DISRUPT 3.0 AUTHOR BIOGRAPHIES
Ana Bel Mayo
Five Dollars in My Pocket
Ana Bel Mayo has lived for 28 years in Inzago, Milan, Italy. She is active in several associations that support the local Filipino communities as well as the broader community. Her passion for volunteering blossomed in 2009 after she participated in the Migrant Associations and Philippine Institutions for Development (MAPID) training course. This course had been organized by the ISMU Foundation, promoted by the Scalabrini Migration Center, and co-funded by the European Commission. The project promoted the capacity-building of the Filipino associations in Italy and Spain as well as the Philippines, while encouraging their transnational collaboration. The goal was to strengthen their role as co-development agents between Europe and South-East Asia. The Philippine consulate of Milan and the municipality of Inzago have given Ana Bel awards for her work with migrants.
She was named as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipinas in 2016. Today Ana Bel is the councilor and treasurer of the association and president of the World Cities of the World Adda colors, and a member of the Council of Volunteers of the City of Inzago.
Ana Bel is married to an Italian, Giovanni Riva who adopted her children and who took on the responsibility of securing their future. With her husband’s help, Ana Bel continues to enjoy her advocacy work.
Annabelle Misa Hefti
Stepping Over Stolpersteine
Invested • Connector • Traveler
Anny was born in Cebu, but she has spent most of her life away from Cebu. At the age of 16 years, she started her studies at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. Since then, Cebu has remained a transient destination. Work and study brought her to three continents. Anny now lives in Switzerland. Her work as a Counseling Psychologist made Anny aware of the significance of empowerment to many women’s issues.
When Anny served as Director of a migrant’s center, Zentrum 5, in Bern, she saw the struggles of refugees, migrants, and the undocumented from all over the world. She was a member of the Federation of Swiss Psychologists (FSP), represented migrants at the Federal Commission for Equality between Men and Women, and was involved with the Commission for Adult Education Canton Bern. Anny is a founding member of two Europe-wide Filipino organizations; the Babaylan, Philippine Women’s Network in Europe and the European Network of Filipinos in Diaspora (ENFID). Recently, Anny produced a book, Bending Without Breaking, a compilation of thirteen narratives by Filipina migrants in Switzerland of their migration and resilience.
Anne Quintos
Butterflies in the Gut: Leading Outside Comfort Zones
Passionate • Non-Conformist • Strong
Anne Quintos is the Managing Partner of PageJump Media and is responsible for promoting design, drive, and direction to its various cross-media projects. Through her leadership, PageJump has expanded from print publishing to video, digital, and events production. Since co-founding PageJump in 2014, the company has received prestigious awards for its content, such as a National Book Award from the National Book Development Board.
Before returning to the Philippines to manage PageJump, she worked at High Tech Computer Corporation’s (HTC) User Education team for eight years in Taiwan. She became a permanent resident of Taiwan.
Anne graduated cum laude with a B.A. Mass Communications from St. Scholastica's College in Manila and completed a Master's in Technology Management from the University of the Philippines, Diliman. In 2018, she participated in the Creative Enterprise Programme by the British Council. Because of her advocacy, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit; she received an Obra Award for Community Building in 2015 and an Emerging Leader award by the Filipina Women’s Network in 2016.
Catherine Teh, M.D.
Turning Struggles into Strengths
Dr. Catherine Teh is a leader and pioneer in the field of HepatoPancreatoBiliary (HPB) surgery in the Philippines. She has been an active member of the Asia Pacific HPB Association and International HPB Association since 2001 and a member of its scientific committee since 2013. She is a co-founder of the Philippine Association of HPB Surgeons (PAHPBS), serves as secretary of the organization, and led efforts for PAHBPBS to be recognized as a national chapter by the IHPBA in 2016. She is the only woman among the founding members and in the council of the International Laparoscopic Liver Surgery Society (ILLS) formed in 2016. She is a member of the expert panel of the American Society of Clinical Oncology where she has responsibility for the development of guidelines for the screening, early detection, and treatment of colorectal cancer. Since 2010, she has led the Network of Colorectal Cancer Multidisciplinary Teams in the Asia Pacific Region and has developed a database for patients with colorectal liver metastases.
She finished the healthcare leadership management program at the Harvard Medical School in March 2018. Dr Teh is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas College of Medicine and Surgery Class of 1993. She completed General Surgery Residency at the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center in the Philippines and fellowships at the Queen’s Medical Center and Kings Mills Medical Center in England, the National Cancer Center in Singapore, the Zhe zhiang University in China, the European Institute of Telesurgery in France, the University of Louis Pasteur in France, and the Centre Hepatobiliare at Hopital Paul Brousse in France, among others.
Cathy S. Ileto
Filipina Delikadesa = Waves of Positive Change
Agile • Advocate • Unifier
Cathy is passionate about advocating for women's empowerment and her chapter is about that journey from becoming empowered to empowering others. She believes we have the power to create lasting change and she finds fulfillment in watching women grow and thrive into leadership positions through the programs she has championed throughout her career.
In 2015, she was honored with the FWN Builder award for demonstrating exceptional business impact in a large workplace environment. She has displayed a deep passion for a cause through collaborative initiatives or alliances with non-profit organizations on behalf of her own organization.
