Karren Francisco, 2025 President, JCI Malabon Araneta

Leadership takes many forms—but the most powerful kind often looks like motherhood.

In my recent interview with Karren Francisco, the 2025 President of JCI Malabon-Araneta, one thing became clear: her leadership is rooted not in authority, but in care.

Karren leads the way a mother loves—
not with control,
not with fear,
but with a deep instinct to nurture the people entrusted to her.

As an entrepreneur, a mother, a community builder, and now the head of a dynamic Local Organization, Karren carries a kind of leadership that is uniquely, unapologetically feminine:
A leadership that protects, uplifts, and creates space for others to grow.

She speaks about her LO members the way mothers speak about their children—
with pride for their strengths,
patience for their weaknesses,
and a relentless desire to see them succeed.

When she talks about the community—especially the underprivileged children in her area—her eyes shift. There is tenderness, yes. But there is also resolve. A kind of inner fire that says:
“If I don’t care for them, who will?”

And that is precisely why her chapter thrives.

Because when a woman leads with her whole heart, two things happen:
1️⃣ People feel seen.
2️⃣ People rise.

This is the essence of true female leadership—
not the kind that mimics men,
but the kind that honors the superpower women naturally carry: the instinct to nurture life wherever we go.

Karren embodies the truth that:
Our capacity to care is not a weakness—it is our advantage.

She proves that a woman can:
✨ run a business,
✨ raise a family,
✨ build a community,
✨ and lead an organization—
all while keeping compassion at the center.

Her term as President of JCI Malabon-Araneta is not just a milestone for her; it is a message to every Filipina entrepreneur and leader:

You don’t have to choose between being a mother and being a leader.
You can be both—and your leadership will be better for it.

Because when women lead, the whole community grows.