Leila Lopes, 25 years old, was born to Cape Verdean immigrants in Angola's central Benguela province. Before being crowned Miss Universe 2011, Lopes attended school for business management in Great Britain. In her country’s national beauty pageant, Miss Angola, Lopes obtained the Photogenic Award as well as winner of the title, gaining the right to represent Angola in the 2011 Miss Universe pageant.

In her new role, Lopes’s main focus is helping her native Angola further escape a history of war and impoverishment and combating HIV around the globe.