Cathy was part of the original team that established the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP); the enabling association for the information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry in the Philippines. She currently serves as its Vice Chairperson and heads the Technical Working Group on Country Competitiveness tasked with driving country and industry promotion. She is also the Asia Pacific Senior Director for Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations at Sutherland. Aside from being an integral member of the leadership team, she plays a strategic role in the organization by ensuring the success of Sutherland's unique provincial model in the Philippines.
Christine Amour-Levar
Finding Your Profession of the Heart
Positive • Honest • Determined
Of French, Swiss, and Filipino descent, Christine Amour-Levar is a social entrepreneur, environmental advocate, marketing consultant, and author who passionately believes in women's leadership and empowerment. She grew up in Manila, Paris, and Tokyo. Christine lives with her husband and their four children in Singapore. After graduating from Sophia University in Tokyo, she embarked on a fulfilling career that took her across Europe, Asia, North and South America for brands such as Nike, McCann-Erickson, Philippe Starck, and her own Brazilian fashion retail business, Beijaflor. After selling her retail business in 2010, she wrote the motivational guide, The Smart Girl’s Handbook to Being Mummylicious, published in May 2012.
Today, Christine is the CMO of iRace Media, one of Asia's leading horse racing publishing and media companies. She also heads Marketing and Communications at Temasek Management Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, Temasek Holdings. In 2012, she co-founded Women on A Mission, the as a non-profit organization, and since 2012, she has led teams on challenging expeditions to the Arctic, the Antarctic, the Middle East, Africa, and the Himalayas to raise awareness and funds for women survivors of war and to empower and support women who have been subjected to violence and abuse. An avid believer in women as gamechangers she brings unique knowledge and solutions to move the needle on sustainability. Christine also set up #HERplanetearth in 2017, a global women’s advocacy movement that promotes gender equality and the integrity of the environment.
Cristina Calaguian
The Road Less Travelled
Self- Motivated • Optimistic • Cause Motivated
Cristina Calaguian is Founder and Managing Director of Dagaz HR Consultancy and Recruitment Company FZ Llc. She is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas with a BA in Economics.
Cristina has over 28 years of professional experience in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Philippines. She initially established her reputation in the Philippines where she was a successful licensed stockbroker and branch manager for 11 years. After moving to UAE in 2003, she established DAGAZ, a Gulf-wide recruitment company that she manages as a social enterprise. DAGAZ focus is on supporting and empowering people with disability and helping them find work through Developmental Coaching. She is also a Certified Consultant of the internationally recognized Harrison Assessment tool and process. She is currently a member of the Board of Trustees and President of the Alumni Association of the Ateneo Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship program in the UAE.
Cristina enjoys volunteer work and is a motivational speaker for Filipina workers. Cristina discusses cultural awareness as part of the post arrival orientation of the Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Dubai. She also discusses career management for visually impaired members of the UAE community.
Cristina is a passionate advocate for self-management and personal development necessary to unleash an individual's potential and achieve career successes. Cristina is proud to be recognized as one of the GLOBAL FWN100™ GLOBAL 2017 Most Influential Filipinas Globally and Illustrado’s 100 Most Influential Filipino in the Gulf.
Cynthia Barker
Building My Political Backbone
Ethical • Diplomatic • Transformational
Cynthia Barker is best known as the first Filipino elected as a Borough Councillor in the United Kingdom. Her professional career as a businesswoman and a trailblazer in the recruitment, immigration, and healthcare training fields; eventually led to a political career. In 2016, Cynthia received a British Community Honours Award, endorsed by Her Majesty The Queen, in recognition of her outstanding voluntary contributions to British society, including promoting integration and building social cohesion through her community work and leadership. In 2017, she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Most Influential Filipina Women (FWN100™). She has a Councillor position in two local authorities and has a number of board roles as a Trustee at the Elstree and Borehamwood Museum, a trustee for Filipina Women’s Association UK (FWA), a trustee at 60 Plus Club UK, and is the School Governor for Saint Nicholas School. She is President of the Rotary Club Elstree and Borehamwood.
Dina Dela Paz Stalder
Loving Yet Tough
Blow • Fall • Bounce
Dina Dela Paz Stalder is the President and CEO of the Stalder Group of Companies. She grew up in San Pablo, Laguna and her parents were simple farmers. She is proud that Stalder Group of Companies earned a blue-ribbon award from the Laguna Lake Development Authority as an environmentally responsible business. In addition to employment, the company provides housing for employees.
Her humble beginnings have contributed to her success despite the challenges and obstacles she has faced in life. She now owns a manufacturing plant in the Philippines that produces products that are recognized in the United States, Asia, and Europe. She serves in leadership positions for several charity institutions to help the environment and Filipinos in need. She lives in Manila, Philippines with her three lovely children as a single mother.
Editha Tijamo Winterhalter, Ed.D.
My Road Trip
Pragmatic • Transformative • Explorer
Editha Winterhalter, Ed.D. is the perfect billboard example of a late bloomer succeeding. Although she began her professional career later than many, through grit and determination, she is now on a career fast-track at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), She has been at CSUN for twenty years. She is the Director of Administrative Services as well as Director of Risk Management and Insurance in the division of Administration and Finance. Before that, she was the Director of Academic Budget Management in the division of Academic Affairs of the university.
Dr. Winterhalter is a full product of CSUN; having received all of her academic credentials from CSUN. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy in 2003 and Master’s degree in Education Administration in 2007. In 2016, she received her Doctorate in Educational Leadership with Distinction. Her dissertation is a qualitative study of the impact of physical spaces on the learning experience of college students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Editha chairs the National Executive Board of the International Society of Filipinos in Finance and Accounting (ISFFA), an organization whose mission is to provide mentors, leadership, and scholarship support to emerging Filipino professionals in the areas of finance, business, and accounting.
