As lay Catholics committed to bringing Christ into every corner of professional life, it’s a joy to introduce Andrea Picciotti-Bayer to The Catholic Professional community ahead of her keynote at the 2nd Tepeyac Leadership Gala on March 28, 2026. Her life’s work as a defender of religious freedom and conscience rights is a model of faithful witness in the public square. For details on the event, see Tepeyac Leadership’s announcement here.
Andrea Picciotti-Bayer is the director of The Conscience Project, a work dedicated to defending fundamental freedoms rooted in the dignity of the human person, especially as understood in Catholic social teaching. In this role, she collaborates with a network of legal scholars, public intellectuals, and advocates to craft compelling public arguments and file amicus briefs in high-impact religious freedom and free speech cases before federal appellate courts and the United States Supreme Court. Her work at the Conscience Project embodies the Church’s teaching on the primacy of conscience and the inalienable right to live out one’s faith without unjust interference.
Andrea’s legal career began as a trial and appellate attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, where she gained firsthand experience defending the rights of individuals under law. She later served as a legal advisor to The Catholic Association and as a strategic consultant for the Institute for Human Ecology at The Catholic University of America, where she authored significant briefs in religious liberty cases.
Her voice resonates well beyond the courtroom. Andrea is a widely sought legal analyst and commentator on issues of faith, law, and culture. She appears regularly on EWTN News, is a weekly guest on Ave Maria in the Afternoon, and writes as a columnist for the National Catholic Register. Her work has also appeared in major national outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Fox News, Newsweek, and CNN en Español, helping to bring a faithful Catholic perspective to the wider public debate.
In October 2024, Andrea participated as a panelist in Unmasking Gender Ideology II: Upholding Truth, Defending Families, presented by The Christian Post. There she spoke on how religious freedom and conscience rights intersect with cultural and legal challenges posed by prevailing gender ideology, especially as they affect families, medical professionals, and faith-based service providers. Her contribution highlighted the need to uphold truth about the human person while defending families from legal and cultural pressures that contradict Catholic teaching.
Late in 2025, Andrea’s tireless work was honored with the 2025 Religious Freedom Impact Award from the Religious Freedom Institute at their annual gala in Washington, D.C. In her remarks upon receiving this distinguished award, she offered a deeply Catholic reflection on faith, freedom, and the common good:
“Faith is not something we fit into life. It is life… When a government or a community tries to strip that freedom away, it is as if the heart itself is being torn from the body.” (National Catholic Register)
“Living authentically as believers in public life is not the same as forcing religion on others. Authentic witness honors conscience and enriches society… We must defend… not just in courtrooms and legislatures, but also in our communities and in our own hearts.” (National Catholic Register)
These words perfectly summarize her mission: to defend the freedom that allows every Catholic to live out his or her vocation in Christ without compromise. They remind us that the battle for religious liberty is ultimately a battle for the soul of the nation, grounded in the truth that every human being is made in the image of God.
Andrea is also a devoted mother of ten, and she often credits her family life with deepening her understanding of conscience, parental rights, and the sacred duty to raise children in the faith.
As Andrea Picciotti-Bayer takes the stage at the Tepeyac Leadership Gala, attendees and the broader public will gain not just legal insight, but a vibrant witness to how a faithful Catholic can shape culture, law, and public life with courage rooted in the Gospel.
P.S. The countdown is on for the 2nd Tepeyac Leadership Gala, secure your tickets today by clicking below!
