Georgitta “Beng” Pimentel Puyat

We Grow As We Sow

Inspirational • Altruistic • Passionate

Georgitta “Beng” Puyat is the Co-founder and Chair of the Philippine Orchard Corporation. Its mission is to help marginalized farmers improve their economic status by introducing innovative products that promote quality and sustainability. She joined the Filipina Women’s Network Board in 2018, became FWN Global President (2019–2022), and is currently the FWN Global Chairman. She graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman with a degree in AB Political Science and a Masters in Sociology. A lifelong Volunteer, she is an inspirational, result- oriented leader whose experiences shaped and committed her to be a “Volunteer” for Women’s Issues through Service and Advocacy. As a member of the Zonta Club of Makati and Environs for 36 years, she has initiated and nurtured projects that have affected and empowered generations of women and young girls. She managed the East Rembo Livelihood and Skills Training Center and co-founded the ZCME Psychological Center for Sexually Abused Children (ages 3–17). She was elected Zonta International District 17 Governor (2010–2012). She was President/Chairman of the UNIFEM (now UN Women) Philippine National Committee for four biennia, a Trustee of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra Society, and the Chairman/ President of the Sigma Delta Phi Alumnae Association.

Gina Marie Garcia-Atienza

When the New Year Comes in October

Friendly • Caring • Hardworking

Gina Garcia Atienza is an FWN 100 Most Influential Filipinas in the World Awardee 2016. She grew up in the island paradise of Cebu and finished her fourth year in high school at St. Theresa’s College, Cebu, but graduated from the Rancho Alamitos High School, Garden Grove, California. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from the Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City. In addition, she earned a post-graduate Diploma in International Relations and Development from the International Institute of Social Studies, Den Haag, The Netherlands. Gina worked in Corporate Communications in both Jakarta, Indonesia and Tokyo, Japan. She returned to Cebu in 2000 and produced the first annual Cebu Yearbook for the SunStar Media Group. She later became President of SunStar Management Inc., which manages the Group’s affiliate network. Gina retired in 2020 but has remained as Acting Chairman of the Board of SunStar and President of SunStar Davao. She now runs Java Pavilion, an online boutique and shop selling curated Asian furniture and antiques, including petrified wood and obsidian crystals from Indonesia.

Ildeme “Demee” Mahinay Koch

Beauty, Consciousness, and Leadership

Multipreneur • Investor • Forbes Influencer

Ildeme “Demee” Mahinay Koch a fearless woman, mother of two, multipreneur, and advocate of many causes, like many women – decided to change her destiny with her own strength and embarked on a journey to get to where she is right now.

As a sought-after speaker, guest author, and commentator on the subject of conscious beauty and entrepreneurship, she strongly advocates healthy beauty, inclusivity, empowerment, and social impact. Recognized and honored with awards as one of the most influential Filipinas in the world by Global FWN and as Ambassador of Peace by Universal Peace Federation UK, an NGO with general consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, Demee uses her influence to give back. In addition, she shares her expertise in business and conscious entrepreneurship as a Forbes Business Council influencer through her articles.

Demee is a Corporate Advisor of the revolutionary boxing brand SPARBAR. She is also a board member and shareholder of Luxvivendi GmbH, a company celebrating the finest in luxury products, services, food, and experiences. She supports various charity organizations like the Voice of the Free, a hybrid organization that combines social care, social entrepreneurship, and mobilizing social movements to achieve lasting social change. The Breaking Silence Movement (BSM), a private, non- profit organization that fights gender-based violence, recently welcomed Demee as a board member. She also established the DE MOI fund to benefit all the non-profit organizations DE MOI collaborates with, including BSM and Voice of the Free.

Maria Fides Balita

Trust Your Inner GPS

Charismatic • Entrepreneurial • Driven

Maria Fides Balita is a Certified Public Accountant and a financial professional. Maria recently retired as a partner at a woman and minority-owned Certified Public Accounting Firm in Chicago, Illinois. She provided audit and consulting services to clients in the government, lottery, gaming, transit, housing authority, university, 401k/403b, pensions, and not-for-profit industries. Maria served as Chair of the National Executive Board of the International Society of Filipinos in Finance and Accounting (2018–2021) and now serves on the Advisory Board. In her new endeavor as a financial professional and registered representative of a broker/dealer, she aims to pursue another passion: to guide and educate families and individuals about financial independence, particularly in helping prepare for retirement and protecting their assets.

Marla De Castro Rausch

The Strength of a Wallflower

Creative • Pioneering • Driven

Marla D. Rausch has been a trailblazer as the founder of Animation Vertigo for almost two decades. She has set the standard in motion capture external development with a roster of titles in leading video games franchises. This roster includes Activision’s Call of Duty, NetherRealm’s Mortal Kombat, critically acclaimed Hitman by IO Interactive, and Triple A sports titles like NBA2k, FIFA, and Madden, to mention a few. Not a small feat for a woman in a highly competitive, fast- paced, male-driven game and 3D animation industry.

Beyond outsourcing, Marla has ventured into developing her own IP—an animated feature that her company, Kampilan Productions, is currently producing. In addition, Marla dreams of bringing Philippine stories to the world by sharing a Filipino hero’s tale. As passionate about growing businesses and helping organizations thrive, Marla is also a mentor, sharing her lessons and experiences through talks and panels. Her goal is to inspire, encourage and motivate women to enter or start a business.

Today, she continues to expand her role as a leader by starting new ventures focusing on capability growth and more opportunities in her home country—the Philippines.

Rhoda Castro-Caliwara

Human Agency and the Divine: My Leadership

Clarity • Consistency • Compassion

Consistency is what makes an average transform into excellence. As a woman who mustered up grit and courage, Rhoda will let you rediscover the power of being a woman with a strength that comes from God. She will highlight the celebration of her small wins. Her inner drive to set clear goals and communicate effectively to her people set her apart. Yet, her being is shaped by what she consistently does each day. She will let you experience a one-of-a-kind journey of self- compassion that helped her to move forward gracefully as she allows herself to cope and have a safe space to grow and build again. Rhoda will remind you that you are not your crisis. You are not your mistake. It is inevitable. Let it not overwhelm you. As you keep your eyes on your purpose, you can have a better perspective on things that enables you to maintain your identity. Focus is more valuable than intelligence.

Rhoda is Future Focus. It is beyond the ability of your foresight. It is your ability to focus on solutions for positive change that encompasses adversity. As you actively listen to current challenges, it enables you to find long-term solutions for potential challenges. She will emphasize that building genuine connections, and finding and becoming a mentor empowers us a life beyond our personal interests. It’s adding value to people, respecting differences, and building a community where we can capitalize on our strength—our natural being.