She Steps Up: Kelli Lyons Fujitani

She Steps Up is a monthly recognition series that shines a light on women in the footwear industry. The theme for this month’s spotlight is Culture Champions (Women fostering culture, DEI, collaboration, or community support) and the spotlight centers on Kelli Lyons Fujitani, senior Executive Vice President at Marc Fisher Footwear! 

Kelli Lyons Fujitani

Title: Senior Executive Vice President, Women’s Footwear

Company: Marc Fisher Footwear 

Tenure in Industry: 10+ years 

Why she was nominated:  “Kelli creates a supportive atmosphere where women feel empowered to succeed. She acts as a mentor to all who surround her and encourages women to step outside their comfort zones and take on new challenges. Kelli celebrates her teams’ successes daily and is always their biggest supporter. With her help, women feel comfortable to bring up their ideas and strategies in the workplace. 

Kelli demonstrates exceptional leadership by consistently inspiring her team with shared goals and fosters a collaborative environment where every voice is heard. Her ability to provide mentorship and support others’ professional development has created a stronger, more engaged team. She consistently uplifts colleagues, celebrating their successes and creating a positive culture of mutual appreciation and excellence.” 

“We value her mentorship and have such gratitude and appreciation for all her support, encouragement, and guidance. She is not only a great boss and mentor but an incredible friend. Her hard work and leadership make a huge difference for so many. It’s more than a pleasure, it’s an honor to work for her and with her. At Marc Fisher, our workplace feels like a family and she has made a huge contribution to that for all of us. We are so lucky to call her our person!” 

-Alyssa Russomondo, VP of Sales for Calvin Klein Women’s Shoes and
Danielle Basso, VP of Sales for Easy Spirit Shoes. Both report to Kelli. 

Nominate a Colleague or Friend

Our next spotlight theme is: “Agents of Change: Women delivering advocacy, bold leadership, or mentorship.” If someone comes to mind, please consider nominating them, or yourself, using the form below. The deadline to submit is November 12. 

About She Steps Up  

She Steps Up is a new monthly recognition series from Two Ten’s WIFI Community that shines a light on women in the footwear industry whose leadership, creativity, and impact are shaping our community in meaningful ways. Whether they are driving innovation, mentoring others, making bold moves, or doing the often unseen work that keeps teams strong, these are the stories worth celebrating. 

Each month, the series will feature individuals from across the industry who exemplify leadership, collaboration, and community. Nominations are welcome across all roles, experience levels, and sectors of the footwear industry, including design, HR, production, marketing, retail, administration (such as finance, accounting, and legal), and beyond. While the series centers on uplifting women, we also welcome nominations for individuals of all gender identities whose work reflects these values.