Georgitta “Beng” Pimentel Puyat
Volunteerism: A Life’s Journey
Inspirational • Altruistic • Goal-Oriented
Georgitta 'Beng' Puyat is a lifelong Volunteer with a commitment to service and advocacy. As a member of the Zonta Club of Makati for 32 years, she has initiated and nurtured projects that have affected generations of women and families. She has worked with the East Rembo Livelihood and Skills Training Center and the award-winning Psychological Center for Sexually Abused Children (ages 3-17) in Marillac Hills. She was elected Zonta International District 17 Governor for 2010-2012. She was also the President and Chairman of the UNIFEM Philippine National Committee, a Trustee of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Society and Chairman/President of the Sigma Delta Phi Alumnae Association.
She is the Co-Founder and Chairman of the Philippine Orchard Corporation, whose mission is to help marginalized farmers improve their economic status through the introduction of innovative products that promote quality and sustainability. She graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman with an AB degree in Political Science and finished a Masters in Sociology. She enjoys being with her family, especially her three grandchildren, and traveling.
She is an inspirational, result-oriented leader whose life experiences shaped and directed her desire to be a ‘Volunteer’ for Women’s Issues. She recognizes that an organization is only as good as its leader, her goal is to be the best leader possible in her quiet way.
Geri Alumit Zeldes, Ph.D.
Was it Murder? Leadership in My Quest for Truth
Learner • Curious • Content
Geri Alumit Zeldes, Ph.D. is a tenured Professor in Michigan State University’s School of Journalism. Geri has received a dozen best paper awards from international communication associations and more than a 100 honors and screenings for her documentary films and other scholarship. Her awards include the Dr. Suzanne Ahn Award for coverage of social justice issues from the Asian American Journalists Association, the Edward R. Murrow and Unity awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association, two national Best of Festival Awards from the Broadcast Education Association, a Top 25 Public Vote recognition for an exhibit in ArtPrize, three regional Emmys, and a handful of awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. She has also received awards from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters and Michigan Associated Press Editors’ Association. In October 2017, the Filipina Women's Network recognized her with a "100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World Award" in the Innovator and Thought Leader category. In 2018, Geri was added to the Diversity Champion Honor Roll. Geri has obtained grants to support her work as well as the work of her creative teams. She was invited to speak at two TEDx events and featured for her social justice scholarship on MSU’s “Spartans Will” campaign.
Janette Nellie G. Chiu
Innovator by Happenstance
Devoted • Passionate • Innovative
Janette Nellie Chiu holds various positions in the field of business. She is president of GCH Holdings, Inc., the umbrella company of GCH Group of Companies with ventures in food, agriculture, and real estate. She also heads two foundations. GCH Foundation focuses on helping build healthy communities by focusing on health and nutrition projects and the Crocolandia Foundation Inc., that manages Crocolandia Nature Park and is involved in the preservation and conservation of Philippine wildlife and encouraging children to love and protect the environment.
Nellie was president of Zonta Club of Cebu I from 2014 to 2016. Under her leadership, the Club implemented new ways to strengthen the advocacies on women and child protection, livelihood, and education.
Nellie graduated with a degree in Business Administration from the University of San Carlos in Cebu City. In 2016, the USC Alumni Association recognized her with the Semper Fidelis Award for Devotio for her dedication to serving the community. During the same year, she was awarded one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World by the Filipina Women's Network.
By devotion, passion, and innovation, she has brought success to her personal, business, and community life.
Dr. Jennifer Marie B. José
The Woman’s Room
Innovative • Thought Leader • Passionate.
In March 2016, Dr. Jennifer Marie B. José received the Trailblazer Award from Da Vinci Surgical System for the outstanding achievement of being the first Filipino surgeon in the Philippines to perform 100 robotic surgeries. She was honored as one of the robotic surgeons world-wide recognized by Intuitive Surgical Inc. for their proficiency in robotics surgery. She performs robotic assisted hysterectomy, myomectomy, cystectomy, adhesiolysis, and urogynecology procedures such as sacrocolpopexy for suspensions and incontinence procedures. Dr. Jose is the first from the ASEAN countries to perform Robotics Sacrocolpopexy and done the procedure the most number of times.
Dr. José is Vice-President Aesthetic Gynecologic Society of the Philippines. She has been recognized for her work in Training Cosmetic, Vaginal Surgery and Rejuvenation (Istanbul, Turkey) and is a Fellow of European Society of Aesthetic Gynecology, Head of the Urogynecology and Incontinence Center and Section Head, Urogynecology and Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at the Makati Medical Center. Dr. Jose is also Head of the Urogynecology, Comprehensive Pelvic Floor Center and Head of Robotics Gynecology at St. Luke’s Manila,
Dr. José is presently an International proctor of the Intuitive Surgical; the maker of the da Vinci Surgical System in robotic surgery and has been teaching robotic surgery in other countries, including Vietnam and Korea.
Joanne Michelle Fernandez Ocampo, MS
The Dynamics of Defining Success
Spirit • Mind • Heart and Soul
Joanne Michelle is currently a Project Director in Public Health Informatics at Georgetown University, and is working on HIV-related projects with the D.C. Women’s Interagency HIV Study, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, and the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research and Chief Technology Officer. She also holds a part-time position focused on applied public health research with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health where she is an Advisor at the Department of Zoonotic, Food and Waterborne Infections.
