MA. LUZ “MARLU” VILLANUEVA BALMACEDA
By Monette Quiogue
MA. LUZ “MARLU” VILLANUEVA BALMACEDA
Leadership at its finest. She served on the AAA Board of Trustees for eight years, first as board member and later as its long-running President for 3 years. After the last of her two terms ended, she then became Board Adviser for two years.
Marlu was always cool, calm and composed. The perfect foil to the group of ladies who could be very passionate with their opinions. She always had words of wisdom to share, not only during board meetings but also when speaking to new graduates at the legacy masses, Old Girls during Velada and as representative of the AAA in various organizations. It was during her tenure as president that the AAA became a member of the Association of Foundations. And the Assumption Alumnae Association celebrated its 50th Anniversary with a banquet entitled Good as Gold where we honored one of the oldest living Alumnae as well the past presidents of the AAA.
On a personal note, Marlu took me under her wing from my first day as a BOT member. I was fortunate enough to work with her on my first year as part of the Good as Gold organizing committee and I was able to witness first hand her organizational skills, her cool under pressure demeanor and was the recipient of many of her words of wisdom and sage advice. That first year became an inspiration for me for the rest of my term in as a Board of Trustees member.
Marlu is a true embodiment of an Assumptionist. She is a woman of faith, a woman of action and a woman of inspiration.
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