FYLPRO: Delegates of Hope
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FYLPRO hopes to expand the pipeline of Filipino young leaders in the diaspora by connecting them to the Motherland to create innovations and support the socio-economic progress of the global Filipino community.
The age limit for the members was increased from 40 to 45 last year, making the application more competitive. It also included a double-blind review process that concluded in a final virtual interview. The 2023 cohort is the 10th batch of delegates who will be going on a week-long immersion trip to Manila in August. They will interact with Philippine Government officials and leaders in the fields of business, arts and culture, and civil society.
"I congratulate the 10th batch of FYLPRO delegates, who have been chosen to embark on this transformative journey. Their selection for this program is a testament to their exceptional talent, passion, and commitment to making a positive impact in the Filipino-American community and beyond,” Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said.
He said further: “Their diverse backgrounds and remarkable talents demonstrate that Filipino-Americans have emerged as leaders and trailblazers in various fields, both geographically and professionally. I am confident that their passion, talent, and commitment will contribute to advancing the spirit of innovation, collaboration, and cultural exchange that defines the ‘enduring friendship’ of our two nations,"
Here are the 2023 Immersion Delegates:
Tracy Badua
Tracy Badua - Badua is an attorney serving as a Senior Housing Program Officer in the Office of Housing Counseling at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). At HUD she is vice president of the Department’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group and has collaborated with partners across all levels of government in planning heritage month celebration events, promoting workplace and federal initiatives, and striving to ensure that AANHPIs are represented in data, policies, and the workforce. She is also active in the Filipino American lawyer community, serving in leadership roles in the National Filipino American Lawyers Association and the Filipino American Lawyers of San Diego. She is also an award-winning author of books for young people. According to her grandmother, Tracy inherited this love of the written word from her great-grandfather, a school teacher in the Philippines.
Arienne Calingo
Arienne Calingo - Calingo serves as the Communications Specialist for Notre Dame Law School’s Religious Liberty Initiative (RLI) and is responsible for executing the RLI’s marketing efforts. Her role involves the dynamic intersection between writing, graphic design, public relations, higher education, student outreach, social media management, and other communication-related tasks. As a champion of diversity and inclusion, Calingo feels honored to work for one of the largest academic institutions in the world dedicated to promoting, protecting, and defending religious freedom for all people. She is also a contributing writer for The Manila Times and is dedicated to advancing pertinent Filipino and Filipino American issues. Calingo previously worked as the Senior Educational Consultant and Video Producer for Leap Finance, where she helped lead the Dubai office. She was the first woman to serve as EducationUSA Ambassador for the U.S. Embassy in Manila and has advised outbound Filipino students, alongside former U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim and consular officers. Prior to that, she taught Arabic language and Middle Eastern culture at Holy Angel University in Angeles City, Philippines. She also served as the International Cooperation Assistant in the Bureau of International Cooperation Strategy, an agency of the Office of the Higher Education Commission of the Thailand Ministry of Education. She is also an artist and hopes to raise awareness of international human rights and social justice issues through her artwork.
Walbert Castillo
Walbert Castillo - Castillo is a creative industries leader with a history of working in journalism and documentary storytelling. He is currently an Associate Creative Director for AWS Global Brand Creative works at Amazon and is the Founder/Owner of Istorya, a Filipino pop-up restaurant that serves culinary journeys inspired by Pre-Colonial Philippines. He hopes to provide food experiences that inspire joy, drive exploration of Filipino identities, and rekindle a connection to our roots. Prior to that, he worked at USA TODAY as a Multimedia Journalist in Washington, D.C. and co-founded the network's first Asian-American Employee Resource Group (ERG). He is currently on the Filipinos@Amazon Leadership Team, the Young Professionals Coalitions Director for the National Federation of Filipino American Association (NaFFAA) Nevada State Chapter, and the Director of Special Projects for the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Nevada (FACCGN). Castillo received his B.A. in Journalism in 2016 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Nikki Chan
Nikki Chan - Chan is a community advocate, graphic designer, small business owner, and journalist from Stockton, CA. She comes from a family of field workers of the manong generation who immigrated to the Central Valley agricultural fields. She uses her skills in design and journalism to raise voices of marginalized communities. She has designed for various social justice campaigns like Stop Asian Hate, get out the vote, and police-free schools. She has also written and published headlines at Fusion Media and Mahalaya. She currently serves as the Executive Director of Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities (EMAC) in Stockton, which serves and supports marginalized Southeast Asians by empowering communities through advocacy and healing from present and past disparities in order to build an equitable and robust future. On the side, Nikki runs her small food business Sarap Sa Chan specializing in Filipino and Asian inspired eats that are “yummy for your tummy” and tastes that are reminiscent of childhood. She was also finally diagnosed with ADHD as an adult and has been actively navigating and engaging in care practices that support those who are neurodivergent.
