Phoenix, AZ – Tepeyac Leadership, Inc. (TLI) is delighted to announce that Andrea Picciotti-Bayer will serve as the keynote speaker for the Second Tepeyac Leadership Gala, the organization’s most significant annual fundraising gathering. The event will take place on March 28, 2026 at Mount Claret Center in Phoenix, where Tepeyac Leadership will also make an important organizational announcement. As in the past, TLI's founder, the Most Rev. Thomas Olmsted, will also be in attendance. This year's theme is Our Catholic Moment.
Andrea Picciotti-Bayer is Director of the Conscience Project and one of the most respected Catholic voices in the nation on civil rights and religious liberty. A Stanford educated lawyer, she has dedicated her legal career to protecting fundamental freedoms through both civil rights work and appellate advocacy. She began her career as a trial and appellate attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice. In her current role she has filed influential amicus briefs before federal courts of appeal and the United States Supreme Court in critical cases on religious freedom and free speech.
Andrea is widely recognized for her ability to bring clarity and conviction to issues at the heart of the Church’s public witness. She serves as a legal analyst for EWTN News and is a regular columnist for the National Catholic Register. Her writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, National Review, Fox News, Newsweek, CNN en Español and many other leading publications. She is also a familiar presence on Fox News, Newsmax and other programs where she offers expert commentary on religious freedom controversies and recent legal victories.
Her work has earned high praise within the Catholic community. In both 2021 and 2025 she received First Place for Best Coverage in Religious Liberty Issues from the Catholic Media Association. In 2025 the Religious Freedom Institute honored her with the Religious Freedom Impact Award, given to a leader whose life and work demonstrate faithful, innovative and effective advocacy for religious freedom in law, policy or culture.
Andrea lived in Colombia for more than a decade and brings a rich international perspective to her work. She is the mother of ten children and lives in the Washington DC area.
Tepeyac Leadership is honored to welcome Andrea Picciotti-Bayer to its 2nd gala, where her faithful conviction and deep commitment to the mission of the Church will inspire all who share our vision for forming Catholic leaders who can bring Christ into every arena of professional life.
Click below for a special invitation from Andrea Picciotti-Bayer.
About Tepeyac Leadership, Inc. (TLI)
TLI is a 501(c)(3) Catholic nonprofit organization listed in The Official Catholic Directory with the canonical status of a private juridic person. Its mission is to deliver civic leadership development to lay Catholic professionals in the United States and beyond.
To learn more, visit TLIprogram.org
Sponsorship/media inquiries: media@tepeyacleadership.org
P.S. The date has been set for the 2nd Tepeyac Leadership Gala. Click below to register and mark your calendar to join us!
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