I first met her over a year ago, when I joined the organization’s New Member Orientation. We barely spoke to each other. In a few weeks, we got to know and trust each other. And within months, it seemed like we knew each other for a long time. I owe her a lot of things. Every time I thought I could not do something, she gave me the confidence and trust to accomplish the tasks set before me. Every time I wanted to quit, she was the voice of reason and encouragement. Every time I felt disappointed and angry, she calmed me down and gave me a reason to continue trusting in the good of people.

She might not be a perfect person, but the Anna I know never stops trying. She sets out to do things not for fame, glory, and power, but mostly to improve herself, to challenge herself. And all the while, she gives and serves without agenda or hidden motives but to give and serve sincerely.

She accepts every challenge with the willingness to learn and improve herself. She carried a chapter with barely ten members and worked hard on it, giving it her all, and bringing the chapter to heights it has never reached before. She believed in the good and in the capability of every person and would always encourage us to do well. She doesn’t see herself as being above other people but among people. She believes that with every challenge is the opportunity to do more, to dream bigger, to be better.

The Anna I know is one who might not smile a lot or chat a lot with other people, but she is always ready, always open to listen, to share, to give, to learn. She does not see herself as being above others. Rather, she sees herself as being one with other, able to accomplish more by working with others, by giving others the opportunity to do well.

She knows her strengths and her weaknesses. She is not one to claim glory and fame using the hard work and talents of others. She does not portray herself to be better than she knows. She is true to herself and she knows that whatever her weaknesses are, she can improve on.

Despite the challenges, the pains, and the frustrations, she is still laughing because she knows, as we know, that there is no malice, no malevolence in her heart.

The Anna I know is not necessarily a leader by choice. But with her sincerity to work with people, with her earnest desire to serve, with her eagerness to learn, she has managed to exceed expectations and she continues to embrace the challenges of being a leader.

And with this, I manifest my full support for her. Win or lose, she will always be a leader. And she will always strive to be better.