Latin America Leadership Program

By: Guadalupe Ramirez

Today, Lucía Vilariño Fiore is a professional with over a decade of experience managing international programs and networks with a particular focus on organizations dedicated to social change, such as nonprofits and INGOs. However, her journey has been one of continuous transformation and reinvention.

Her story is deeply influenced by her family and early life. From childhood, Lucía was an avid reader, drawn to fiction written by Latin American authors, who captured both the beauty and challenges of the region. That, along with a family and circle of friends where social issues were regularly discussed, prompted her to reflect on how to achieve a more just world for all.

While studying Communication Sciences in the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, she also began her professional path in the private sector. She values that experience, as it taught her how to build teams and helped her connect with diverse people. While she acknowledges the privilege and importance of formal education, she also emphasizes that values like discipline and determination are crucial for facing personal and professional challenges, sometimes even surpassing formal qualifications when it comes to taking action and solving issues.

After graduating, Lucía realized that while working in communications at tech companies was exciting and engaging, it didn’t align with her deeper sense of purpose. Determined to make a change, she faced challenges head-on and worked tirelessly to transition into the social impact sector, initially taking on roles as director of communications and later as director of international programs. In the meantime, she earned her master’s degree in Development Management and Public Policy from the National University of San Martín.

“I knew in my heart that I wanted a deeper purpose that could be integrated into my daily professional work. Along the way, I always had mentors who believed in me, often more than I believed in myself at the time. They saw my potential and opened doors for me to prove myself in other areas,” Vilariño Fiore shared.

Driven to be a change agent, Lucía was particularly drawn to international cooperation as a mean to catalyzing social change by building equitable, inclusive, and resilient processes and partnerships that connect global and local actors to achieve common goals.

A New Path at the Organization of American Firefighters

In 2018, Lucía began a new chapter as the executive director of the Organization of American Firefighters (OBA), founded in 2006 and now the largest international cooperation organization among emergency response services in Latin America and the Caribbean. OBA was created by and for firefighters across the Americas, representing institutions from 14 countries and over 880,000 volunteers, paid, military, and police-affiliated firefighters.

OBA focuses on professionalizing national emergency services and contributing to disaster risk reduction in communities across the continent. Within OBA, Lucía has advocated for bringing emergency response teams closer to their communities and members, aligning these efforts with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including mental health support and prioritizing “caring
for those who care for us,” she said.

Lucía also championed the founding of the Gender Equality and Diversity Committee, which promotes equal opportunities among firefighters and incorporates gender perspectives into emergency responses.

GCL: The Foundation of the First Leadership Program for Women Firefighters

For years, Lucía had heard about GCL (Global Competitiveness Leadership Program). She often read alumni profiles and program details but doubted if her background truly aligned with what Georgetown University was looking for. “Sometimes, the hardest part is believing that something is meant for you. Yet, I was confident that the program could offer valuable insights for my new challenges and foster my growth. I decided to take a chance with the application and, to my surprise, I was accepted on the first try,” she says.

Starting the program came at an opportune time, as she had recently built a strong and effective team and achieved financial sustainability for the organization. It was the perfect moment to pause and reflect on the type of leadership she wanted to cultivate and how her unique experiences could contribute to the role.

“GCL provided me with a valuable and enriching space to contemplate the leadership I aspired to build, what the organization truly needed, and how my personal journey could shape the impact I wanted to create.” - Lucía Vilariño Fiore, GCL 2022.

Participating in GCL surprised her in many ways. As the program progressed, and with guidance from mentors and professors, she transformed her project into an actionable model. What had started as a concept evolved into a tangible initiative that could actively seek alliances and funding, ultimately becoming the foundation for the first Leadership Program for Women Firefighters in Latin America.

Lucía highlights her favorite GCL component: the impact project each participant makes. Witnessing the potential for transformation and the network’s multiplying effect inspired her to integrate a similar initiative into OBA’s Leadership Program, the Changemaker Pledge. This promise involves a dual commitment: participants implement a DEI initiative in their communities or fire departments and mentor women firefighters, fostering change both personally and organizationally.

By aligning her project with this broader network, Lucía was able to amplify its impact, contributing to a lasting and sustainable cultural transformation.

The OBA’s Leadership Program for Women Firefighters in Latin America operates on two deeply interconnected levels: institutional development and women’s leadership skills training. “By focusing on both personal and organizational growth, we aim to create an environment where women can thrive and lead within their departments.”

