“I think the number one piece of advice I would have given myself is to remember why I wanted to run, know what I want to achieve and be patient, but keep plotting away and try to get there.”

Anita Vandenbeld discusses why individuals should cross over from civil society to government and provides advice for future leaders. She highlights challenges related to working in government and explains how they are different from those faced in civil society. Despite challenges individuals might face, she confirms that individuals are able to accomplish reform agendas in politics.

Anita is a Member of Parliament in Canada and serves as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defense. She is also a member of the World Movement for Democracy Steering Committee. She led women’s political participation projects for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and worked for the National Democratic Institute (NDI) prior to being elected to the Canadian Parliament.