DISRUPT 2.0 AUTHORS ARE RECIPIENTS OF THE FILIPINA WOMEN'S NETWORK'S U.S. AND GLOBAL FWN100™ AWARDEES (2007-2016)
The 37 authors are Filipina Women's Network's U.S. and Global FWN100™ Awardees (2007-2016) representing Canada, China (Hong Kong), Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States.
Amelia Alado
An Ilongga’s Global Journey
HARDWORKING • TENACIOUS • DRIVEN
Amelia Alado has more than fifteen years of professional experience since qualifying as an attorney-at-law in the Philippines in 1999. She successfully completed a Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice in 2008 at BPP Law School in London. She has worked in private, government, and third sectors in various jurisdictions. Amelia has worked at the Department of Trade and Industry and the Court of Appeals in the Philippines. While in the UK she worked at the Ministry of Justice and the Government Legal Department. Amelia was a recipient of Intellectual Property Fellowship under the auspices of the Japan Patent Office (JPO) and the World Intellectual Property Office. She did her training and research at the Asia Pacific Intellectual Property Centre and the Japan Institute for Promoting Invention and Innovation. Her thesis, “A Comparative Study of the Philippines and Japan Intellectual Property Laws,” was published by the JPO. Amelia spoke on the “Strategic Forum on Women, Business and Economic Development” at the 5th Southeast Asian (SEA) Studies Symposium in April, 2016 organized by Project Southeast Asia at the University of Oxford. Amelia currently lives in London.
Arlene Marie "Bambi" A. Lorica, M.D.
Leading From Behind: SHE-pherding and Energy Medicine
CREATIVE • COURAGEOUS • COMPASSIONATE
Arlene Marie “Bambi” A. Lorica, M.D. is an environmentalist, holistic pediatrician, community advocate, and lyric soprano. Sub-specializing in energy medicine, she is currently doing a fellowship in Regenerative Medicine. She is a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, Institute of Functional Medicine, and the International Society for the Study of Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine. She co-produced the critically and internationally acclaimed film “Busong” that was chosen for presentation by more than 35 Film Festivals, and won awards in Asia, Europe and North America, including the most prestigious award given by National Geographic for indigenous films. She is recognized for medical diplomacy, and is an active advocate both in the US and in the Philippines for numerous causes and supports humanitarian and artistic endeavors. A mother of four, her passion includes singing, ballroom dancing, gourmet cooking, and painting. Her other interests include organic farming, sustainability, and renewable energy development. A board member of FWN since 2007, she is committed to improving the Filipina image globally and helping end domestic violence everywhere.
Aurora Abella-Austriaco
Being A Filipina Litigator in a Sea of Dark Blue Suits
PROFESSIONAL • RESULT DRIVEN • EFFECTIVE
Aurora Abella-Austriaco, Principal and Owner of Austriaco & Associates, focuses her practice on business and real estate litigation, mechanic’s liens, defense of mortgage foreclosure, title insurance claims, and other special chancery remedy cases. She worked for Harold I. Levine and Attorney’s Title Guaranty Fund (ATGF). Aurora graduated from De Paul University with a B. S. in Finance and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, a professional degree earned by completing law school. Aurora served as the past President and first Asian President of the Chicago Bar Association, was elected as the first female and first Asian President of the Illinois Real Estate Lawyers’ Association, and was a founding board member of the Filipino American Bar Association. She currently serves on the Board of Director for ATGF and is Chairman of the Board for a subsidiary of the ATG Legal Serve Corp. Aurora is currently serving her 11th term as Chair of the Cook County States Attorney Asian Advisory Council. She served 10 years as Commissioner for the Cook County Human Rights Commission, 8 years as Commissioner for the Park Ridge Planning and Zoning Commission, President of the Asian American Institute, board member of Hubbard Street Dance of Chicago, and Commissioner to the Illinois Courts Commission. Aurora received the Asian American Coalition of Chicago (2015) “Ping Tom Memorial Award,” Today’s Chicago Woman (2013), “100 Women of Influence in Chicago,” Philippine Chamber of Commerce “Ten Most Outstanding Filipino American Businessmen,” “Leading Lawyer” in Real Estate Law (2011-2015), “Top 100 Women Consumer Lawyers,” “2011 Top 100 Under 50 Diverse Executive Leaders” and “Super Lawyer in Real Estate” from 2012-2015. Aurora is fluent in Tagalog. She is married to Dr. Jerome Austriaco and they have two girls, Danielle and Isabelle.
Benel Se-Liban, CPA
SPIRITUAL • SELFLESS • LEADER
Benel Se-Liban, CPA, is the first Filipina partner of Vasquez and Company, one of California’s most venerable accounting firms. She is the non-profit Practice Leader of the firm and oversees all aspects of assurance, accounting. and consulting services to nonprofit clients. Her area of expertise includes all aspects of financial and compliance audits. She has extensive experience in nonprofit community healthcare organization, financial audit and compliance, corporate best practices, and governance. Benel is the Founding President of the International Society of Filipinos in Finance and Accounting (ISFFA). She is also the Audit Committee Chair/Board of Directors, St. John's Well Child and Family Center; Finance Committee Chair/Board of Directors of Life Steps Foundation, Kalayaan of Southern California; and Board of Directors and Member, Profitable Solutions Editorial Board. In 2011, Benel was honored as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina in the U.S. by the Filipina Women’s Network (FWN). Benel was also the 2011 Awardee, Centennial Award for Outstanding Agnesians, St. Agnes' Academy Alumni Association; and 2012 Nominee, Los Angeles Business Journal's Women Making a Difference Award. Benel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accountancy from De La Salle University.