Yana Gilbuena
Yana Gilbuena - Gilbuena, a Philippine-born, critically-acclaimed, ancestrally-taught chef, started SALO Series as a way to educate folks about the history, culture, and rich heritage embedded in Filipino cuisine. The group’s work centers on the decolonization/reindigenization through food. Their pop-up, the Salo Series, seeks to celebrate the beautiful pre-colonial tradition of eating with one's hands, called kamayan and to disrupt the western constructs of dining. They founded LAMON: a Filipino Food and Wine Festival, happening this year in October in Berkeley, California. Their pioneering odyssey of bringing Filipino cuisine and kamayan to all 50 states in 50 weeks back in 2014, helped increase the popularity and awareness of the Filipino Food Movement. It inspired them to take this concept globally by extending their tour to Canada, Mexico, Colombia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and their home country, the Philippines. They are a 2017 Stone Barns Exchange Fellow, a 2021 Real Food Real Stories Facilitator Fellow, a 2021 Mae Writing Fellow, a Food Culture Collective Stewardship Council Member and have also been featured in major publications such as The New York Times, SF Chronicle and National Geographic and more. They're a contributor to Serious Eats, AllRecipes, and have been published in The Cherry Bombe Cookbook, Feed the Resistance and have self-published their own: “No Forks Given” in March 2019. This global Filipinx food evangelist aims to further their mission and host a Salo on every continent.
Trish La Chica
Trish La Chica - Representative La Chica represents Hawaii's 37th district in Central Oahu, which encompasses Mililani Town, Mililani Mauka, Koa Ridge, and Waipi'o Gentry. Governor Josh Green appointed her in February 2023 following the resignation of the incumbent. With over 15 years of leadership experience, La Chica has made significant contributions to nonprofit organizations, state, and county government, focusing on public health, Medicaid, housing, and homelessness. Raised in the Philippines by her single father, she experienced economic hardship that fueled her determination to overcome challenges. After attending Ateneo de Manila University, her academic achievements caught the attention of ABS-CBN's The Correspondents, the top investigative documentary show in the Philippines. Immersing herself in the lives of people across the country, La Chica passionately pursued human interest stories, shedding light on their struggles and fighting against corruption. As a Representative, La Chica is active in the Filipino caucus and serves on key committees including education, higher education, economic development, and tourism. She advocates tirelessly for her constituents. Her notable achievements during the 2023 legislative session include enacting comprehensive regulations for e-cigarettes and vaping products. La Chica is currently raising her two children with her husband in Mililani. She finds joy in hiking, exploring the beach, traveling, and experimenting with new recipes.
Athena Lao
Athena Lao - Lao has devoted her career to building and supporting initiatives that provide educational access and opportunity, with a particular focus on the intersections of international development and higher education. She currently works at the Institute of International Education (IIE) as a Program Development Lead, where she helps develop large-scale scholarship, exchange, and workforce development programs for U.S. and foreign governments, corporations, and foundations. Born and raised in Athens, Georgia, Athena holds an AB from Harvard College, MSEd in International Educational Development from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, and an MBA from the Quantic School of Business and Technology. She is currently President of the Harvard Asian American Alumni Alliance (H4A), a volunteer-run organization serving the school’s 20,000+ Asian and Asian American alumni. She is also a proud alumna of the Fulbright Program (English Teaching Assistantship to Bulgaria), Coca Cola Scholarship Program, and Gates Millennium Scholarship Program.
Juslyn Manalo
Juslyn Manalo - Manalo was born in San Francisco to Filipino parents and was raised in Daly City, California. She and her husband are raising her two children in her hometown. Her lifework is pushing for equity and justice for the community and creating policies that enhance the quality of life for the residents, ensuring that small businesses thrive, and supporting youth development and older adult programs. In 2016, Manalo became the first Filipino American woman on the Daly City Council and was appointed Vice Mayor in her first year. Right away, she pushed the needle to bring support for all immigrants. Also, she led in raising the minimum wage in Daly City, which is still above state minimum wage to date. Manalo earned her Master of Public Administration degree from San Francisco State University's School of Public Affairs and Civic Engagement. She has also obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Asian American Studies and a Minor in Women Studies from San Francisco State University. In 2017, Manalo became the first Filipino American woman to become Mayor in Daly City. She was re-elected in 2020 with the highest votes ever for a City Council race in the city’s history. In December of 2020, she became Mayor for her second term.
