Hello Local Guides,
Today, I’m delighted to introduce @EugeGallardo Maria Eugenia Gallardo, a dedicated educator and community-minded professional who is passionate about making a positive impact.
Based in Buenos Aires (CABA), Argentina, María Eugenia serves as the principal of a primary school, a role she deeply values as it allows her to nurture learning, growth, and a strong sense of community among students and families. She takes great pride in fostering meaningful connections within her school environment.
Beyond her professional life, Eugenia has a love for photography and is an active contributor to Google Maps. Through her photos, reviews, and posts, she enjoys helping others discover new places, make informed decisions, and navigate their surroundings more easily. For her, this is not just a hobby but a way to share experiences and ideas with a broader community.
Above all, Maria Eugenia cherishes the opportunity to connect with people from around the world. She finds joy in learning about different cultures and building friendships across generations, experiences that enrich her both personally and professionally.
When and how did you become a Local Guide?
I have been participating in the Google Maps Local Guides program since 2017. I took part in my first Local Guides meet-up in 2017 while I was already actively contributing to Google Maps. About a year later, I looked for other people who were doing the same through Facebook, and that’s when I contacted @Cecilita . This led to my second meet-up, which took place at the Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires. There, I met Farid, Jesi, Adrian, and other Local Guides, and from that moment on I became more actively involved in the Local Guides community in Argentina.
What would you like to say about your journey on Local Guides Connect ?
My journey on Local Guides Connect has been a very meaningful and enriching experience. Connect is a space where I can share my ideas, experiences, and photographs, but also learn from others and feel part of a global community. Through Connect, I have connected with people from different countries, cultures, and generations, which is something I truly value. Reading other guides’ stories, participating in discussions, and exchanging points of view has helped me grow, not only as a Local Guide but also as a person and as an educator. For me, Local Guides Connect represents collaboration, learning, and friendship. It is a place where helping others and being helped go hand in hand, and where every contribution, no matter how small, can make a positive impact.
What is your favourite type of contribution on maps or/and connect? Why?
What I enjoy most about contributing is uploading photos, but I find it even more meaningful when I correct information or add routes especially when I travel to the interior of the country. In many of these places, there are frequent errors, duplicated businesses, and missing street names or road layouts. Being able to improve this information makes my contributions feel truly useful.
How do you define leadership, and what does it mean to you?
For me, there is no good leadership if it is not shared. I strongly believe that leadership only works when others feel involved and part of what is being built together. Listening carefully to others is essential, as well as making sure that everyone feels valued within the group. I try to pay attention to what each person can contribute, what they know, and to help everyone feel that they are a fundamental piece of the group’s overall dynamic. I also believe it is very important that decisions are discussed and agreed upon through dialogue, so that everyone can feel that each decision taken is a collective win.
In my community, leadership means strengthening the bonds between members. One of the ways I feel I can contribute is by organizing games and preparing small gifts together with @Maximilianozalazar who always collaborates with me for important community events.
In what ways do you lead or make an impact outside of Local Guides Connect?
Outside of Connect, I understand my leadership role mainly through my work as a school director. For me, leadership means working as a team with my teachers for the well-being of the children, ensuring they receive a high-quality education, and supporting teachers through their challenges while also recognizing and highlighting their strengths. One of my main goals is for the school to provide children with everything I believe childhood should include: a safe and caring environment where they feel listened to, where they can enjoy themselves, learn values, and feel emotionally supported. Beyond academic content, I believe it is essential that children learn how to live together, respect others, and develop strong values that will help them become responsible and caring citizens. One of the greatest challenges is maintaining a positive institutional climate, where everyone feels happy and motivated to come to school, experiencing it as a space where both children and adults can develop their abilities. It is also essential that families trust the institution where they leave their children and feel encouraged to participate in the activities we propose.
What keeps you motivated to lead and contribute?
What keeps me motivated to lead and contribute is the recognition of the people around me and the feeling that what I do truly makes a difference and is worthwhile.
Who inspires you the most, and why?
Within Connect and the community, I am deeply inspired by Maxi, whose capacity for growth and self-improvement is remarkable. He continuously opens new personal and professional paths for himself and within the community, and his attitude motivates me to keep moving forward.
Another person who inspires me is Ricardo from Mexico. He has an incredible ability to connect with people, is attentive to everyone’s interests, and is always willing to collaborate and support others. I also cannot fail to mention Cecilia Ratto, whom I consider my mentor within the program. She helped me overcome my first barriers and gain confidence, encouraging me to participate in the MITs at a time when I was recovering from foot surgeries and still unable to walk. She also supported me in organizing my first in-person MITs in my city, which was a key moment in my journey.
How do you think we can inspire more women to be a part of our community?
I believe we can inspire more women to be part of the community by creating safe spaces of listening and support, where they feel valued and not judged. Many times, women hesitate to participate because they feel they don’t know enough or that they won’t be “good enough,” so it is important to show that everyone has something valuable to contribute, no matter where they are starting from. It is also key to make visible real female role models women from the community who dared to take the step, who grew, made mistakes, and learned along the way. Sharing authentic stories helps build identification and trust.
What barriers do you face to contribute in community as a woman and how do you overcome them?
Fortunately, in Argentina I have not faced significant barriers to contributing to the community as a woman, and I have experienced an environment where there are no major differences between men and women in terms of participation and opportunities. I am grateful for this and I truly wish this reality could be the same in all countries. I believe that open dialogue, mutual respect, and supportive communities play a key role in overcoming barriers, and they allow women to feel confident, empowered, and encouraged to contribute fully.
What message would you like to share with woman around the world?
It is difficult to give advice to women all around the world, as cultures and realities are very different. However, I believe it is important that, with respect, every woman stands up for her own value and is recognized by those around her.
Most importantly, I believe women should never remain silent. Being proactive, staying aware of opportunities to participate, and daring to propose changes are essential. Sometimes this means stepping out of our comfort zone or even making others feel uncomfortable, but without those moments of discomfort, real change cannot happen.
Maria Eugenia’s journey reminds us that leadership is rooted in empathy, collaboration, and purpose. Through her work in education and her meaningful contributions as a Local Guide, she continues to create spaces where people feel supported, informed, and connected. Her story is a beautiful example of how passion, community spirit, and a willingness to share can make a lasting impact both locally and globally.
accesibilidad como tu gran sonrisa.
