Lou Leon Guerrero, born on November eighth, nineteen fifty, is a distinguished Chamorro politician and business executive who has made history as the first woman to serve as the governor of Guam since her inauguration on January seventh, two thousand nineteen. A member of the Democratic Party, she has a rich background in both public service and the private sector, having previously held the position of president and CEO of the Bank of Guam from two thousand seven to two thousand seventeen.
Raised in Guam, Guerrero pursued her education in nursing, earning a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, Los Angeles, followed by a Master of Public Health from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her career began as a nurse in California and Guam, where she eventually became the president of the Guam Nurses Association, advocating for healthcare rights and opposing restrictive abortion laws on the island.
Guerrero's political journey began in nineteen ninety-four when she was elected to the Guam Legislature, serving two terms until nineteen ninety-nine. After an unsuccessful bid for lieutenant governor in nineteen ninety-eight, she returned to the legislature from two thousand one to two thousand seven. Following her time in public office, she transitioned to the banking sector until her return to politics in two thousand eighteen, when she successfully campaigned for the governorship.
As governor, Guerrero has focused on significant issues such as raising the minimum wage and managing Guam's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also taken a firm stance against further restrictions on abortion, vetoing legislative efforts to impose such limitations. In the two thousand twenty-two election, she was reelected for a second term, continuing her commitment to the people of Guam.