract
This Dissertation in Practice addresses the underrepresentation of U.S. Latinos inleadership roles. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the barriers and
facilitators encountered by U.S. Latino leaders as they pursued leadership roles, using an
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach to explore their lived
experiences. The study aimed to design and pilot Camino al liderazgo: a leadership
pathway for emerging Latino leaders. This Dissertation in Practice is organized into three
integrated sections that collectively present the study’s development, execution, and
application. Following the acknowledgments, Section one details the research proposal,
including the study’s introduction, literature review, purpose statement, aim statement,
methodology, and supporting materials associated with participant recruitment and
approval. Section two presents the submission-ready manuscript, including the abstract,
introduction, methodology, study results, discussion, and conclusion. Section three
translates the study’s findings into practice through a practitioner recommendation plan
that revisits the study’s aim, outlines proposed leadership development recommendations,
the researcher’s practitioner-scholar reflections, and the leadership philosophy. Together,
these sections align the research inquiry with applied leadership development efforts to
enhance culturally responsive practices among emerging Latino leaders.
Keywords: Latino leadership, leadership pathway, qualitative IPA