Ambassador Delia Domingo Albert
Preface
DEDICATED • DYNAMIC • DEVOTED
Ambassador Delia Domingo Albert, the first career woman diplomat to become Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Minister) of the Philippines and in Asia, has served in Switzerland, Romania, Hungary, the former German Democratic Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Commonwealth of Australia. She chaired the United Nations Security Council in 2004 and introduced “The Role of Civil Society in Post-Conflict Peacebuilding.” She attended the University of the Philippines, the Institute of International Studies in Geneva, the Diplomatic Institute in Salzburg, Boston University Overseas in Bonn, the J.F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, among others. The Philippine Women’s University conferred on her Doctor of Humanities, honoris causa for building a gender-fair society. Her awards include: Most Distinguished Alumna of the University of the Philippines in 2012, Order of Sikatuna rank of Datu for her meritorious service to the country, Bai-A-Rawatun sa Filipinas for assisting Muslim women in their search for peace and development. The Federal Republic of Germany awarded her the Knight’s Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit with Star for promoting bilateral and ASEAN-EU relations. The Australian government awarded her for exceptional performance as former Ambassador in 2016. She is married to Hans Albert, a German television journalist and mother to Joy and Arne Jerochewski and grandmother to Oskar.
Dolly Pangan Specht
Servant Leadership
FUNNY • DYNAMIC • CONFIDENT
Dolly Pangan Specht is one feisty lady who lives her life by laughter. She likes to say she was born with a decent pedigree and a love of history. She proudly owns up to being among the great-granddaughters of Epifanio delos Santos, the Philippine national hero whose name was made more famous by the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution. Her more pop-culture association is that of being the youngest sister of the Philippine beloved comedian, now deceased, Chiquito. An Assumption girl at heart, this convent-bred woman once desired to be a nun, but was advised by her Mother Superior that there are other ways that she could serve the Lord. And so with that option gone, Dolly did manage to find ways and means to serve in her everyday life, ranging from being a professional to a servant-leadership life as a volunteer. She is the owner of a homebased business Perfect Plus Professional Support, Dolly simply serves.
Elena Mangahas
Elena Mangahas and Daughters
Elena and her husband Fred have two grown daughters, the oldest a Professor in Math in upstate New York and the youngest an English and Literature high school teacher in Stockton. Fred is retired from the State of California. Elena has been a 28-year civil servant in workforce development. She is currently a Division Manager at San Joaquin County Employment and Economic Development Department and oversees an annual $3 million budget for youth jobs programs in the county. She supervises a staff level that ranges from 12-40 on a year-round basis with temporary staff for the summer programs. Elena’s workforce development includes farmworkers’ transition program, refugee entry level jobs program, welfare-to-work-program, non-traditional career pathways for women, and youth community leadership and empowerment. She calls the youth programs as her own thousand-points of light. As a community leader Elena has represented both marginalized communities of color and communities that have not been historically disadvantaged. She has advocated for greater attention to the Filipino community for their tremendous contributions to Stockton, CA, beginning in the 1920’s. Elena has been with the Filipina Women’s Network since 2004 with an active role in its anti-violence against women and girls’ campaigns. She was instrumental in the productions of The Vagina Monologues and PINAY POWER Futures Search that led to the publication of the leadership books DISRUPT I. Elena holds an AB in Journalism and Communication from the University of the Philippines.
Elizabeth Bautista
Driver of Change
Operations Technology Group Leader at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, FWN100™ Global 2013
Elizabeth Bautista is the Operations Technology Group Leader (OTG) at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab’s National Energy Research Scientific Computing (NERSC) Center, the primary scientific computing facility for the Office of Science in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Elizabeth manages a staff that ensures 24x7 management and operation of NERSC in order to ensure continuous resource availability to users. OTG’s Operations Bridge is the central location for monitoring, problem reporting, triage and resolution, data collection, and emergency response for the high performance operations and data storage system. OTG also functions as the Network Operations Center (NOC) of the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet), a high-performance, unclassified wide area network that supports scientific research and collaborations globally. Elizabeth is active with the Lab’s Computing Science Diversity and Outreach Programs that involves women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities. A former delegate for the Council of University of California Staff Assemblies, she champions issues of retention and diversity. Elizabeth manages the NERSC student internship program, creating a pipeline for workforce development and staff recruitment. She has a B. S. in Computer Information Systems and an M. B.A. in Technical Management from Golden Gate University. Elizabeth is a big Disney fan and her favorite character is Stitch, an alien originally associated with causing chaos and who is known for his mischief but also for his love of his adoptive family. She is also a fan of Hayao Miyazaki, a storyteller known for his strong female leaders.
Emma Marcha Imperial
Leading for Sustainable Solar Powered Housing Community
TRAILBLAZER •PASSIONATE • INSPIRING
Emma Marcha Imperial is President and CEO of Imperial Homes Group of Companies, one of the Philippines largest developers of socialized and affordable housing with over 16,000 homes built since 1983. Her company was recently awarded the following: (1) Shortlisted in the Financial Times/ IFC Transformational Business Awards 2016 for Achievement in Low-Carbon Urban Transformation. (2) IFC- World Bank Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) Certificate for Green Building. (3) Poster Child of IFC-World Bank for its residential case study, the development of the nation’s first affordable housing fitted with solar panels, with water-conserving toilets, and energy reducing construction materials. (4) Social Enterprise grantee of Netsuite.Org, who is committed to supporting capacity building efforts for non-profits and social enterprises around the world. She is also a Go Negosyo Awardee for Woman Entrepreneur for 2015 and awarded as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina on 2015 by Filipina Women Network. Ms. Imperial has a BS Economics from the University of the Philippines and is an Alumna of Harvard Business School’s Owner Management Program. She ranked 3rd in the Philippine Broker Board Examination, in 2000. She was also the Corporate Broker Officer of the Financial American Exchange in California, from 1982-1995.
Evelyn Dilsaver
BUSINESS LEADER. AWARD WINNER. PHILANTHROPIST.