In 2014, Miss Ocampo helped found and since then has led the Next Generation Global Health Security Network as its Inaugural Coordinator. In 2017, Miss Ocampo was recognized as received one of the GLOBAL FWN100™ 2017 leaders awarded by the Filipina Women's Network for her mentorship, leadership, and work in global health security and public health.
Miss Ocampo holds a bachelor's degree in Biology from Eastern Connecticut State University, and a master's degree in Biohazardous Threat Agents and Emerging Infectious Diseases, and a professional certificate in Business Administration, both from Georgetown University.
Joji Ilagan Bian
Dreaming Big, Giving the Best
Game Changer • Gritty • Chic
Hers is a life devoted to encouraging the potential of young people and developing human resources that have helped made Mindanao and Davao City a destination that can compete with the rest of the Philippines, if not, the world.
“My life is a tapestry of different weaves and colors symbolizing the very diverse experiences that I have: a wife and mother, an educator, a business leader, and a community worker," she said. Moreover, these experiences gave her a comprehensive perspective and understanding of the complexities of life.
She recalls the early years were intense. Fresh from the University of the Philippines with a diploma in Hotel and Restaurant Management, she surveyed what services the city needs and found a niche in developing human resources in the hospitality and tourism sector.
Her tenacity paid off, and as the economic conditions improved, she was able to train professional and highly skilled individuals for the hospitality and tourism industry.
"I always knew that I made the right choice even at a very young age. I never run away from challenges. We have to fight for our dreams if we want them to come true. I meet them head-on and always emerge a winner," she said.
And, she is indeed a winner.
Juslyn Cabrera Manalo
If at First You Don’t Succeed
Compassionate • Spiritual • Pinay
Juslyn Cabrera Manalo is currently the Mayor of Daly City, CA and was elected as the first Filipina councilmember in November 2016 and appointed Vice Mayor in December 2016. She was the first Filipina in these roles in a city that is 30 percent Filipino. Juslyn was born in San Francisco, CA and raised in Daly City. In addition to being Mayor, she works for Forest City, a company that creates mixed-used developments nation-wide. Previously Juslyn worked in the non-for-profit sector serving the Filipino World War II Veterans and advocated for equity and justice for elders. She also managed the Bill Sorro Housing Program and assisted in its creation. Both her father and mother are Filipinos. Her mother Josefina Manalo immigrated to the U.S. in 1973, and her father immigrated in 1980. Juslyn received her undergraduate degree in Asian American Studies with a minor in Women Studies. Her graduate degree is in Public Administration from the School of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement at San Francisco State University. Juslyn is a board member to the following organizations: Senior Disability Action, Bay Area Waters Conservation Agency, South of Market Business Association, Skyline College President’s Council, and the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County.
Leah L. Laxamana
Journey to Being Present: Making Friends with Fear and Uncertainty
Brave • Liminalist • Eternal Optimist
Leah is dedicated to promoting equity and empowering global communities. She has over a decade of cross-sector and international experience in social impact work helping organizations foster community engagement and pilot new initiatives. Most recently, Leah was at Twitter overseeing the company’s @NeighborNest technology learning center for the community and implementing philanthropic initiatives. She previously worked with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as a National Urban Fellow, served as a volunteer with the Peace Corps in Honduras and worked with Korn/Ferry International. Leah is currently involved with various community programs advocating for the most vulnerable residents of San Francisco’s Tenderloin and other disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Leah received her BA in Social Sciences and Minor in Hispanic Studies from Ateneo de Manila University and Master of Public Administration from Baruch College of the City University of New York. She is a life-long learner and lover of languages, dance, and capoeira.
Leonor Vintervoll
Janteloven and Leadership
Patient • Determined • Results-Oriented
In close cooperation with three Philippine Ambassadors based in Sweden, Leonor Vintervoll served as primary contact for the Filipino community in Norway. As a leader, her successful lobbying resulted in a quota for recruitment of Filipino nurses and engineers and the lifting of the ban on the deployment of au pairs in Norway and eventually for the whole of Europe. As a behind the scenes leader, she was always ready to help, whether it was a Filipino with a problem in Norway or disaster fund-raising for the Philippines. Her experience as Lay Judge for 16 years on the City Court of Oslo and Borgarting Lagmannsrett (Court of Appeal) was a significant factor in her successful leadership in the community. Her dedication to community service was recognized when she was awarded one of the FWN100 Most Influential Filipinas in the World in 2015 and again in 2017. Awardees are inspirations for the empowerment of the next generation of women leaders. Leonor serves on the FWN Board of Directors and says that her fellow board members inspire and challenge her to higher levels of service.
Lily Torres-Samoranos
A Hymn of Praise to Failure
Resilient • Strong • True Believer
Lily Torres-Samoranos works as an immigration attorney at the Asian Pacific Legal Outreach, a San Francisco non-profit organization that provides legal services to some of the most disfranchised and indigent. She has been outspoken in the media about the Muslim ban and the current immigration policies that devalue human beings who are seeking relief from persecution in their respective countries. She represents adults and children from all over the world in immigration court during their removal proceedings, cognizant of seeking all types of relief for them. She has dedicated her legal career to social justice and the importance of ensuring due process to those facing legal challenges in criminal and immigration courts.
