Special Olympics CEO leads with passion

CEO of Special Olympics Ancilla Smith sits at the helm of the organisation and leads her team with a heart filled with passion for serving.

Smith was recently appointed to head the NGO and was in the marketing and communications department before accepting the challenge to lead the organisation that has offices throughout Africa.

The Randpark Ridge resident explained that she was able to do her job more effectively with her team backing her up and that her job allowed her to be involved in important social matters.

“My staff and I regularly engage with athletes and this is where we draw our inspiration from as they really are amazing,” she said.

Special Olympics works with intellectually-challenged athletes and Smith added that she wanted her tenure as CEO to inspire acceptance in communities all over the country.

“People with intellectual disabilities are often followed by stigma because people do not understand them and I want to change that so that the athletes are more understood by their communities,” she explained.

She pointed out that her job was not an easy one as she was a single mother, raising her 12-year-old daughter.

“For most mothers having a full time job is not easy especially when children get sick. However, I want to teach my daughter to be strong, not to discriminate, see her own potential and to have empathy for others,” she said.

Smith added that her biggest inspiration came from her daughter who always attended the Special Olympics event with her.

She also added that she wanted to show women out there that they can do great things and not rely on ‘blessers’.

“In the Special Olympics there is no male chauvinism but I know in the corporate world it is cut throat and women don’t receive the respect that is due to them but that does not mean that we are any less capable than men,” she said.

Details: ancilla@specialolympics.org.za

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