With a Certified Public Accountant background, Evelyn Dilsaver transitioned to general management as an executive in financial services moving from finance to sales, business development, product development to being president and CEO of a large investment management firm. Recently, Evelyn moved to her next great adventure of serving on corporate and non-profit boards. Her specialties are mergers and acquisitions integration work, product development, general management, non-profit, growing a business, financial controls. Evelyn currently serves on 6 corporate boards: Aeropostale (ARO), Tempur Sealy (TPX), Health Equity (HQY), Blue Shield of California, Protiviti (Advisory Board) Global Consulting and Internal Audit firm, and Bailard REIT- Private Real Estate Investment Trust. Evelyn also serves on 5 non-profit boards: The Commonwealth Club, Women Corporate Directors National Advisory Board, National Association of Corporate Directors (Nor-Cal Chapter), Blue Shield Foundation, and Cal State East Bay Foundation. Her awards include: Filipinas Magazine Corporate Award 2003, San Francisco Business Times “100 Most Influential Woman” awarded 2004-2009, San Francisco Business Times “Forever Influential Award” 2010, California Women’s Leadership Alliance Award 2006, Legal Momentum’s Women of Achievement 2007, California State University East Bay Alumnae of the year 2008, FWN100™ U.S. 2011, and San Francisco Business Times “Outstanding Director” 2014. She received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanity from California State East Bay in 2016.
Francine Maigue
Becoming A Global Pinay Powerhouse
GLOBAL PINAY POWER
Francine Maigue graduated with her Master’s degree from Harvard University, where she received the prestigious Harvard Commencement Speaker Prize, hosted the Philippine Presidential Debate at the Harvard Law School, served as Diversity Ambassador for Women Entrepreneurs for the Harvard’s Business Society, and founded the Women’s Empowerment Convention and Network (WECAN). Francine graduated with her B.A. from UCLA, where she was a leader and member of eight honor societies, Commencement Speaker, Homecoming Queen: and honored with the Distinguished Bruin, Outstanding Senior, Chancellor’s Service, Woman for Change, and Young Humanitarian Awards. Francine was crowned Miss Philippines of San Diego 1999 and, in 2012, was selected by His Excellency Ambassador Cuisia as an inaugural delegate to the Filipino American Young Leaders Program and honored with the Filipino American History Achievement Award in the areas of Humanitarianism, Arts, and Community Service. Francine received the 2015 BAYANI Award and was named “One of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World” and the “Global Face of Pinay Power.” Francine is the District Director for California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, International Friendship Commissioner for the City of Chula Vista, President and CEO of the Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce, and writes The Filipino Press’s popular column “Francine & Friends.”
GIzelle Covarrubias Robinson
PASSIONATE • DETERMINED • LOYAL
Gizelle is an award-winning transformative information technology leader with broad based global experience across multiple industries and over 31 years of experience in this field. A strategic, visionary, driven, results oriented leader with a consistent record of successfully leading multiple initiatives across various platforms and several enterprises at Charles Schwab & Co. Gizelle delivers solutions and innovative services that enable firms and the business to improve their clients ability to achieve their financial goals. She implements process improvements and creates a culture of efficiency. She is recognized for her motivational leadership style. Gizelle is a strong advocate for women and believes the best way to achieve gender partnership is to generate sustained awareness early and often. She majored in Industrial Management Engineering and minored in Chemical Engineering. She was recently named as one of the 10, 2013 Professional Business Women of California Industry Leader Awardees. She currently serves as Board of Director at Large and Treasurer for Professional Business Women in California. She is a member of the Executive Committee, Programming Committee and the Audit Committee. She focuses on current and anticipated issues and challenges facing women of all ages in professional settings.
Glenda Tibe Bonifacio, Ph.D.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR, DISRUPT 2.0. FILIPINA WOMEN: DARING TO LEAD
Legacy in the Academe: Integrated Activism for Social Justice
SCHOLAR • MOTHER • ACTIVIST
Glenda Tibe Bonifacio, Ph.D. is an associate Professor at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada. Dr. Bonifacio holds a BA in the Social Sciences major in Political Science (magna cum laude, University of the Philippines); MA in Asian Studies (University of the Philippines); and a Ph.D. from the School of History and Politics, University of Wollongong, Australia in 2004. Dr. Bonifacio's research interests include: gender, migration, citizenship, development, globalization, religion, activism, and feminist spirituality. Dr. Bonifacio edited Gender and Rural Migration (2014) and Feminism and Migration (2012); co-edited Migrant Domestic Workers and Family Life (2015), and Gender, Religion and Migration: Pathways of Integration (2010). She is the author of Pinay on the Prairies: Filipino Women and Transnational Identities (2013). Pinay on the Prairies uses “Pinay feminisms” as a theoretical frame for analyzing the transnational lives of Filipino Women in Canada.
GLORIA T. CAOILE
Gloria Caoile is a recognized civic leader, as co-founder of the Asian Pacific American Women Leadership Institute and the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance. She has served on the boards of the Filipino American Civil Rights Advocates and the National Federation of Filipino-American Associations. She was appointed by President Clinton to the White House Advisory Commission of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to advise on how best to respond to their health needs. Philippine President Fidel Ramos presented Gloria with one of the Philippines’ highest civic award in 1997. In 2001, Filipinas Magazine presented Gloria its Achievement Award for Community Service. She is the recipient of the l999 “Filipina First” award by the Philippine American Foundation to honor Filipino-American women and their unique achievements. Gloria’s experience includes more than 30 years of service with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), a 1.3 million-member union. At the time of her retirement, she was the assistant to the AFSCME President. Even after retirement, Gloria heads special assignment teams. She led a team to help 3,000 AFSCME survivors of hurricane Katrina. She managed the AFSCME September 11 Fallen Heroes Fund to assist members affected by that tragedy. Gloria encourages the immigrant community to vote, to volunteer in civic organizations, and to do their part in maintaining a healthy democracy in America. Civic involvement continues to be her lifelong passion and commitment. Gloria is married to Benjamin Caoile. They have a daughter and granddaughter.
