REALgirl (SERniña) Welcomes Céfora Tomás as Executive Director
A new chapter in locally led, women-led, and community-rooted leadership in Guatemala
Céfora Tomás, Executive Director of REALgirl (SERniña).
At REALgirl (SERniña), we believe that lasting progress toward gender equity must be led by the people and communities closest to the realities we seek to transform.
Today, we are proud to share an important step in living that commitment: Céfora Tomás has been appointed Executive Director of REALgirl (SERniña).
Her appointment marks an important new chapter for our organization, and reflects what we believe about sustainable change: investing in local capacity and women’s leadership, shifting decision-making power, and ensuring Guatemalan leaders and communities have meaningful opportunities to shape their own futures.
Leadership rooted in lived experience
Having grown up in rural Guatemala, in communities similar to those REALgirl (SERniña) works alongside today, Céfora brings a deep understanding of the local context, culture, strengths, and challenges shaping the lives of girls, women, and families.
As an Indigenous woman, community social worker, and the experience of becoming a mother at a young age herself, Céfora’s lived experience and professional expertise provide a powerful foundation for her leadership, and the mission of REALgirl (SERniña) is more than her job, but also a personal mission.
For the past five years, Céfora has worked at SERniña building relationships of trust and mutual respect with participants and community members, who know her as a leader who listens, cares deeply, and connects authentically.
Her own journey within REALgirl (SERniña) began by supporting a community project as a consultant and grew progressively into leadership across program administration, finance, community development, and girls’ and women’s programming. Throughout that journey, REALgirl (SERniña) has invested in her growth, while Céfora has demonstrated an exceptional commitment and initiative to developing her own leadership, knowledge, and capacity.
“Her journey from community-based work to Executive Director represents SERniña’s mission in practice: investing in, creating opportunities for, and trusting the leadership that already exists within Guatemala, and among Guatemalan women specifically.” - Danielle Skogen (Co-Founder)
Feminist leadership in practice
Céfora embodies the feminist leadership REALgirl (SERniña) seeks to advance: leadership grounded in equity, care, collaboration, humility, and solidarity. She views leadership not as individual authority, but as a shared responsibility grounded in listening, partnership, and mutual respect.
As REALgirl (SERniña) enters this next chapter, we remain committed to a model in which communities are not simply recipients of programs, but leaders and partners in creating change. Céfora’s appointment is an important step in living these values with integrity.
She has proven herself to be a hard worker, fierce advocate, and deeply caring leader. We are honored to welcome her as Executive Director and excited to see REALgirl (SERniña) continue to grow and thrive with her leadership.
In Céfora’s words
For Céfora, stepping into this role goes far beyond a professional milestone:
“Taking on the role of Executive Director of SERniña is a milestone that goes beyond the professional. For me, it is an act of love, responsibility, and social justice. It is an honor I embrace with the memory of where I come from and the clarity of where we are going.” - Céfora Tomás
Having grown up in rural Guatemalan community, and becoming a mother at a young age herself, Cefora knows what it means to make her way in a context that has historically placed limits on women’s dreams and questioned their intellectual capacity.
For her, arriving at this moment reflects not only her own resilience, but a collective commitment to open doors so that more women can have a place in decision-making and be recognized.
“My commitment is, and will continue to be, to make way for more women, to ensure that their voices are heard with strength, and to demonstrate that transformative leadership is our rightful inheritance, just as other women opened the way for me.” - Céfora Tomás
Céfora also recognizes the women and allies who have been part of REALgirl (SERniña)’s history, as well as those who continue this work today:
“I see you, I respect you, I admire you, and I support you.” - Céfora Tomás
She steps into this role with deep pride in an exceptional, creative, and courageous team committed to learning, growing, strengthening leadership, creating positive change, and transforming realities alongside the children and families of Guatemala.
Céfora Tomás, Executive Director of REALgirl (SERniña), in Guatemala.
Looking ahead, together
This new chapter is not only about who leads REALgirl (SERniña), but about how we lead and how we continue creating change together. To our partner organizations, donors, communities, and everyone who has walked alongside REALgirl (SERniña): thank you for being part of this journey.
As Céfora shares:
“Together, I look forward to working with each of you to continue building a Guatemala where every girl grows up knowing that she is free, capable, and the author of her own story, and where families and communities are committed to creating a safer and more equitable world for all.”
As we enter this next chapter, we celebrate Cefora, the leadership that already exists within Guatemala, and the collective work ahead.
We look forward to continuing to grow, learn, and build change together with Cefora’s leadership.