Gina Ponce: Opening Doors for Omaha’s Latino Youth
For Gina Ponce, leadership has been a lifelong act of service. Over the past three decades, she has become one of Omaha’s most trusted advocates for education, equity, and opportunity, shaping pathways for Latino youth and families to access higher education and professional growth.
Born in New York to Puerto Rican parents, Ponce brought her East Coast drive and heart for community to Nebraska in the early 1990s. Armed with a Bachelor of Science in Management and Human Resources and a Master of Arts in Communication from Bellevue University, she fused her academic training with a clear mission: to help Latino students see themselves in college classrooms and corporate boardrooms.
At Bellevue University, where she served as director of Latino Community Outreach, Ponce helped design one of the state’s most impactful education access initiatives, a scholarship program allowing Bellevue residents of Latino descent to attend Bellevue University through special partnerships. The initiative broke economic barriers and became a model for other Nebraska institutions seeking to close the college attainment gap. She also headed the El Camino Latino Center serving students, their families, and the Latino community.
Gina founded and led the Latino Youth Summit, a signature event that brought hundreds of students together to explore college and career pathways. The summit featured bilingual workshops, mentorship connections, and motivational sessions designed to help students envision futures rooted in both culture and confidence.
Outside academia, Ponce’s impact multiplied. She founded Women on a Mission for Change, a nonprofit that empowers women and girls through leadership development, networking, and advocacy. Her civic work spans boards, including the Omaha Mayor’s Community Advisory Board, Kids Can Community Center, and the South Omaha Community Council.
Ponce’s recognitions — from Latina of the Year to Legacy Award honoree — speak to her influence, but her truest legacy lies in the students whose lives she’s changed. She often says her proudest moments are not in headlines, but in graduations when a young Latino walks across the stage at Bellevue University, carrying both a diploma and a dream she helped ignite.
Do you know someone whose story should be told — a mentor, educator, entrepreneur, veteran, artist, or advocate who has made a lasting difference in the Latino community? Please share their name and a little about their journey with us.
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