Isabelita “Lita” Marcelo Abele
AWARD WINNER • PHILANTHROPIST • ENTREPRENEUR
As President and CEO of the South Jersey-based, family-owned lumber supplier, U.S. Lumber, Isabelita Abele has successfully “gone against the grain” and positioned her certified ‘woman’ and ‘minority-owned’ lumber and building materials company as leader in sales throughout New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. She represents the best of success in American Diversity as she breaks the barriers of the glass ceiling and opens opportunities for Filipino women and men in America. Lita’s outstanding leadership in a non-traditional woman-owned corporation has been recognized for over twenty years with national, regional, and local business awards. The corporation has repeatedly been ranked as one of the fastest growing firms from 1999 to 2014. Under the leadership of Lita and her partner and husband Merrill Abele, U.S. Lumber is expected to continue the climb in the years to come. As an involved community leader, Lita contributes her expertise and experience with various entities including business groups, local and statewide government, university students and administration, women’s advocacy associations, and Chambers of Commerce on both a state and national level. Lita is a member of the Board of Trustees at Rowan University. She is a published author. Her awards include, but are not limited to: The International Alliance for Women’s (TIAW) World of Difference 100, NJBIZ 50 Best Women in Business, 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the United States, Top 100 Women in Business as identified by the Philadelphia Business Journal, and The Alice Paul Institute’s Equality Award.
Janice Lao-Noche
Disrupting Stereotypes: Being You
MOTHER • SCIENTIST • SERVANT-LEADER
With more than a decade experience on sustainability; environmental, and social development issues, Janice leads the sustainability team at a world-class railway and property company based in Asia with interests in Hong Kong, China, Australia, London, and Sweden. Previously, she worked on sustainability issues for the Swire Group a 400-strong multinational conglomerate and Cathay Pacific Airways, a 5-star international airline. Under her leadership, both companies received international recognitions for their sustainability practices. She is a recipient of several international sustainability awards for her leadership in this area and has been one of the youngest recipients. Prior to her corporate work, she worked at international environmental think tanks and consulting firms. She has worked across the Asia Pacific region; Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East. She graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University, Environmental Science (ES) program and was the first ES student to graduate with honours. She is the first Filipino to graduate from the University of Oxford, Environmental Change Institute where she was the recipient of the prestigious Shell Chevening-British Foreign and Commonwealth Scholarship. She is a board member of the Renew Foundation that actively supports issues such as anti-sex trafficking in the Philippines and the Green Tray Project with its focus on environmental education in Hong Kong. She is also a mother of two young children. Janice likes to call herself a “storytelling scientist” who enjoys communicating complex science matters to a broader audience.
Josefina “Chef Jessie” Sincioco
Saying “Yes” To God’s Will
Josefina “Chef Jessie” Sincioco, started her career in the kitchen when she won the grand prize in the baking category of the Great Maya Cookfest in 1983. Chef Jessie is known for her innovative and sumptuous culinary masterpieces served in her upscale fine dining restaurants: Chef Jessie Rockwell Club, Top Of The Citi By Chef Jessie, and 100 Revolving Restaurant. Chef Jessie has been promoting Philippine cuisine by doing Filipino food promotions and judging culinary competitions here and abroad. She co-authored a book entitled Kulinarya, a Guidebook to Philippine Cuisine, with five other top chefs of our country. Chef Jessie earned the title “PAPAL CHEF” when she was appointed to prepare the food of the Holy Father during his entire Philippine visit in January 2015. Chef Jessie was one of the eight BRAVO Empowered Women awardees given by Zonta Club and Security Bank in 2015 and one of the five Club Bulakeño’s Huwarang Anak ng Bulakan 2015 awardees. Chef Jessie won L’ Assite D’ Or for the Best in Market Basket Chefs on Parade (1986), Gold with Distinction on Cold Desserts Display Chefs on Parade (1987), L’ Assite D’ Or for the Best in Market Basket Chefs on Parade (1992), and 2nd Place, Silver Medalist, Member of the 5-Man National Team, Salon Culinaire in Singapore (1992).
Josephine Romero
15 to 51
INTUITIVE. DEPTH. FUN
Josephine Romero is a strategist who likes to develop business ideas. With over 20 years of experience in private, corporate, diplomatic, and public sectors, she has shown professionalism, creativity, and entrepreneurship. She is CEO of a fintech startup in the Philippines. She was the Senior Managing Director of the biggest Filipino American information technology outsourcing company in the U.S. As Commercial Counselor of the Philippine Embassy in Brasilia, she setup the first Philippine commercial office in Sao Paulo. She facilitated discussions for Brazilian and Filipino food companies to trade goods and the expansion of the biggest South American foreign direct investment to the Philippines. Her other overseas posts included Silicon Valley, New York, and Washington, DC where she encouraged public-private cooperation through the Philippine Business Process Outsourcing Council, the Global Sourcing Council, the World BPO Forum, the Silicon Valley Science and Technology Advisory Council, and the FWN 100 Most Influential Filipinas Project. She initiated the first government-hosted Filipino Business Plan Pitch Competition at the 2010 e-Services Philippines Conference, which led to the entry of Silicon Valley and Asian venture capitalists and the establishment of Philippine angels and venture capital funds in support of startups and technopreneurs in the Philippines. Her Economics degree is from the University of the Philippines (1991). She attended the Regis Executive MBA program at the Ateneo de Manila University in 2000.
