What inspired you to join the Rotary Club of Queenstown?
My connection to Rotary actually goes back nearly two decades. I joined Interact in the 10th grade and later served as the Zonal Interact Representative for the Rotary Club of New Delhi. After moving to Singapore in 2018, PP Linda, who was also my MBA Programmes Head at NUS, invited me to attend a Rotary Club of Queenstown meeting at Tanglin Club in 2021. That evening felt like coming full circle. RCQ immediately felt like home.
How has your personal journey with the club shaped your life over the years?
RCQ has shaped how I view leadership, service, and community in profound ways. It reinforced the belief that meaningful change doesn’t come from grand gestures alone, but from consistency: showing up, listening deeply, and staying committed even when progress feels slow. Getting up at 4 AM for Willing Hearts Cooking/Packing Drive is not a grand gesture: it’s an act of showing up and I am glad I have thoroughly enjoyed doing so.
As I prepare to take on the role of President, I feel immense gratitude for the trust, encouragement, and confidence the club has placed in me. It’s a responsibility I carry with humility and pride.
Can you share one of your most cherished memories from being part of Rotary?
One of my most cherished memories has been organising SG60 as part of the FRCS. The goal wasn’t just celebration; it was reflection. We wanted to revisit what nation-building truly means and to reassert the collective impact of Rotary across 23 clubs.
From the club showcases to highlighting our Active Ageing Centre and Family Service Centre initiatives, the event was designed to go deeper, to reconnect long-time members and inspire newer ones with the breadth and relevance of Rotary’s work today.
Creating spaces like these matters just as much as hands-on service, because service sustains communities, but shared understanding, pride, and purpose sustain the people who serve.
How did your family react when you first joined the Rotary movement?
Service has always been deeply rooted in my family. My decision to become an Interactor came directly from my family’s belief that giving back should start young. Much of who I am today was shaped in my early years by the quiet but powerful influence of my maternal grandmother, to whom I was very close. From her, I absorbed lessons in care, responsibility, and humility that have stayed with me.
Rotary wasn’t a departure from my upbringing: it was a continuation of it, and in many ways, my journey with Rotary has simply deepened that lesson.
How did your professional life influence your work within the Rotary Club, and vice versa?
I’ve worked in organisations ranging from three employees to over three thousand. I led my first team of more than 20 people at the age of 24, and if there’s one thing that has evolved over time, it’s how I understand stakeholders and lead with empathy.
Serving on the RCQ Board for the third consecutive year has allowed me to apply these learnings meaningfully, and equally, Rotary has sharpened my ability to lead with purpose rather than position.
What personal passions or hobbies have you pursued outside of Rotary?
Not many people in the club know this, but I absolutely love planning trips, detailed, thoughtful, personalised itineraries that are structured yet bespoke. I’ve done this for so many friends and extended family members over the years that I’ve genuinely considered turning it into a professional weekend pursuit (ha!)
What’s something you’ve always been passionate about, and how has Rotary allowed you to express or act on that passion?
Event planning has always energised me; from conceptualisation and logistics to storytelling and engagement. Through RCQ fellowships, happy hours, and club events, I’ve been able to channel that passion freely and wholeheartedly, and I hope that enthusiasm shows.
How did you balance your family, career, and Rotary commitments over the years?
It surprises a lot of people around me when I tell them that I have intentionally reserved one day of an otherwise demanding week to think/talk Rotary. The keyword is ‘intentional’. Rotary has taught me to prioritise what truly matters and to be fully present wherever I choose to commit my time. I am fortunate to have a husband who understands that this commitment is not incidental but chosen, and who has been wonderfully supportive of the time and energy Rotary requires.
Is there a cause or project within Rotary that has been especially close to your heart?
Yes; dementia care and caregiver support have become deeply personal areas of focus for me. In the later years of her life, my grandmother experienced mild dementia, and witnessing that journey shaped my understanding of both vulnerability and dignity in aging. It also opened my eyes to the quiet strength and emotional labour of caregivers.
Through my major project for migrant caregivers and nursing assistants, I have come to realise the kind of impact I believe Rotary is uniquely positioned to create: thoughtful, dignified, and rooted in real community needs. It’s not just about service delivery, but about restoring agency, confidence, and hope to those who give so much of themselves every day.
What do you think sets the Rotary Club of Queenstown apart from other service organizations?
RCQ’s ability to evolve without losing its soul. We grow, adapt, and modernise, but never at the expense of what it truly means to be a Rotary Club of Queenstown member.
What values of Rotary do you think have stood the test of time?
Integrity, service above self, fellowship, and respect for diversity.
How do you see the legacy of the club being carried forward by the younger generation of members?
Through fresh ideas, innovation, and renewed energy, while staying anchored to the foundation built by those before them.
What advice would you give to new members looking to make a lasting impact in the Rotary Club?
Show up consistently. Build relationships. Focus on impact, not recognition. And like PP Jeyan always says: "No matter what you do, find joy in Rotary, always".
If you could give one piece of advice to someone considering joining the Rotary movement, what would it be?
Join with an open heart. And to add (a refined version of) something that President Marcel always says: Rotary will change you as much as you hope to change the world. Be prepared.
Are there any humorous or unexpected moments from your time in the club that you’d like to share?
The “Membership Development” Yacht party was certainly out of the ordinary. While I’m proud of organising it, what I remember most vividly is thinking: if I’m on a boat, far from home, these are exactly the people I’d want to be with… including my husband, of course.
Who has been the most influential person you’ve met through your Rotary journey, and why?
It’s difficult to name just one, but IPP Farouk & PP Pok Zin stand out. Farouk embodies service without seeking credit or recognition. His humility has shown me that quiet consistency is one of the most powerful forms of leadership. PP Pok Zin is like a rock who stands by you yet keeps you grounded. He has so much ‘Rotary’ history to share, and that is something profoundly meaningful for me.
How do you envision the club continuing to grow and serve in the next 50 years?What would you like to see as the Rotary Club of Queenstown’s future focus or legacy projects?
By staying deeply connected to evolving community needs. I’d love to see RCQ create lasting impact across five or six core causes that genuinely resonate with our members; causes they’re proud to give their time and energy to.
In particular, I hope to see stronger integration of our elder members within the changing social fabric, a continued focus on active ageing and wellness, and meaningful pathways for youth to serve alongside us.■
