Anita (pictured with the Polish President) is a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College studying International Relations, with a concentration in Eastern Europe. She became involved in politics through Girls For A Change when she met her first politician, Anna Eshoo, at an event. In addition, she attended several political conferences representing GFC and obtained internships with Congresswoman Linda LeZotte and State Senator John Vaconcellos. This political experience allowed her to be selected for a semester internship in Washington, D.C. with USAID.

Her work with USAID is focused on Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and India, and she attends different events about South and Central Asia. She has even met with the NATO Secretary General and the former Polish President! Despite being very busy with both a full-time internship and night classes, Anita says that she is having a blast!

She will spend the summer in Padova, Italy to gain fluency in Italian and travel around Europe. Then, she will study in Krakow, Poland for an entire academic year.

Her participation in GFC gave her the confidence and contacts in the political world that have allowed her to attain these valuable opportunities. Not only was she exposed to women leaders involved in the local, state, and federal levels of the political world, but she learned how to speak in front of large crowds, lead meetings, and constantly make new friends, three of the fundamental skills needed for politics.

She states that she would not be whether she is now without the support and resources provided by the GFC community. Even years later, Anita continues to contact her GFC friends and still obtains recommendations and advice from the leaders she grew to know in her time with the Girl Steering Committee. Anita strongly encourages every girl to become involved in GFC, because not only is it a fun experience, but it also develops the life-skills necessary in the real world.