Juanita Nimfa Y. Gamez
From Travails to Success: Caring Leadership
Juanita Nimfa Y. Gamez is the President and CEO of Caring Hearts Foundation and Mission-Hope Developmental Services. Her family business and philanthropic efforts are focused on serving and advocating for the developmentally disabled community, as well as providing micro-finance and other forms of assistance to underprivileged families in the Philippines. She moved to the United States in 1995, where she went from being a housewife to a successful business owner in the health care services field. Ms. Gamez is motivated to provide employment to hundreds of people, especially Filipinos, to assist others on starting their own business, and to inspire single-mothers worldwide with her story. Her commitment to social impact and civic engagement has been recognized by a resolution of the California State Assembly, being honored and awarded by the Filipina Women’s Network (FWN) as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina in the US (2007) and in the World (2015). She was born and raised in Quezon City and attended the Philippine Science High School and the University of the Philippines. She is a mother to eight children.
Judy Arteche-Carr
Leading by Example
PILLAR • BRIDGE • WARM
Judy Arteche-Carr is the CEO of Arteche Global Group, management consulting company specializing in strategy and global sourcing with a select clientele of international companies and higher education institutions. She has worked with management teams in transformation strategies; aligning information technology to business and risk and financial management in various institutions such as Salomon Brothers (Citigroup), JP Morgan (JPM Chase), EDS (HP) and Unisys. Prior to this, Judy worked at Children’s Television Workshop (Sesame Street) as a Treasury Analyst, managing risk and the investment portfolio. Before she moved to New York, Judy started out in market research with Consumer Pulse then joined Minds Marketing, a female run advertising agency, as Head of Account Management. Currently, she gives back to the information technology business community by being an active Board member of the Society for Information Management. She has been an adjunct professor of Fordham University Business School. Judy has participated and spoken at conferences in the US, Europe and Asia. As President of the HIC Alumni International, she tirelessly helps raise funds for deserving students and women in need in Tacloban City, Philippines. She lives in New York and is married to Michael D. Carr.
Lucille Tenazas
THE DESIGNER AS CULTURAL NOMAD
Lucille Tenazas is the founder and principal of Tenazas Design, a communication graphics and design firm with projects in the cultural, educational, and non-profit sector. She was awarded the National Design Award in Communication Design by the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in 2002 and is considered one of America’s leading design innovators. Active in the AIGA, the professional association for design, she served as the national organization’s President from 1996 to 1998. Additionally, Lucille is a design educator and is the Henry Wolf Professor of Communication Design at Parsons School of Design in New York where she is the Associate Dean in the School of Art, Media and Technology (AMT). She was the Founding Chair of the MFA Design Program at California College of the Arts (CCA) in San Francisco with an emphasis on form-giving, teaching, and leadership. She is working on an autobiographically-inflected publication of her design work that spans 30 years. Contact: lucille@tenazasdesign.com.
Ma. Alcestis (Thetis) Abrera Mangahas
A World Citizen
Ma. Alcestis (Thetis) Abrera Mangahas is a senior labor expert, with over forty years of professional experience in international technical cooperation concerning labor migration, forced labor and human trafficking, child labor, and workers in informal and precarious employment including domestic workers. A magna cum laude under-graduate from the University of the Philippines School of Economics, Thetis completed her graduate degree (1978) from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She rose through the ranks of the Overseas Employment Development Board and its successor organization, the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration. She is credited with the design and development of important initiatives for the protection of migrant workers. After she moved from a Philippines national government career to international development work with the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO), Thetis oversaw multi-country programs on child labor, labor migration, and human trafficking. Towards the end of her international development work, Thetis was appointed Deputy Regional Director for Policy and Programmes of the ILO’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. After retiring from the ILO in 2015, she was given active Fellow status with the Social Weather Stations, the Philippines’ primary survey research institute on quality of life, public opinion, and governance. Thetis’ current research interests center on the impact of overseas (foreign) employment on the well-being of migrant family households in the Philippines. She is married to Mahar Mangahas, and mother of four children; Kelley, Fabian, Mahar and Angelica.
Maria Africa Beebe, Ph.D.
EDITOR, DISRUPT 2.0. FILIPINA WOMEN: DARING TO LEAD
Developing an International Leadership Repertoire
GLOBAL • SCHOLAR EDUCATOR• KATIPUNERA
Maria Beebe, Ph.D. is an applied sociolinguist whose research interests include critical discourse analysis, women’s leadership, and information communication technologies (ICT) for development. She has a Masters of Arts in Anthropology and Ph.D. in Education from Stanford University. Dr. Beebe co-edited DISRUPT. Filipina Women: Loud. Proud. Leading without a Doubt based on the leadership journeys of 35 Filipinas who shared their stories in 2015. She is the author of the chapter on Harmonizing Global Teams in Afghanistan, the book introduction, and synthesis. She is the author of The Leadership Repertoire of Select Filipina Women in the Diaspora and Implications for Theorizing Leadership in the 2016 book volume Theorizing Women & Leadership: New Insights & Contributions from Multiple Perspectives. She is working on a book on Afghan Women and Leadership. Dr. Beebe co-edited AfricaDotEdu to share lessons learned from the use of ICT to create networks among higher education institutions in Africa. Dr. Beebe has over 20 years of experience in international development, higher education, and the use of the Internet for teaching and learning in Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Liberia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Poland, and Philippines. Dr. Beebe created Global Networks to continue collaborations by global citizens or organizations for a sustainable world.
Maria Santos-Greaves
Learning Management from the Most Unlikely
ENTREPRENEUR • LEADER • MOTIVATOR
Maria Santos-Greaves decided to start her own hearing clinic in Canada, in order to provide compassionate and quality care to those needing to hear better. A major motivation: she had become hearing-impaired due to a side-effect of a medication. With a strong determination to succeed, Maria Santos-Greaves built and nurtured Surrey Hearing Care Inc. Because of her efforts, many people of various age and ethnic groups can now hear better in Greater Vancouver. Through the years, Maria has used the company mobile hearing van to provide free hearing tests to the members of the public who need these services. Maria is active with the Canadian Medical Mission Society and contributes her time, expertise, and resources in helping those with no access to health care in the Philippines. For her tireless efforts to help and give back to the community, she was voted across Canada as one of the Top 25 Immigrants in 2015. “I grew up a Filipina in the Philippines. My heart and soul will never forget my roots, my beloved home country that molded me to become the woman I am today; an entrepreneur in my adopted and appreciated new homeland of Canada.”
