Meet The Frances Hesselbein Excellence in Leadership Award recipient, Keiko Fujimori

Linkage’s Women in Leadership Institute™ team with The Frances Hesselbein Excellence in Leadership Award recipient (center) and keynote speaker, Keiko Fujimori.

During her keynote address at our Women in Leadership Institute™, Keiko Fujimori shared what it was like to become the youngest First Lady of Peru at the age of 19. She served as First Lady from 1994 to 2000 while studying business administration at Boston University. Keiko later went on to earn an MBA and become a member of the Peruvian legislature. She currently leads the right-wing party Fuerza, and was a 2011 Presidential candidate in Peru.

From April 1994 to November 2000, Keiko assumed the administration of Fundacion por los Niños del Perú (Foundation for the Children of Peru). She also created Fundacion Peruana Cardioinfantil (Peruvian Foundation for Infant Cardiology), which she presided over from 1996 to 2006. She dedicated herself to helping low income families nationwide, traveling from Boston to Peru twice a year to fulfill her roles and responsibilities back home.

In her keynote, she also reflected on the difficult decisions that she has made throughout her career, stating: “the easy road doesn’t get you to where you want to be.” She also reminded participants to not be afraid to speak their minds and to fearlessly tackle a leadership role when the opportunity arises. Her amazing story of risk taking and hope was an inspiration to everyone in the room. Linkage extends our sincere congratulations to Keiko on this well-deserved honor.

“Will power must be trained everyday, like a muscle” – Keiko Fujimori