Cindy Martin
Cindy Martin - Martin is an award-winning Filipina American documentary filmmaker from Chicago, who is committed to enhancing voices from underrepresented communities, especially Filipino, AAPI, BIPOC and women’s stories. Her parents, Silvino and Zenaida Martin, were both celebrated athletes in the Philippines. Their tenacity and ambition were something instilled in her from a young age. Coupled with her inquisitive nature, this led her to obtain a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, specializing in Psychology and Politics. Six months after graduation, Cindy moved to London, England, where she started her international broadcast career at ABC News. Among her first stories was the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. She then worked as a reporter/producer for Reuters Television for 11 years, covering the arts and general news across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. In 2015, she moved to Los Angeles and worked as a freelance producer for Sky News, the Associated Press Television Network (APTN) and CGTN. In 2018, she was part of the all-woman team at Sky News that covered the deadly Kilauea Volcano Eruption, which won Best Breaking News from the Newswomen’s Club of New York. In 2020, Martin made the leap from news to documentaries, returning to her birth city of Chicago to begin filming her first feature, “Love Is A Stranger,” her family’s nearly 80-year journey to find their long lost Japanese grandfather, while attempting to uncover the roots of Filipino identity and imagining what the Philippines might have looked like had it not been colonized or occupied by Spain, the United States, and Japan. In 2021, she was selected for the Community Film Workshop’s Production Institute, followed by a 2022 fellowship in the prestigious Diverse Voices in Docs program at Kartemquin Films (“Hoop Dreams”, “Minding the Gap”), Chicago’s legendary documentary production company. Also in 2022, she was selected for the CNN/Film Independent Docuseries Intensive Fellowship as a Co-Producer on the feature documentary, “EJ Lee: All-American.” Martin is the Founder and CEO of production company King Horse Films; a film programmer at the Asian-American Showcase in Chicago; an organizer for the non-profit Doc Chicago filmmakers’ initiative; and a member of the Sundance Institute, Brown Girls Doc Mafia, Asian-American Documentary Network (A-Doc), Asian-American Journalists Association (AAJA) and Mezcla Media Collective.
Christine Melendres
Christine R. Melendres - Melendres, LCSW (she/her), is a Psychotherapist and Founder & CEO of Sweet Mango Therapy Group, Inc. With a deep commitment to providing compassionate, culturally-responsive psychotherapy for the AAPI and Filipinx community, Christine's roots trace back to Iba, Zambales—recognized as the home of the world's sweetest mangoes, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. Born in Iba, Zambales, Christine serves as the Co-Coordinator of Mentorship for the Asian American Psychological Association Division on Filipinx Americans (2023-2025), further dedicating herself to fostering growth and support within the community. Having immigrated to the United States at the age of three with her parents, Melendres has emerged as a trailblazer within her family, being the eldest granddaughter on both sides, the first to graduate college in the United States, and the only licensed therapist. Growing up in Daly City, California, she has actively engaged in community work since the age of 12, serving the Filipino American community. Her own immigration experiences and bicultural identity have fueled her passion for the mental health field. Specializing in providing psychotherapy to high-achieving BIPOC women facing burnout, anxiety, and impostor syndrome, Melendres has gained over a decade of experience across various clinical settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, and a group home for homeless pregnant women in crisis.
Lourdes Moldre
Lourdes Moldre - Moldre is a Nurse Executive Patient Care Director at UCSF Health Mount Zion Hospital in San Francisco. She has over 20 years of healthcare experience as a front-line registered nurse, an acute care nurse practitioner and an executive nurse leader. In her current position, Lourdes exercises 24/7 leadership over inpatient hospital operations, which include various acute care patient settings. Prior to this role, she was the Clinical Director for UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, which included outpatient clinics, inpatient oncology units and the Cancer Care Network. Her clinical expertise ranges from critical care (cardiovascular, pulmonary and transplant) and aesthetic nursing (dermatology and plastic surgery), to industry-sponsored (medical device and pharmaceutical) clinical operations, R&D management. Her progressive leadership responsibilities started when she left her position as a seasoned Critical Care Nurse Practitioner for Sutter, Mercy hospitals and became the Senior Clinical Manager for Cutera (Medical Device laser company) in 2012. During that time, she opened a Clinical Research Center from the ground up, where she was instrumental in three novel FDA-approved laser indications, and published multiple laser journal articles as the Principal Investigator. Moldre received her master’s degree in Nursing from University of California in San Francisco with a specialty in Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in 2008; an Associate’s Nursing degree in 2003 and a bachelor’s degree in 2004 both from Pacific Union College School of Nursing. Most recently, she was recognized as one of 2022 honorees for 40 under 40 by San Francisco Business Times. Moldre also received the Healthcare Hero Award in 2021 from California State Senator Richard Pan, for her dedicated work with focused Covid-19 education within the Filipino communities in Sacramento and San Francisco. She is the current President-Elect of Philippine Nurses Association of Northern California (PNANC) and an advisor for both PNA Napa/Solano and the newly launched PNA California Capital City chapter. Furthermore, she was recently appointed by American Nurses Association (ANA) as a member of the National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing.