Marie Claire Lim Moore
BANKER • AUTHOR • SPEAKER
Marie Claire Lim Moore is currently the Development Director at The Women’s Foundation in Hong Kong, a leading non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls. Claire has over 15 years of international business experience managing global consumer banking and payment products across the US, Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Most recently, Claire was Asia Pacific Regional Director at Citi where she was responsible for the retail bank’s global services across 12 countries. She started her career at American Express in New York City where she managed strategic relationships with the company’s largest travel partners. She joined Citi in 2001 to grow the Citi Cards American Airlines portfolio and lead the shift from traditional to digital marketing. In 2005 she was selected for the Global Consumer Management Associate program and since then she has held various senior level positions throughout the Global Retail Bank. Claire is also the author of Amazon.com best sellers Don’t Forget the Soap (And Other Reminders from My Fabulous Filipina Mother) and Don’t Forget the Parsley (And More from My Positively Filipino Family). She is passionate about promoting career-family balance and uses her talks as well as her writing to promote this balance. She is regularly ranked among the top female leaders and her experiences have been documented by CNN, The New York Times, USA Today, Smart Parenting, and People Asia. In 2014, she received the FWN100™ Global 2014. Claire received a BA from Yale University and an Executive MBA from Fordham University. She currently lives in Hong Kong with her husband and their three children.
Marily Mondejar
Owning Your Influential Power as a Leader
FEARLESS LEADER • GRASSROOTS ORGANIZER • COMMUNITY ADVOCATE
Marily Mondejar, the Founder and CEO of the Filipina Women’s Network (FWN), has dedicated the last decade transforming how global Filipina women view themselves and how others view them. The transformed image is of women exerting influence. Her initiatives to bring about this transformation have included producing more positive search results on the Internet for the term “Filipina,” embracing Ensler’s “The Vagina Monologues” and the campaign to end domestic violence and human trafficking, and facilitating the creation of a pipeline of Filipina leaders with the skills to compete at all levels in all economic sectors. As the sixth of 13 children, Marily learned early how to get her voice heard in her family and carried this skill into her career in roles such as a senior business leader, board member for organizations working on the Status of Women, and former Commissioner on the San Francisco Redistricting Task Force. Marily also draws from her experience as a survivor of an abusive relationship, a single mother, and a U.S. immigrant who started her professional life from scratch to a successful organizational consultant in mergers and acquisitions, corporate image, preparation of witnesses for court appearances and depositions, implementation of culture due diligence, as well as promoting networks for advancing the status of Filipina women globally. Her impact can be measured by the countless number of women she has brought along with her to positions of leadership. San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee appointed Marily as Commissioner of the Office for Community Investment and Infrastructure which is responsible for $20 billion in assets used to create jobs, affordable housing, commercial space, and parks and open space areas.
Melissa Disini Orquiza
The Big Bang
THOUGHTFULLY SILLY • FULL OF DREAMS • HARDWORKING
Melissa has worked in film music for the last 17 years. She has worked on Moana, Frozen: Live at the Hyperion, Suicide Squad, McFarland, USA, Minions, Jurassic World, Inside Out, Straight Out of Compton, and Batman versus Superman. Her past credits include the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Transformers: Age of Extinction, the Dark Knight Rises, Up and others. Melissa works for Booker White, head of Music Preparation at Disney, whose credits list over 300 movies. Melissa is comfortable with classical music, hip hop, and pop. Melissa started playing piano at age three and composed her first piece at age six. She was awarded a Deans Scholarship to the University of Southern California and studied Music Composition with an emphasis in Film Scoring. She was awarded the Elaine Krown Klein Scholarship and earned a Masters in Arts in Music Composition from UCLA. She is working on symphonic transcriptions of native Filipino music for orchestra in the hopes that when symphonies program “Asian” or “Spanish” music, the Philippines will be included. Melissa firmly believes that music and mathematics are key components to the future. Music provides an emotional outlet, discipline, and the power of self-worth; all building blocks for the components to understanding science and math, and both music and mathematics are vital for our youth’s future.
Michelle Florendo
PASSIONATE • ILLUMINATING • SAGE
Michelle Florendo is an engineer by trade, a Type-A management consultant, and a Fortune 500 brand marketer turned career coach. After a decade working alongside corporate professionals, she saw too many peers get stuck in soul-sucking jobs and golden handcuffs. As someone who understood the frustration of high-achieving professionals, Michelle decided to follow her heart and start her own career consulting firm, What If You Could. She is known for her analytical approach to career consulting—with a BS in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University, and an MBA from UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, Michelle uses analytical expertise, careful questioning, and personal experience to help her clients craft fulfilling careers. Over the years Michelle has led workshops both domestically and internationally, and has shown hundreds of driven professionals how to find jobs that satisfy them. In 2015, she was honored to serve on the inaugural coaching team for Seth Godin's altMBA, a five-week intensive workshop for change-makers around the world. She now maintains a portfolio of work that includes personalized 1:1 coaching, group programs, curriculum development, and speaking engagements.
Mutya San Agustin, M.D. FAAP
Revolutionizing the Health Care Delivery System
LEADER • INNOVATOR • VISIONARY
Mutya San Agustin, M.D. FAAP is a Retired Professor, Pediatrics, Clinical Epidemiology, Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY and Founding President, Philippine Ambulatory Pediatric Association, Inc. Recognized internationally, she was key to the integration of medical education and training of physicians in the primary health care delivery system in the U.S. She established the Departments of Ambulatory Medicine, North Central Bronx Hospital and Primary Care Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center, University Hospital of Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She established the Primary Care Residency Program in Pediatrics and Internal Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital. She helped establish the International Pediatric Fellowship Program at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. As founding president of the Philippine Ambulatory Pediatric Association, Inc. she continues to provide guidance in programs focused on advocacy and coalition building. Dr. San Agustin received the following awards: Outstanding Alumnus for Medical Education, UPMASA; Bela Schick Award, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Maternal and Child Health Services Award, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Washington DC; Altran Foundation Scholarship Award, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Community Leadership Award, Bronx Community Health Network, Inc.; and, Centennial Award as “Builder in Medicine,” UP College of Medicine. Mutya’s four children are all in the arts: Emmanuel, Ariel, Angela, and Joanna.