As an immigrant and a person of color, Lily has personally experienced discrimination and injustice. Thus, she is determined to give voice to those who have none; courage to those who have no strength to face their legal situation; and compassion to those who are most despised and derided in society. Given the immigration crisis in the U.S., she sees her role as more crucial than ever. Lily is a community leader and a strong advocate, who strives to make the community for Filipinos and others in San Francisco and beyond a better place.
Her great joy is sharing her life with her husband Reynold, and their three sons Ricky, Kaelan, and Brandon.
Lucile Tenazas
A Class of Her Own
Lucille Tenazas is a professor and graphic designer based in New York. She is the Associate Dean in the School of Art, Media and Technology (AMT) at Parsons School of Design. Lucille was the recipient of the AIGA Medal in 2013, the most prestigious in the field, awarded by the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA). The award was for her lifetime contribution to design practice and outstanding leadership in design education. From 1996 to 1998, she was the National President of the AIGA and was awarded the National Design Award for Communication Design by the Cooper Hewitt, National Design Museum. For her contributions to design, then Mayor Willie Brown declared May 15, 1996 as Lucille Tenazas Day in San Francisco.
As principal of Tenazas Design, she has worked on projects for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Stanford University Art Museum, San Francisco International Airport (SFO), the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Princeton Architectural Press. Her work has received numerous design awards and has been featured in many publications and exhibitions both nationally and internationally, including a one-person exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Her work has been included in surveys at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. She has lectured and taught in the US and abroad and served on panels and juries where she provided expertise and critical evaluation of current movements in architecture and design.
Lucille graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Advertising from College of the Holy Spirit Manila (CHSM) and studied at the California College of the Arts (CCA) in San Francisco. She holds a Master in Fine Arts in Design from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
Maria A. Beebe, Ph.D.
Global Katipunera Educator
Maria A. 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 an M.A. in Anthropology and Ph.D. in Education from Stanford University.
Maria co-edited DISRUPT 1.0. Filipina Women: Loud. Proud. Leading without a Doubt and DISRUPT 2.0. Filipina Women: Daring to Lead. She is the author of The Leadership Repertoire of Select Filipina Women in the Diaspora and Implications for Theorizing Leadership in Theorizing Women & Leadership: New Insights & Contributions from Multiple Perspectives (Storberg-Walker & Haber-Curran, 2017).
Maria co-edited AfricaDotEdu to share lessons learned about the use of ICT for creating networks among universities in Africa. Maria 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, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Philippines. Maria has lived and worked in South Africa, Liberia, Philippines, Sudan, and Afghanistan. Maria had a six-week Fulbright specialist teaching and research award on discourse analysis and leadership at the Asian Institute of Management. Together with personnel from TechNation, Maria founded TechWomen.Asia.
Maria created the PVO Global Networks to facilitate collaborations by global citizens and organizations for a sustainable world.
Maria Rosa ‘Bing’ Nieva Carrion
The Values of Love, Trust, and Respect Make for an Effective Leader
Vibrant • Committed • Faithful
During the last 17 years, Maria Rosa ‘Bing’ Nieva Carrion created, authored, and published thirty-five books. created, authored, and published thirty-five books. These books define who she is and what she believes in. She has stated that she views the books as "Embracing humanity by creating life-defining legacy books." The success of each book represents a milestone of her life's journey.
She is the biographer of the former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the late Jaime Cardinal Sin, and Senator Loren Legarda. In 2008, San Francisco California Mayor Gavin Newsom honored her at a reception at the San Francisco California Main Library where she donated copies of all the books she has authored to the City.
In 2017, three friends and Bing, established My-Cord Philippines to promote mental health. She is CEO. The objective of My-Cord is to facilitate access by all Filipinos to counseling to improve their lives. In May 2018, she was honored with a Honorary Doctorate degree for public administration by the National Defense College in partnership with the Bethany Evangelical School of Theology.
Bing considers being a mother and best friend to her children Aristoncito and Aryssa Maria and being a nurturing grandmother to her grandchildren Aidan Matthew, Adam Isaiah, and Alon as her most significant achievement.
Ma. Victoria E. Anonuevo
Success Amidst Adversities
A Life Fulfilled
A significant part of Ma. Victoria E. Anonuevo’s (Marivic) career was with Ayala Corporation and Ayala Land, Inc. where she rose from the ranks as Manager to Senior Vice President. Other senior positions she had with Ayala include: Member of the Management Committee, President and Group Head of Ayala Malls Group, Head of the Residential Business Group, Sales, and Marketing Group, and head of the Laguna Technopark, Inc., and Ayala Hotels, Inc. She was also President of the Philippine Marketing Association and the Marketing Opinion and Research Society.
After retiring from Ayala Land, Marivic was appointed the Managing Director and CEO of the Millennium Challenge Account-Philippines, the local accountable entity of the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a United States foreign assistance agency established by the US Congress for poverty alleviation. Marivic provided oversight for a five-year $434m grant that funded community-based projects for the poorest of the poor municipalities in the Philippines.
She is currently Senior Advisor to companies in various industries and a partner of CEO Advisors, Inc., a management advisory firm composed of current and former CEOs that helps organizations and enterprises address their business needs.
Marivic is a BSBA and MBA graduate of the University of the Philippines and of the Program for Management Development of the Harvard Business School.
