Pope Leo has appointed Maria Montserrat Alvarado as the first lay woman to a senior leadership position in the governance of the Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican said.

Alvarado, currently president of US-based Catholic media outlet EWTN News, will head the Vatican’s communications department from 1 November, replacing Paolo Ruffini, who is retiring.

The department, created in 2015 under the late Pope Francis, oversees the Vatican’s news website, radio station, newspaper, press office, publishing house and film library.

Born in Mexico City and a US citizen since 2008, Alvarado has served as news anchor and later president and chief operating officer at EWTN News since 2023.

In a statement, she said she accepted the appointment “with a sincere desire to serve the Holy Father” at the start of his pontificate, adding that she was grateful for Ruffini’s leadership and aimed to strengthen the department’s work in communicating the Church’s message globally.

The Vatican said the appointment marks the first time a non-religious woman has been named prefect of a dicastery of the Holy See, according to Vatican News.

The move continues reforms initiated under Pope Francis, who expanded the role of women and lay officials in Vatican administration and pushed for changes in Church communications.

Pope Leo has also signalled further reforms, including a planned meeting with cardinals in June to review the effectiveness of Church communications and its missionary approach.

Francis, who died last year, had previously criticised internal attitudes within the Church and appointed several women and nuns to senior Vatican roles during his papacy.