Myrna Tang Yao
Leading One to Many
VISIONARY • STRATEGIST • ACTION-ORIENTED
Myrna Tang Yao is a highly successful and multi-awarded woman in the Philippine business. She is President and CEO of Richwell Trading Corporation and Richprime Global Inc., an exclusive distributor and Licensing Agent of Mattel toys and other leading brands of toys, shoes, and baby products. A staunch advocate of women’s economic empowerment, Myrna is the founding Chairperson of the Philippine Federation of Local Councils of Women, founding President of the Filipino-Chinese Federation of Business and Professional Women of the Philippines, and Chair Emeritus of Pearl S. Buck Foundation Philippines. She has held leadership positions in the ASEAN Confederation of Women’s Organizations, the International Alliance of Women, the Philippine Movement for Good Governance, and Women for Women Foundation. In 2004, she was appointed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as Chairperson of the National Commission on the Role of a Filipino Women now called the Philippine Commission on Women to promote women’s rights and women’s economic empowerment. During Myrna’s term as Chairperson, the Magna Carta Law for Women and the National Action Plan on Women’s Peace and Security were signed. During this time, Myrna designed and then led the implementation of the Great Women Project. Her numerous local and international awards include the 2013 International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge Awards held in Lima, Peru; Global Summit of Women’s International Entrepreneur Award, and Gold Prize Award for Women’s World Excellence Award in Beijing. She received the Presidential Merit Award from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for her success in the field of entrepreneurship at the local and international level.
Rocio Nuyda
Rocio, a Morning Dew
PERFECTIONIST • ARTISTIC • COMPASSIONATE
Rocio Nuyda is a retired Management Executive (Executive Vice President) in credit card processing, having worked for the largest processor in the U.S. In her retirement, she owns and runs an event planning business. She is a staunch advocate for women’s rights. She keeps busy with social, political, and civic services in the U.S. and the Philippines. She promotes Filipino arts and culture as Chairman of FilAm Arts (2014-2015); and concurrently is a member of the Board of Directors of the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO), the only symphony orchestra of its kind and ethnicity in the nation. She is a member of the US Pinoys for Good Governance, ASEAN Women Circle of Los Angeles, Consultant to Feed2Succeed, Team Leader of Filipino Americans for Hillary Clinton-Asian American and Pacific Islander, and member of the Filipina Women’s Network. She was an Outstanding Alumna of St. Agnes’ Academy, Legazpi City 2012, a Benedictine school of St. Scholastica’s College, Manila. Rocio graduated from the Philippine Women’s University with a Bachelor degree in Liberal Arts, major in Communication Arts. She is a mother of five children; Hermel (Assistant Chairman, College of Nursing, Los Angeles Valley College), Robert Jr. (Purchasing Director, Toshiba), Carlyn Calloway (owner, fashion designer Thumbelina Atelier), and Clinton (Executive Chef, Roy Yamaguchi Chain of Restaurants). She is grandmother of seven grandchildren.
Salve Vargas Edelman
To Dream The Impossible, Begin To Make It Possible
PERFORMING ARTIST • ENTREPRENEUR • COMMUNITY LEADER
Salve is the Founder and President of the Rising Asian Pacific Americans Coalition for Diversity (RAPACD); Executive Director of the RAPACD Cultural Center; Creator, Executive Producer, Director, Host of the Isla Vegas, the Ninth Island TV Show. Salve is Chapter President of the Las Vegas Twin Lakes Community Clinic; Founder and President, CEO, and Chairman of the Board of the Twin Lakes Community Clinic; and, the National President of the Filipino American Heritage and Arts Museum. Salve is a Topnotch Licensed Real Estate Professional in Nevada and was the Top Sales Agent for 2012 and 2014. Her community service awards include: One of 200 Distinguished Women in Nevada, RUMI 2016 Award as an Outstanding Business and Community Leader, FWN100™ Global 2015, Outstanding Community Partner by the Youth Advocacy Program, Filipino American Heritage and Arts Museum's Protector of Legacy Hall of Fame, and Jefferson Award for Excellence in Public Service in 2016. Salve has traveled to Asia and Europe as an International Performing Artist and sang in various languages since 1975. She was the Lead Singer of Roy Leano and His Orchestra in the Bay Area for over 16 years. Salve’s philosophy in life is to share her God-given talents wholeheartedly and unconditionally and to live life to the fullest with love, passion, and purpose. Salve has lived in Las Vegas for over 20 years, with her husband, Paul and their dog, Angel!
SONIA LUGMAO ARANZA
Transformational Leadership Begins Within
DYNAMIC • INNOVATIVE • TENACIOUS
Fortune 500 corporations recognize Ms. Aranza as a high impact global speaker, master facilitator, and executive consultant. Her clients include Boeing, Chevron, Coca-Cola, IBM, McDonald’s, NASA, Sandals Resorts, Toyota, Wal-Mart, and many more. She is a seasoned professional with 20 years of experience specializing in global leadership development, cross-cultural communications, and diversity & inclusion strategies. The U.S. Department of Labor describes her work as “Outstanding!” The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) consistently ranks her among the top speakers at conferences based on audience evaluations. Respected by her colleagues, she is Past Chairperson of the Diversity Professional Experts Group of the National Speakers Association. She earned a B.A. in Communications from University of Hawaii while she was an International Exchange Student to Russia. She earned an M.A. in Cross-Cultural Communications from University of Hawaii and an M.A. in Public Communications from American University in Washington, DC. She actively mentors students and received the “Outstanding Woman of the Year” award from National Association of Professional Asian American Women. She was honored as one of the “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the United States” (2007) and one of the “100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World” (2015). Read her story at www.SoniaAranza.com.
