Filipina Women in Politics & Governance

FWN Mission

  • Enhance public perceptions of Filipina women’s capacities to lead
  • Change biases against Filipina women’s leadership abilities
  • Promote the entry of Filipina women into positions of leadership in corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors
  • Build the Filipina community’s pipeline of qualified leaders, to increase the odds that some will rise to the “President” position in all sectors.

The Filipina Women's Network (FWN) is documenting our Filipina Women history in public service, corporate and politics by gathering our most visible leaders - Filipina women who have ever been:

  • Elected to public office in the U.S.
  • Appointed to commissions, boards, or government agencies
  • Achieved the highest ranking position in a U.S. Fortune 500 corporation, national nonprofit, including the military, or a large privately held organization founded / based in the U.S.
  • including those who have run for any political office.
If you or anyone you know need to be included, please submit your info via email to filipina@ffwn.org

 

 

 

Elected Officials

 

 

  • Cheryl Nora Moss, Family Court Judge (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Della Au Bellati, (D) Representative, District 25 - Tantalus, Makiki, McCully (Hawaii)
  • Donna Mercado Kim, (D) Senator, District 14 - Moanalua, 'Aiea, Fort Shafter, Kalihi Valley, Halawa Valley (Hawaii)
  • Gertrude Gregorio, Board Member, New Haven Unified School District (California)
  • Hydra Beltran Mendoza, Board Member, San Francisco Unified School District Board of Education; Mayor Newsom's Education Advisor (San Francisco, California)
  • JoAnne Del Rosario, Member, City Council of Colma City (California)
  • Kris Valderrama, (D) Delegate, District 26, Prince George's County (Maryland) / &
  • Kymberly Marcos Pine, (R) Representative for District 43 - Ewa Beach, Iroquois Point, Puuloa, (Hawaii)
  • Lorraine Rodero Inouye, (D) State nSenator, District 1 - Hilo, Honoka'a, Laupahoehoe, Hamakua, Waiakea Uka, Keaukaha, Waimea (Hawaii)
  • Lynn Finnegan, (R) Representative, District 32 - Lower Pearlridge, Aiea, Halawa, Hickam, Pearl Harbor, Moanalua Gardens (Hawaii)
  • Mae Ramos Cendana, Director, Ambrose Recreation and Park District, Contra Costa County (California)
  • Nina F. Elgo, Judge, Superior Court (Connecticut)
  • Rachel Puno Juliana, School Board Trustee, Jefferson Union High School District
  • Rida T.R. Cabanilla, (D) Representative, District 42 - Waipahu, Honouliuli, West Loch, Ewa (Hawaii)
  • Rose Zimmerman, City Attorney, City of Daly City (California)
  • Rozana Verder-Aliga, EdD, President, Vallejo City Unified School District Board; Commissioner, City of Vallejo Houseing and Redevelopment (California)
  • Ruth Uy Asmundson, PhD, Mayor Pro Tempore (2007), Mayor (2008), City of Davis (California)
  • Velma Veloria, First Filipina in the continental United States to be elected to a State Legislature (1992), serving 12 years as State Representative for South Seattle’s 11th District; key author of Washington's anti-trafficking legislation (Washington)

 

 

 

Filipina Women Candidates


  • Aurora Abella Austriaco - Candidate for State Representative, 65th District (Illinois) (2008)
  • Re-Elect Judge Cheryl Moss - District Court Judge (Las Vegas, Nevada) (2008)
  • Conchita Applegate - Candidate for (California) State Assembly, District 12 (2008)
  • Myrna Lim - Candidate for Supervisor, District 11 (San Francisco) (2008)
  • Noelani Sallings - Candidate for Santa Clara (California) Unified School Board (2008)


 

 

