Originally from Wakayama Prefecture, Ms. Ishimoto holds a Master’s Degree in Human Security from Tokyo University. Her own experience of combining work with correspondence education, night school, and graduate school has led to a strong interest in providing educational opportunities for women.  Ms. Ishimoto worked in international finance for 10 years as an executive assistant to a director. After the Great East Japan Earthquake, she left her job and moved to Miyagi Prefecture as a volunteer, becoming involved in support activities for women along the Sanriku Coast. In June 2011, she set up the RQ Women’s Support Center, which in June 2013 was transformed into the NPO ‘Women’s Eye’. Since then, she has continued to work alongside local women in addressing the problems faced by women in the disaster areas. Megumi’s objective is to realize a society where a woman has opportunities to empower herself and fully utilize her capacity to participate in leading a community to secure everyone’s life, livelihood, and dignity.