Leadership

2022 Executive Committee

Leezel Tanglao '19

President

(Carson, CA)

Leezel Tanglao is a multi-media journalist at the intersection of editorial, product and sales. She is current the Director of Audience Insights and Innovation at The Points Guy. Leezel has worked at HuffPost, The AP, CNN, CBSNews.com, VICE News, NowThis, ABCNews.com and more. She was named member of the year by the Asian American Journalists Association in 2018. She is the chair of COVID19 Task Force and project director of the Tayo help desk. She holds a BA in English at Loyola Marymount University and a MA at UCLA in Asian American Studies.

JP Ferrer '14

Vice President

(Chicago, IL)

Jan Paul is currently Associate Vice President at Morgan Stanley. He also serves as President of the Tinley Park Frankfort Rotary Club, where he oversees its daily operations and the delivery of its local projects. He is also a member of the Philippine Engineer and Scientist Organization, 10,000 Kwentos at the Field Museum, UP Alumni Association of Greater Chicago, Filipino American Network, and International Society of Filipinos in Finance and Accounting

Fred Docdocil '19

Treasurer

(Carson, CA)

A Public Relations Commissioner for the City of Carson, CA, Frederick Docdocil is an active member of multiple FilAm organizations, including Filipino Community of Carson (FCC) and National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA). He is a Board Member, VP of Kagay-anons of Southern California (KSC); a President Emeritus and Board Member / VP of Membership for FilAm Chamber of Commerce of SouthBay LA Area (FACC-SLAA); the President / Chairman / Trustee for the Philippine Independence Day Foundation, Inc. (PIDF); and a Household Head & Speaker for Couples for Christ (CfC).

Jean Gavina

Secretary

(Chicago, IL)

Clinical Strategy Manager with a background in Health Administration and Nursing. Experience in strategy and operations, quality improvement and relationship development. Expertise with implementation of technology platforms and tools to support operations. Project management experience, program development and launch of new clinical programs.

Professional Business Resource Groups include BCBS's Asian American Business Resource Group, In-Abled Resource Group, Women Improving the Strength of the Enterprise, and Engaging Millennial Energy to Recognize Growth Enterprise wide . Community work involves Gawad Kalinga, LES-Live Every Second and Midwest Pilipino American Coalition.

2022 Board of Directors

Bernard Alvin Adriano

(Fort Washington, MD)

Alvin Adriano is the CEO of Travelwise International, a Filipino owned and operated travel agency that has been providing professional travel planning for Filipinos since 1989. He is one of travel industry’s rising stars and has quickly become a recognized speaker at travel conventions, training programs and other business coaching seminars. He is a passionate speaker who delivers simple, practical, and realistic approaches to improve any business. Alvin also serves on the Government and Public Affair committee for the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) in which he advocates for the travel industry on Capitol Hill. His passion has always and will be to inspire the upcoming Filipino Americans to be proud of their heritage and culture, to connect with their past and to support Filipinos who will become the future leaders of tomorrow!

Annalisa Burgos

(Honolulu, HI)

AnnaLisa is a veteran international TV news anchor and reporter, currently working in Hawaii. She have worked in a dozen cities across the United States and Asia, most recently Manila. She lived in the Philippines from 2016-2019 and worked at ABS-CBN and other media outlets so she know the business culture well -- both bad and good. She covered diplomacy and the ambassadors so she invited members of FYLPRO to be on her morning show at the ANC (also The Filipino Channel). She support the mission of FYLPRO in bridging the gap between the US and the Philippines and strengthening the diaspora's relationship with the Philippines. She was born in Los Angeles and have been active in Filipino organizations there, like UCLA's Samahang Pilipino. She also graduated from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism and covered the Filipino communities in NYC, such as Woodside, while she was there. She was a 2019 Jefferson Fellow of the East-West Center, and studied immigration policy in Hawaii, Korea, the Philippines and Australia. You can find more info about her at annalisaburgos.com, linkedin.com/in/annalisaburgos, on Twitter and Instagram @annalisaburgos and facebook.com/annalisathejournalist.

Louella Cabalona '12

(Chicago, IL)

Louella Rose Cabalona is a Senior Manager for Data and Analytics Solutions at BCBS of Illinois. In her over 20 years as an IT Professional, she has worked for various Fortune 500 companies such as Walgreen Co., Sears, Discover and US Cellular. Louella Rose is also the Founder, Creative Director and Lead Singer of Filipino folk fusion band, SamaSama Project channeling her creative energies as a TV, commercial and musical theater actor with Repertory Philippines and Tanghalang Pilipino in Manila as well as Theaterworks in Singapore. An active community leader, she serves on the board of Directors for Asian Popup Cinema, the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Chicago (PACCGC), and the Midwest Pilipino American Coalition (MPAC). She is passionate about sharing Filipino culture in the modern world and actively supports all outstanding Filipinos around the globe through her writing in Via Times News Magazine and her various advocacies.