Thelma B. Boac
From My Two Mothers: A Legacy Borne
EDUCATOR • PROFESSIONAL COACH/MENTOR • COMMUNITY LEADER
Thelma was born in the province of Bohol, Philippines. She came to America at the age of ten and lived with her adopted parents in Grover Beach, California. Her adopted father, a World War II veteran, was one of the original “manongs” who immigrated to America in the 1920’s. Thelma’s adopted mother, her own biological aunt, came to America as a young war widow. Both parents were active in community affairs. Thelma received her Bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University and attained a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership at San Jose State University. Thelma retired after a 37 year-career in education. She continued her dedication to education at San Jose State University, and The National Hispanic University, where she supervised and trained graduate students entering the teaching profession. She currently coaches newly appointed principals and administrators for the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Thelma was re-elected to the San Jose Berryessa Union School District Board of Trustees for another term, thus continuing her commitment to youth and the community. Thelma is a sought after educator and mentor and has been the recipient of many awards and has been recognized by many organizations for her dedication to community service.
Trish Quema La Chica
Surviving San Francisco: How I Landed My Dream Job at 28
GO-GETTER • CURIOUS • PERIPATETIC
Trish is the Policy and Advocacy Director at the Hawai‘i Public Health Institute, where she works with the state government and community advocates to enact legislation to promote healthy eating and active living, promote smoke-free policies, and discourage the use of tobacco products and electronic smoking devices. Her career has included previous roles with the Office of the Governor in Hawai‘i, the Asian and Pacific Islander American Health Forum, the United Nations Development Programme, and ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ largest television network. Trish is passionate about creating meaningful partnerships and collaborating across sectors to achieve healthier communities. She earned her Masters in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco and her B.A. from the Ateneo de Manila University. Trish is interested in using data and storytelling for social change and is currently pursuing her certification in Healthcare Analytics from the University of California, Davis. She lives in Hawai‘i with her husband, Cricket, and their dog, Lucy. She spends most of her free time reading on the beach, taking scenic hikes, and baking cookies. They are expecting their first child in October 2016. You can follow Trish on Twitter and Instagram: @trishquema and #lachicalife.
Vangie Meneses, Ed.D.
ASSOCIATE EDITOR, DISRUPT 2.0. FILIPINA WOMEN: DARING TO LEAD
Vangie Meneses, Ed.D. has been involved in higher education for over 40 years having served in various capacities as a counselor, instructor, and administrator. She has served at the Vice President of Student Services of Economic Development and the Chief Academic Officer. Her educational background includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Welfare, a Master’s in Social Work, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Change. Currently she serves as Board President of the Council of Philippine American Organizations of San Diego County and is an adjunct instructor for Claremont Graduate University. She has taught numerous classes and facilitated workshops in Personal Development, Human Development, Cultural Diversity, Organizational Leadership, and Leadership Development. As a first generation high school and college graduate, she has a deep appreciation and understanding of education and its equalizing effect on the quality of life for individuals. She firmly believes in the empowerment of the individual; to find voice and use voice. She has dedicated her professional life to seeking out and advocating for educational opportunities for students. Her goal is to serve her community.
Vina Lustado
DETERMINED • PASSIONATE • COLLABORATIVE
Vina Lustado is the founder of Sol Haus Design, a boutique design firm that specializes in sustainable building. After receiving a professional degree in architecture and more than twenty years on the high-end corporate path, Vina decided to focus her career on smaller-scale projects that could make a positive difference. Staying true to her values, Vina has completed the design and construction of her off-the-grid tiny house. Equipped with simple luxuries, Vina has manifested her dream home in 140 square feet. It reflects her philosophy about simplicity, sustainability, and living within her means. Since its completion, Lustado’s tiny house has inspired others all over the world to live tiny while minimizing their impact on the earth. Her house has been featured in countless online media articles, television shows and architectural book publications. Vina Lustado lives in her tiny house in Ojai, California. She is married and finds balance and joy living on the same property with her husband in two separate tiny cabins. In her free time, Lustado enjoys being out in nature climbing, camping, or practicing yoga.
Vivian Zalvidea Araullo
Rock the Boat but Stay on Course
PROGRESS NOT PERFECTION
Vivian Zalvidea Araullo is a commissioner for Recreation, Parks and Libraries of the City of Daly City, California and the executive director of West Bay Pilipino Multi Service Center. The Center helps underserved Filipino immigrant families in San Francisco and other parts of the Bay Area. Vivian was named by the Filipina Women’s Network as one of the Most Influential Filipina women in America in 2012 for her innovation and thought leadership. She has spearheaded a series of public service fairs that has helped thousands of Filipino Americans across California gain access to free legal and medical aid and advice on housing issues and credit. Vivian, a multi-awarded broadcast and print journalist, comes from the corporate world. She headed the news department at The Filipino Channel that has bureaus across the United States and Canada. She has worked at CBS news, ABC news, Japanese broadcaster NHK, and collaborated with CNN. As a journalist, Vivian’s reporting spurred Philippine legislation that continues to protect migrant Filipinos around the world, the Overseas Filipino Act of 1995. After winning television’s highest honor, the Emmy award, Vivian changed course and joined the nonprofit sector, and subsequently appointed to public office. She continues to write for publications such as ABS-CBN.com, Inquirer.net and New America Media. Vivian was an international fellow of the United Nations and is a lifelong student and teacher with great respect for education. She has taught university-level Spanish, French, and yoga, and has mentored many new and aspiring journalists. Vivian speaks four languages, and is a graduate of the University of the Philippines.