At the institutional level, the program conducted a baseline study to identify diversity, profiles, and roles, and develop sensitivity initiatives. Historically male-dominated in Latin America and the Caribbean, women’s participation in the emergency services remains marginal. According to OBA, women made up only 22% of firefighting personnel in 2022, and just 2 of the 63 institutions within the OBA network were led by women as of January 2024. A model protocols will be created this year to address and normalize responses to gender-based violence.

At the individual level, the program focuses on empowering women firefighters, providing participants with the tools and knowledge necessary to overcome barriers and promote gender equality within the firefighting profession. Through a combination of tailored training, mentorship, and collaborative initiatives, it equips participants with practical leadership skills, strategic decision making and advocacy for systemic change.

The program aims to increase women’s participation and foster their rise to leadership positions.

In 2024, OBA, in collaboration with the Permanent Special Committee on Gender Equality and Diversity (CEPIGD) and funding from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, successfully completed the first edition of the Leadership Program for Women Firefighters in Latin America, training 39 women leaders from seven countries.

The program had a profound impact on its participants. 72.5% reported significant improvement in their leadership skills and potential, while 100% noted enhanced professional capabilities. As part of their Changemaker Pledge, around 130 women firefighters were mentored by program participants, contributing to the development of the next generation of leaders.

The sessions, including the in-person component, featured speakers from prestigious organizations like UN Women and the Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) of OAS, along with professionals in gender, diversity, and inclusion, as well as seasoned firefighting experts. These sessions provided valuable insights and real-world experience, reinforcing the program’s commitment to fostering leadership and inclusivity.

These women now have essential tools to advance their careers and join a regional network promoting professionalization for current and future generations in their institutions—potentially inspiring other regions worldwide.

Program participants described the experience as transformative, marking a definitive “before and after” in their lives. These women will now serve as mentors for the next generation of leaders.

A Transformative Promise with a Multiplier Effect

Lucía’s goal for the coming year is to welcome a new cohort of 40 women firefighters to the program and achieve exponential growth through concrete initiatives that contribute to more equitable spaces in each organization.

Currently, she is a member of Women in Fire, a Minnesota-based organization promoting female leadership in fire and emergency services, with members from 48 U.S. states and 11 countries. Additionally, she has participated in international collaborations, including the first World Fire Congress in Washington, D.C., organized by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, where she worked with global organizations to address common firefighter safety and health challenges in representation of her organization and our region.

Lucía is committed to fostering sustainable collaboration by developing partnerships and mutual aid initiatives across regions and participating in forums to establish joint, intergenerational agendas. Key topics include climate change, new technologies, the global impact of wildfires, and the effects of floods on migration.

“Geographic borders exist for decision-making but not, for instance, to stop wild fires like the ones we’ve seen recently in the U.S. That’s why taking action now is more important than ever,” she emphasized.

Practical Lessons and Perspective from GCL

In addition to academic sessions, one of Lucía’s most significant lessons was learning to listen differently. As a naturally action-oriented person, her instinct had been to respond immediately to questions or issues.

“At GCL, I relearned the importance to giving time to the correct definition of the problem, pausing to ask the necessary questions or gather data. Adding multiple perspectives to the process was incredibly valuable. I focused more on exploring the challenge than rushing to a solution. I also reflected on different leadership styles and realized the importance of staying open and interconnected with private, public, and social sectors,” she explained.

The program’s mentorship was also key. She realized that challenges she thought were unique to her were shared by peers from various sectors and generations.

A Network of Lasting Value

Two years after completing the program, Lucía remains in touch with many of her cohort members and values the group’s diversity—representing different countries, missions, sectors, organizations, and often radically different perspectives. “It created a space for dialogue, something we’re losing globally, but we had the chance to engage constructively with people of different backgrounds and views.”

Lucía continues to benefit from the program’s network, which offers valuable content and collaboration opportunities that transcend geographic boundaries. “Beyond the classroom lessons, the true value of the program lies in the network of people—classmates, professors, mentors, and special guests—as well as the extracurricular activities and sessions. Georgetown University’s global reach and ability to expose participants with the world’s most pressing discussions is remarkable. For me, this network has been, and will continue to be, both a guiding light and a source of lasting friendships.”