Marily Mondejar
Founder and CEO, Filipina Women’s Network
President, San Francisco Commission on Community Investment and Infrastructure
Marily Mondejar has parlayed her success as a business leader and image consultant into founding the successful non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization, the Filipina Women’s Network (FWN). FWN has members in 28 countries and seeks to increase the influence of Filipina women as leaders and policymakers in the private and public sectors. Mondejar has steered the organization to a leading position in the Filipina women community worldwide. Ms. Mondejar’s campaign to re-shape the Filipina image grew out her necessity to elevate the status of Filipina women. In 2001, an internet search for the word Filipina returned millions of hits, including "mail-order brides, sluts, exotic, sexy and submissive wives." Her plan was to highlight the leadership roles and economic contributions of Filipina women in corporate America, small business, public service, and the government.
As an executive coach and management consultant, she has provided counsel to the senior leadership of prestigious organizations. Ms. Mondejar is recognized for the Image 360®-degree assessment questionnaire, a method for measuring executive image performance and corporate reputation. She has delivered business, career, and image presentations in a variety of formats and has reached over 10,000 participants internationally. A select list of international and trade publications that have quoted Mondejar include The Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, AdWeek, Self, Allure, Working Woman, Black Enterprise, Academy of General Dentistry’s AGD Impact, El Norte (Mexico), Cintermex Magazine (Mexico), Momentum (magazine for Mercedes Benz owners), and various TV, radio and publications in the US, Philippines, Canada, and the UK.
Ms. Mondejar balances her professional life with advocating for other women in the business arena and serves on multiple boards engaged in public service, community, philanthropic, and professional development. She has been appointed to commissions and task forces by San Francisco Mayors Willie Brown, Gavin Newsom, and Edwin Lee.
A resident of San Francisco, she has raised two wonderful sons as a single mother and is a proud grandmother of three boys and adores her new great-granddaughter.
Her Workship Mila Eustaquio-Syme
Success Amidst Adversities
Yes Filipinas Can
Her Worship, her title as a Justice of the Peace, Mila Eustaquio-Syme is a graduate of College of the Holy Spirit, Maryknoll, and University of the Philippines. She completed an MBA from York University in Toronto.
In 1982, she was elected President of the UP Alumni Association in Toronto. She noted with sadness, how degrees and experiences from developing countries were unrecognized. She was later elected Director of the Canadian Ethnocultural Council, an umbrella organization of more than 50 ethnic groups and was its first Chairperson of the Women's Committee. In her various capacities, she has lobbied and advocated for rights of immigrant and minority women, with attention to issues of stereotyping, mail order brides, violence against women, abuse against foreign domestics, racism, employment equity, and the lack of recognition for degrees from non-Canadian universities. In 1994, she was appointed a Member of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, a position similar to an Immigration Judge. In this role, she has made determinations on refugee claims. In 2005, she was appointed Justice of the Peace for the Province of Ontario where she presides over the Bail Courts, offenses under the Highway Traffic Act, the Dog Owner's Liability Act, the Environment Act, the Fisheries Act, and Municipal By-laws, among others. She is a lover of dogs, and was heartbroken when she had to sentence a dog to death.
Mylene Abiva
Filipina Champion of the Geeks
Mylene Abiva is currently the President and CEO of FELTA Multi-Media Inc., a 50 year-old company that provides innovative instructional materials and educational devices for school technology. FELTA has been the Education Solution Provider of INTEL Education since 2012. Mylene occupies a throne in the Seat of Knowledge. She has been a president of the Philippine Marketing Association (2009), a Certified Professional Marketer, an Organizer of the Philippine Robotics Olympiad, an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines (2009), an ASEAN Business Leader in the Woman Category (2014), an ASEAN Woman Entrepreneur (2015), one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World (2016), and an ASIA CEO Most Innovative Company (2016). Mylene has been a GO NEGOSYO Pioneer Mentor since 2005 for her Expertise in Marketing. She is a mother, a model entrepreneur, a mountain climber, and a master in multi-tasking. She is powerful, relevant, graceful, instinctive, and compassionate.
Myrna Pang Young, MSN, RN, CNOR
Big Dreams and Broken Glass
Enthusiast • Educator • Inspired
Myrna Young like many of the bright, talented women from the Philippines, had big dreams of a successful personal and professional life. After succeeding in various nursing leadership roles since 1990, Young now enjoys a full and rewarding career as a Nursing Education Specialist and works at the prestigious Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Jersey, USA. She further feeds her passion for helping people through community outreach and mentoring staff, colleagues, and students.
Not only does Myrna surround herself with high-caliber talent, as in the Filipina Women’s Network, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists, and the Organization of Nurse Leaders; but she also volunteers her time with the Philippine Nurses Association of New Jersey, the March of Dimes, and various food banks.
Myrna was named as one of FWN’s 100 Most Influential Filipina Woman in the World in 2017. She received a Global Nursing Recognition award at the United Nations. Myrna has numerous publications, has membership in numerous associations, and continues to teach as her way of sharing her knowledge.
Nikki Tang
No Way to Go But Up
Focused • Committed • Empowered
Nikki Tang is a globally recognized leader in the beauty and aesthetics industry. Nikki’s companies, DMark and DermAsia, provide unique beauty solutions and are at the forefront of revolutionizing the field of medical aesthetics in the Philippines.
Besides being identified as a “Beautypreneur,” Nikki Tang has become a multi-awarded global executive. Her latest awards include being one of the Filipino Women Network’s Global 100 in October 2017. This honor puts her among globally recognized Filipina leaders tasked to be catalysts and increase the number of Pinay leaders through femtorship or female mentorship.