Christian Osmeña
Christian Osmeña - Osmeña is the vice president for enterprise planning at Arizona State University, which has been named the most innovative university in the United States eight years in a row. In this role, Osmeña contributes to the strategy of the ASU Public Enterprise; leads planning, analysis, and research to advance the ASU Charter, and guides new initiatives, affiliations, and alliances that grow the enterprise’s impact. He leads the executive-level team charged with advising ASU’s president on the enterprise’s budget and finances. He has also been elected as a trustee of California College of ASU, an independent nonprofit college affiliated with ASU and located in Los Angeles. In addition to this leadership on the enterprise’s planning, Osmeña is a professor of practice in ASU’s Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions and the Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, where he teaches courses on public policy and finance. He began his public service as assistant to the Governor’s chief of staff. Osmeña serves on the Arizona Early Childhood Health and Development Board, the state’s early childhood agency also known as the First Things First State Board. He was appointed by the Governor of Arizona, and his nomination was confirmed by the state senate. Osmeña earned a doctorate in education from the University of California, Davis, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Southern California, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of California, Berkeley. He has been a Flinn-Brown Fellow through the Arizona Center for Civic Leadership, a Fellow through the Pahara Institute, and a California Education Policy Fellow through the Center for California Studies and the Education Insights Center.
Rey Paolo Roca III
Rey Paolo Roca III - Roca is a distinguished clinician who is passionate about healthcare, education, and advancing the Filipino community. With an exceptional academic background, he is revolutionizing clinical practice, enhancing patient care, and advocating for healthcare equity. Currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing at the esteemed University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Paolo's research focuses on improving the health outcomes of Asian Americans, specifically the Filipino community, in relation to Type 2 diabetes. His commitment to understanding cultural factors in healthcare allows him to provide holistic and patient-centered care, making him a recognized leader in the field. In addition to his academic achievements, Paolo holds licenses as a Registered Nurse and Public Health Nurse, along with certifications as a Nurse Educator and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse – Board Certified. This diverse expertise strengthens his impact within the nursing profession. Paolo's dedication to education is evident through his roles as an Adjunct Professor at Charles R. Drew University and a Teaching Associate at UCLA.
Jan Tancinco
Jan Tancinco - Tancinco specializes in media, culture, and technology. She is currently a Music and Podcasts Content Strategy Lead at YouTube, where she is responsible for launching cultural campaigns and overseeing operations for a global team. Prior to tech, she worked at Atlantic Media. Tancinco graduated from UCLA with degrees in World Arts & Cultures and Political Science. She has been awarded a Public Engagement Fellowship with the Vera List Center at The New School, which she will begin in the fall. Outside of work, she is interested in building a softer and more just world. She enjoys carving out calmness, finding balance, and engaging with the documentary arts. She was born in the Virgin Islands, raised in San Francisco and currently lives in New York. She owes everything that she is to her parents and the Bay Area immigrant community that raised her.
Patricia Tumang
Patricia Tumang - Patricia Tumang (she/her) is a Queer Filipina American writer, arts journalist, digital media producer, arts and entertainment marketer, and energy healer based in Los Angeles. She is passionate about highlighting the stories and works of underrepresented contemporary Filipinx/a/o artists, often overlooked in mainstream media. Her awards include a U.S. Fulbright Fellowship (2009) and an Andy Warhol Foundation Arts Writers Grant (2012), which enabled her to delve into the profound impact of Filipina women's contributions to Philippine and American history, living traditions, and contemporary art. She holds an MFA in English and Creative Writing from Mills College. An advocate for LGBTQ+ issues and an active supporter of the community, Patricia's dedication to amplifying marginalized voices within the arts showcases her commitment to fostering inclusivity and celebrating diverse perspectives.
FYLPRO President Leezel Tanglao says that this year’s strong cohort continues to raise the bar across underrepresented industries, locations, and advocacies.
For more information, visit www.fylpro.org.