Mark Calaguas '16

(Chicago, IL)

Marie T. Cunning

(Phoenix, AZ)

(Houston, TX)

An award-winning loan officer in the mortgage banking industry. I serve as the Region 6 Chair for NAFFAA (National Federation of Filipino American Associations); Board of Director for the Philippine- American Chamber of Commerce of South Texas (PACC-TX); Board of Director for the Philippine Kalayaan of Houston (PKH) with the Houston Philippine Consulate; a founding member of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS) Houston chapter; a founding organizer for the Houston Rockets Filipino Heritage Night; served on the Board of FYLPRO in the past and as Immersion Co-Chair for FYLPRO when going to the Philippines.

Joyce King '19

(Frederick, MD)

I am a Filipino American, born and raised in New Jersey, and currently resides in Maryland. I am an alumna of George Washington University, American University: Women & Politics Institute, and the David A. Clarke School of Law. I am the Chief Counsel at the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office. I lead the Frederick County Cybercrimes Task Force, serve on the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and is cross-designated as a Special Assistant United States Attorney through the Department of Justice. In addition to prosecution, I manage operations and communications for the State’s Attorney’s Office, provide legal counsel for multi-agency criminal justice policy initiatives and projects, and serves on the Legislative Committee for the Maryland State’s Attorney Association. I hope to bring this passion, leadership, and versatile skillset to FYLPRO and its mission.

Antonio Moya '19

(Long Beach, CA)

Antonio Moya, MD MPH is a Board Certified Neurologist, Assistant Professor of Neurology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, and LA County Department of Health Services Scholar working at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center. Antonio co-founded the Council of Young Filipino Americans in Medicine (CYFAM) and is its Executive Chair. He completed his neurology residency at New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He graduated from the UCSF School of Medicine as a PRIME-US Scholar and completed his MPH at the Harvard School of Public Health with a focus on Global Health in Asia. He was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship in the Philippines, specifically working on telemedicine stroke care. Antonio has primarily focused on the Filipino and Asian Pacific Islander global community, having served as one of the past medical directors of the UCSF Mabuhay Health Center and Director of the UCSF Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association. Antonio has partnered in Los Angeles with the Filipino American Service Group Inc. (FASGI), having been awarded multiple community and national grants to leverage media tools to improve health behaviors related to stroke and COVID-19 prevention.

Bryan Ramos

(Atlanta, GA)

Bryan Ramos have proudly represented Georgia’s working class since 2005 when he established the Ramos Law Firm. While headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, he represent injured workers throughout the state of Georgia. Prior to representing injured workers exclusively, he served as counsel to many large insurance companies and Fortune 500 corporations. He is a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers, and a member of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the Georgia Commission on Dispute Resolution, and have been recognized as “AV Preeminent Rated” by Martindale Hubbell.

He currently serve on the Georgia Advisory for the United States Commission on Civil Rights. He also sit on the boards of the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse; Asians Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta; Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project; and the National Filipino American Lawyers Association.

He have been a supporter of FYLPRO for many years, and he is familiar with the organization and ideals. He believe his experience in the professional world as well as my devotion to the Filipino community would be an asset to this organization.

Sabrina Sayoc

(Philadelphia, PA)

My name is Sabrina and I'm from Philadelphia, PA! I graduated from Penn State with my BS in Biology and minor in Spanish, and I'm currently pursuing my MBA/MS in Business Analytics through Indiana University. During the day, I work full-time as a Sr. Science & Clinical Recruiter where I'm proud to connect great people to great jobs and to support incredible research and within the life sciences. My cultural identity as a Philippine-American is extremely important to me and I carry it with me in everything I do. Throughout college, I was very active in the intercollegiate Philippine student communities, where I served as a Co-Chair of District 5 of FIND and as an External Representative of MAFA. I also served as my undergraduate university's Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Caucus President, where I represented APIDA voices to our student government. I also served on my company's Inclusion Council and currently serve an our internal Asian Pacific Islander Affinity Group as our Events Committee Co-Chair and on my graduate university's Diversity Council. I'm grateful for this opportunity to continue supporting the Philippine and Philippine-American communities through FYLPRO and to be a voice for marginalized communities.

Jessica Velasco

(New York, NY)

Jessica has worked in the non-profit and education sector, collaborating, coaching, developing colleagues, creating programs, and managing numerous programs from local communities to nationwide chapters. Jessica brought her love of learning into the classroom after undergrad. As a special education teacher, she learned not everyone knows the same, and equity must occur across all boards. After coaching and developing educators, Jessica rediscovered her love of highlighting individuality, dismantling the status quo of assimilation, and became a change maker for diversity, equity, and inclusion. As a purpose-driven leader, Jessica can ease complex characters, create inclusive communities, brave and psychologically safe workplaces wherever she brings her talents. Jessica can challenge individuals through her DEI lens to reflect on their past by unlearning micro-aggressions and implicit and unconscious biases. These challenges allow individuals to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, all while attaining a growth mindset. Raised in Miami, Florida, Jessica graduated from Iona College with a bachelors in sociology and received her masters in general and special education from Touro College working at a large charter school network in NYC. Jessica’s inclusive and thought leadership creates a brighter working world for her students, peers, colleagues, and the Fil-Am community.

Ex-Officio

Mark Lim

Philippine Embassy

(Washington, DC)

Joanna Duarte

Ayala Foundation

(Manila, PH)