Last year, Nikki became a fellow of the Royal Institute of Beauty Care of Singapore, a recognition of her continuous investment in human capital. Her company DMark Beauty was a finalist for SME Company of the Year in the Asia CEO Awards held in October 2017. More recently, she received the prestigious Presidential Award from the Philippine Dermatological Society, an honor she sees as especially meaningful, since it came from her premier clients.
Nikki Tang is also known as a champion of women empowerment. She believes that a self-confident and well-educated woman will reach greater heights and lead others to succeed in any endeavor they choose.
This is Nikki Tang -- an executive who leads by example.
Rachel Salinel
Purpose, Passion, and Pass It On
Passionate • Assertive • God Loving
Rachel Salinel is a freelance broadcast journalist who reports on the lives of Overseas Filipinos in the UAE on The Filipino Channel of ABS-CBN. Rachel is the Managing Partner of the Filipino Excellence in the Middle East (FEME) Connect Directory which she co-founded in 2015 with colleagues from the Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship (LSE) program of the Ateneo School of Government held in Dubai. The directoryas one of the factors in her selection as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World in August 2016 in Cebu, Philippines.
She won The Filipino Times 'Journalist of the Year' award in 2015 and was named one of the ‘100 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf’ by Illustrado Magazine for the period 2015 to 2017.
She started her career as a reporter with a Japanese TV network bureau in Manila. Rachel co-hosted the Magazine TV Program "Kaya Natin Ito" in 1991 which aired on Channel 13 in the Philippines. In Dubai, she was a freelance Senior News Presenter of TAG 91.1 FM from 2013 to 2017. Rachel co-hosted with her husband Art Los Banos the FEME radio talk show on Dubai Eye 103.8 FM from October 2010 to February 2013.
Rebecca Murry
Redefining Pathways
Rebecca Murry, an architect for 20 years, shifted to teaching mathematics using a constructivist-based instructional approach. She believes students need to be encouraged to be curious not told what to think. Young mathematicians build understanding through peer discourse, making conjectures and generalizations, and reflecting on misconceptions. As a Math Coach at the United Nations International School, she implements STEAM/Problem-based courses and innovative math curriculum design.
She has made international school presentations and conducted webinars in New York, Brazil, Spain, and Denmark focused on Blended Learning, STEAM & Project-Based math applications. She has facilitated Primary Maths in Qatar with the Educational Collaborative of International Schools and Harvard University’s Research Schools International. She is a book reviewer for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and recently co-authored a book about linear measurement systems. She was the recipient of one of the 2017 Global FWN’s 100 Most Influential Filipina Awards. She has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Pratt Institute and a Master of Science in Education for Special and General Education from the Bank Street College’s Graduate School of Education.
Rowena P. Romulo
Nothing is Impossible: From Banker to Restaurateur
Passionate • Determined • Courageous
Rowena Romulo is the owner of Romulo Café, the first international outpost of a family-owned food business established in 2009 in Manila. The restaurant draws upon the family legacy of one of the Philippines’ international diplomatic figures, Carlos P. Romulo and offers food lovers a taste of the Philippines in the heart of Kensington, London. Since it opened in March 2016, Rowena has put Filipino cuisine firmly on London’s foodie map winning the Time Out Love London award for most loved restaurant in Kensington, received 5-star and top ratings from food bibles like Timeout and Square Meal. Romulo Café was included in Harden’s and the Tatler Restaurant Guides in 2018. In May 2018, Romulo Café retained its crown as Timeout’s Most Loved Restaurant in Kensington and was a runner-up for Most Loved Local Restaurant in London.
Before devoting her work fulltime to Romulo Café, Rowena was an accomplished Senior Banker with over 30 years experience in the financial services industry having worked at Citibank and JP Morgan with international assignments in New York, Milan, and London. Her last financial business role was as Managing Director of a Global business.
Rowena is a wonderful example that it is never too late to start a new career.
Roxane Negrillo
Moving Mountains
Compassionate • Fair • High Integrity
Roxane Martin Negrillo is a media practitioner with over 17 years of experience in the Philippines and the Middle East. She was a cum laude graduate of the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Arts and Letters with a degree in Communication Arts. Through the years, she has received recognition as a female Filipina leader. Her awards include Asian Young Women Leadership Awardee (Dubai, UAE) in 2015 by the Asian Women Leadership Summit; Global Women Leadership Awardee (Mumbai, India) in 2016 by the World Women Leadership Congress; Marketing and Advertising Professional of the Year (Dubai, UAE) in 2016 by The Filipino Times; one of the 100 Most Influential Filipinos in the Gulf (Dubai, UAE) in 2017 by the Illustrado magazine; one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the World (Toronto, Canada) in 2017 by the Filipina Women’s Network.
Roxane is a mother of a wonderful boy named Marcus Lance, with whom she spends most of her personal time. She is currently attending the Ateneo School of Government Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship (LSE) program and is a volunteer lecturer for the Filipino Training and Development Program. She is also a resident judge at The Filipino Times annual awards that aim to honor outstanding Filipinos in the UAE.
Sandy Sanchez- Montano, RN
Intensity 7
Compassionate • Driven • God-loving
Sandy has always exhibited quiet and gentle strength. Her early childhood was uneventful. She grew up in a farming province in the north of Luzon in the Philippines. She loved life and embraced everything that it had to offer.