Filipina Women Appointed to Boards, Commissions  or Government Agencies


Government Agencies / Departments

  • Cristeta Pasia Comerford, Executive Chef, The White House (Washington DC)
  • Maria Luisa Mabilangan Haley, Executive Director, AEDC (Arkansas Economic Development Commission) (Little Rock, Arkansas)
  • Eleanor Oducayen Nisperos, Esq., Assistant Attorney General, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI); retired administrative law judge in California
  • Ellen M. Abellera, Executive Director, Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs (Olympia, Washington)
  • Flor Alcantara, Asst. Superintendent, Department of Corrections (New Jersey)
  • Gloria M. Ochoa, Deputy Chief Counsel, California State Senate Judiciary Committee (Sacramento, California)
  • Irene Bueno Esq., Principal, Nueva Vista Group, LLC; Legislative Adviser, National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity (NAFVE); former White House Special Assistant to Deputy Chief of Staff; Board Member, Asian American Action Fund (Washington, DC)
  • Lillian Lim, Judge, Superior Court (San Diego, California)
  • Norma Doctor Sparks, Director, Santa Clara County, Social Services Agency, Department of Family and Children Services (San Jose, California)
  • Patricia Medina Talbert, Judge, Superior Court (New Jersey)
  • Rena M. Nora, M.D., Medical Director, IOPP Program VA Southern NV Healthcare
  • Tani Gorre Cantil-Sakauye, Justice, Third District Court of Appeal (Sacramento, California)

Boards & Commissions

  • Alice Bulos, Commissioner, Commission on the Status of Women(San Mateo, California)
  • Cora Tomalinas, Chair, First Five Santa Clara County Commission (Santa Clara, California)
  • Dinah Villanueva, Commissioner, Sister Cities Commision, City of Vallejo (California)
  • Donine Ettinger, Commissioner & Vice Chair, Arts Commission, City of Milpitas (California)
  • Elori Mabolo, Commissioner, Sister Cities Commision, City of Vallejo (California)
  • Grace Walker, Commissioner, Commission on the Status of Women, City of Glendale (California)
  • Gregoria Torres, Vice Chair, Economic Development Commission, City of Vallejo (California)
  • Gwen de Vera, Commissioner, Human Relations, Camden County (Voorhees, New Jersey)
  • Helen Marte, Commissioner, San Francisco Public Library (San Francisco, California)
  • Lori Bersabe , Commissioner, Citizen Emergency Preparedness Commission, City of Milpitas (California)
  • Ludivina Hughes, NJ Turnpike Authority, NJ Department of Banking and Insurance (New Jersey)
  • Marissa Barbers Castro-Salvati, Public Affairs Region Manager, Southern California Edison; Commissioner, Board of Civil Service, (Los Angeles, California)
  • Mary Bitagon - Commissioner, Human Relations and Economic Development, City of Vallejo (California)
  • Nancy Martinez, Commissioner, Citizen Emergency Preparedness Commission, City of Milpitas (California)
  • Nenette Enrile, Commissioner, City of Vallejo (California)
  • Noella Tabladillo, Commissioner, Planning Commission, City of Milpitas (California)
  • Roselda Mateo, Commissioner, Sister Cities Commission, City of Milpitas (California) System (Las Vegas, Nevada)
  • Trinidad Aoalin, Vice Chair, Library Commission, City of Milpitas (California)


 

Filipina Women in high ranking

Fortune 500 / large nonprofit positions


  • Charmaine Mesina, Esq., Managing Director, Corporate Legal Services, Applied Materials, Inc. (San Jose, California)
  • Cora M. Tellez, former CEo, HealthNet; Chief Executive Officer and co-founder, Sterling HSA (Oakland, California)
  • Evelyn Sanciangco Dilsaver, former president and chief executive, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc.; former chair, Women's Initiative (Califormia)
  • Marissa T. Peterson, former Executive Vice President, Sun Microsystems; Director,
    Supervalu Inc., Ansell Limited and Lucille Packard Children's Hospital

Nonprofits

  • Gloria T. Caoile, co-Founder and Executive Director, Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance; co-Founder, NaFFAA; former member, White House Commission of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs; Senior Advisor to President of AFSCME (Washington, DC)
  • Irene Natividad, former President, National Women's Political Caucus; President, Global Summit of Women (Washington DC)
  • Ruthe Catolico Ashley, Esq., Diversity Officer, External Affairs, CALPERS (Sacramento, California)
  • Tessie Guillermo, President and CEO, Community Technology Foundation (San Francisco, California)
  • Marivic Mabanag, Executive Director, California Partnership To End Domestic Violence (Sacramento, California)
  • Zenei Triunfo-Cortez, President, California Nurses Association (first Filipina president of CNA) (California)


 

 

 

 

 


Last Updated: October 25, 2008 | FWN Home | Filipina Summit | Register for the Filipina Summit