Sandy decided to study Nursing. Her student days in Baguio became a life changer for her when in July 1990, at 18 years old, she experienced one of the most devastating catastrophes ever to visit the Philippines. An intensity 7.7 quake struck. She was buried in the rubble for days. Sheer willpower pulled her through, and just as her hope was fading, she was rescued. This was a turning point. While working on her diploma in Nursing, she devoted her spare time to volunteering in community outreach programs and to teaching life-saving skills. She started a family and moved to the U.S. with the thought that this would be the course of her life. Her soul would not keep quiet though. She felt there was something she needed to do, having survived the 1990 quake. She and her family returned to the Philippines to answer her calling. Her passion for educating people to save lives is reflected by founding a social enterprise called Community Health Education Emergency Rescue Services (CHEERS). She continues to nurture, innovate, and work towards a resilient and sustainable community. Her work has been recognized both locally and internationally.
Susie Quesada
Sisterhood, Dialogue, and Impact
Strong • Dedicated • Genuine
Susie Quesada is a third-generation owner and President of Ramar Foods International. As the leader in Filipino and Asian Food, Ramar Foods manufactures authentic high-quality tropical ice cream, eggrolls, and sausages that bring the flavor of the Philippines to supermarkets and restaurants in the United States. Susie believes that food brings people together to do great things. She was awarded one of the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the US in 2007 and now serves on the Board of the Filipina Women’s Network (FWN). The mission of FWN is to support the next generation of Filipina women leaders. Susie wrote about her leadership journey in “Mommyla, Popsy, and Me: Leading by Example” in DISRUPT 1.0. Filipina Women: Proud. Loud. Leading without a Doubt. Susie holds a BA in Multicultural Literature and Education from the University of California at Berkeley. She started her career in public education. Susie is an Alumni of Harvard Business School’s Owner President Management Program Class of 2018. Susie spends her free time reading, cooking, traveling with her husband, and playing adult co-ed soccer in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Hon. Thelma B. Boac
Filipina: Leave Footprints That Last
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 adoptive parents in Grover Beach, California. Her adoptive father, a World War II veteran, was one of the original manongs who immigrated to America in the 1920’s. Thelma’s adoptive mother, her biological aunt, came to America as a young war widow. Both parents were active in community affairs. Thelma received her BA degree from San Francisco State University and MA degree in Educational Leadership from 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 was an adjunct professor and supervised and trained graduate students entering the teaching profession. Thelma currently is a professional expert coach to newly promoted principals and school administrators for the Santa Clara County Office of Education. Thelma is seeking re-election after a successful four-year term on the Berryessa Union School District Governing Board of Trustees. She holds the distinction of being the first Filipina to be elected and the only female serving on the Board of Trustees, thus expanding her influence and commitment to youth and community. A sought-after educator and community leader, Thelma has been the recipient of many awards. She has been recognized by State legislative leaders and by various community organizations for her dedication to public service.
Dr. Wafa R. Qasimieh
Ambassador of Peace and Humanity
Truthful • Influential • Optimistic
Filipina humanitarian Dr. Marilyn “Wafa” Roscales Qasimieh is perhaps the most influential Filipina working in the Government of Dubai where she is a Senior Executive Cultural Consultant Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD). Wafa takes pride in having been named as Ambassador of Peace and Humanity for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and as a Member of the Board of Directors and Deputy Minister for Finance of SPMUDA, the International Organization for Peace and Development at Trans-Mundi Pax Humanitas (Trans-world Humanitarian Peace). She is also regional Chairman of Middle East African Network of Filipinos in Diaspora (MEANFID), former Country Chairman for UAE of MEANFID, and former Chairperson of Filipino Club-Dubai.
In 1984, she graduated with a Bachelor's in Science degree, major in Forestry from the West Visayas State University. She worked for several years with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as a Forester before she moved to Dubai in 1986. She studied Usool Al Deen at the Preston University in Ajman, UAE. In 2014, she obtained her Ph.D. in Humanity. She then joined the Islamic Information Centre as their Librarian and Lecturer. After that, she worked at the Department of Islamic Affairs where she rose through the ranks. The Philippine Government honored her with two major awards; the Bagong Bayani for Community and Social Service (2011) and Banaag Award or Ray of Light Award (2010).
She is married with one son.
Wilma ‘Amy’ Eisma
Moving Beyond Power and Position
Feisty • Intense • Focused
Lawyer Amy T. Eisma was born, bred, and raised in Olongapo City.
From 1993 to 1998, she served as volunteer on the staff of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Founding Chairman Richard Gordon. She then moved to the private sector and worked with a multi-national company as corporate, government, and regulatory affairs, community and farmer relations, and diversity and inclusion manager for 15 years. She succeeded in organizing 30 farmers’ cooperatives and developed and implemented farmers’ projects and programs, which won prestigious international awards including the Stevie Award, the International Business Award, and the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) World Leader Award.
In 2017, Amy came full circle from being a Subic volunteer to being appointed by Philippine President Durterte as SBMA’s Administrator and CEO, and eventually as Chair and Administrator. By the end of 2017, under Amy's leadership, SBMA's net income increased by 34 percent and several Freeport locators or SBMA clients undertook expansion projects that increased their investments by 203 percent. She has pushed a ten-point agenda consisting of policy reforms and good governance, sustainable development, safety and security, community engagement, locator service excellence, Subic Freeport development as gateway, Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs), and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), tourism as a star industry, infrastructure-building, and Freeport expansion.