Filipina Women?s Network Announces Keynote Speakers for Filipina Summit on October 21-23, 2005

Filipina Women's Network convenes 3rd Annual Filipina Summit to celebrate Filipino History Month in October; search for "Filipina Women Who Could be President" Launched.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA September 23, 2005 -- The Filipina Women's Network (FWN), a nonprofit organization for women of Philippine ancestry, announced today the keynote speakers for the third annual Filipina Summit, taking place October 21-23, 2005 at the Crowne Plaza Union Square in San Francisco, California.

Irene Natividad, President of the Global Summit of Women, an annual gathering of women leaders from around the world, and first Asian American President of the National Women's Political Caucus, will deliver the opening keynote address, "Filipina First: Reinventing Ourselves" on Friday, October 21. Ms. Natividad will talk about how Filipina women can create a demand for their leadership abilities and talents by seizing opportunities within their organizations and by calling for a revolutionary shift on how Filipinas live and work, manage their careers, and create a competitive advantage in the workplace.

On Sunday, October 23, Freada Kapor Klein, Ph.D., Founder and Board Chair of the Level Playing Field Institute will talk about workplace equity, strategies on reinvention and ways Filipina women can fully participate in the workplace by understanding the processes and attitudes in business environments. Dr. Klein is also President of Klein Associates, a boutique organizational development and human resource consulting firm dedicated to linking employee needs with business strategy, particularly regarding issues of employee diversity. She has served as an expert witness in pivotal legal cases involving sexual harassment.

In celebration of Filipino History Month in October, FWN will announce the selection of the top three Filipina Women Who Could Be President honorees for 2005. This award is part of a larger FWN campaign ? Shaping the Filipina Image ? to build a pipeline of Filipina women leaders and to create a culture for Filipinas that they are capable and can aspire to be President, the highest and most visible position in the U. S.

Filipina nominees will be introduced on Tuesday, September 27 at the premiere party of the new television series Commander In Chief starring Geena Davies in collaboration with The White House Project (http://www.thewhitehouseproject.org/). For reservations, call 415-278-9410. The premiere will be held at a Filipino-owned business, the Zebulon Cafe and Bar (www.zebulonsf.com).

FWN will also publish the Filipina Resource Guide and Membership Directory in October. The guide will feature Filipina women's accomplishments in the U.S. with an exclusive "Filipina First in the U.S." section including business and community resources owned or managed by Filipina women.

The Filipina Summit is convened in October because the earliest documented proof of Filipino presence in the Continental United States was in October 1587 in Morro Bay, California.

This year, FWN is honored to have experienced and influential members of the Filipina community share their experiences and knowledge with summit attendees.

Twenty educational sessions are organized into four learning tracks, allowing participants to apply their professional development to specific needs and interests.

The full program can be found online at the FWN website at http://www.ffwn.org/FilipinaSummit2005.htm

Four Filipina Summit Educational Tracks and Speakers:

A. "Breaking the Glass Ceiling": (http://www.ffwn.org/BreakingtheGlassCeiling.htm)

- Welcome: Opening Remarks
*    Marily Mondejar, President, Filipina Women's Network; Executive Director, Institute for Image Management (www.image360.com)

- Opening Keynote - Filipina First: Reinventing Ourselves
*    Irene Natividad, President, Global Summit of Women

- Remarkable Filipina Women: Developing Organizational Savvy
*    Evelyn Dilsaver, President and CEO, Charles Schwab Investment Management
*    Charmaine Mesina, Esq., Managing Director, Corporate Legal Services, Applied Materials
*    Agnes Strandberg, National Vice President, Product Development & Network Strategy, Senior Products Division, Health Net, Inc.
*    Margaret Lapiz, Vice President, Strategy and Implementation, The Permanente Medical Group
*    Moderator: Sonia Delen, Principal, Banc of America Leasing

- Own Your Future: Strategic Mentoring
*    Bev Strand, Business Manager, Supplier Diversity Program; Chair of Mentoring Circles, Cisco Systems, Inc.
*    Denielle Palomares, Quality Assurance, Genentech; Filipino Americans Coming Together (FACT) @ Genentech
*    Erica Javier Samoranos, Cisco Systems, Inc.
*    Ruth Asmundson Ph.D., Mayor of Davis, California
*    Susan Afan, Regional Vice-President , Professional Staffing Services, Northern California, Robert Half International
*    Moderator: Evelyn Luluquisen, Human Resources Manager, Communication & Network Services, U.C. Berkeley

- Writing for TV and Print: Getting Published for Instant Credibility
*    Martin Delahoussaye, Senior Editor, Pfeiffer
*    Rena Down, screenwriter and Emmy Award-winning director; Faculty, New School University
*    Moderator: Terry Bautista, TLB Consultants

- Business Dining Etiquette (tutorial lunch)
*    Syndi Seid, Founder & Director, Advanced Etiquette

- Filipinas in Motion Roundtable Discussions (Mirror, Mirror on the Wall)
*    Attendees will join small discussion groups of Filipina women in similar fields and professional areas of expertise.

B. Entrepreneurship:(http://www.ffwn.org/Entrepreneurship.htm)

- Doing Business in the Philippines.
*    Clara Lapuz, Founder, Marigold Commodities (Mama Sita brand)
*    Casimira Gorce, Owner, XOX Truffles
*    Alice Ignacio, U. S. food importer and distributor.
*    Tricia Garcia, Marketing Manager, LBC Mundial
*    Moderator: Nini Alvero, Philippine Trade Commissioner, U.S.Western Region

- Road to Entrepreneurship
*    Al S. Perez, Director, Creative I Studio
*    Maria Honrada, President, Island Huts, Inc.
*    Norma Edar, Owner, Costless Maintenance Services Co., Inc.
*    Elaine Villamin, Wine Gypsy (Winemaker, Thirsty Traveler, Vineyard Pixie) Eden Canyon Vineyards
*    Moderator: Agnes Briones Ubalde, Executive Director, Small Business Commission, City and County of San Francisco

- Smart Financing
*    Moderator: Jessica Jallorina, Vice President, Communications @ FWN

C. Community & Political Empowerment: (http://www.ffwn.org/CommunityandPoliticalEmpowerment.htm)

- Filipino Pop Culture: the Development of the Filipino Image in America
*    Bambi Francisco, Editor, Columnist, Correspondent, MarketWatch, CBS Radio
*    Benny Evangelista , Host, Chronicle Podcasts; Staff Writer, San Francisco Chronicle
*    May Briosos, General Manager, Prime Image Media Group
*    Regina Reyes, North America News Bureau Chief, ABS-CBN International
*    Moderator: Tessie Zaragoza, Chair of the FWN Board

- Run, Filipina Run: Campaigning to Win
*    Alice Lai-Bitker, Supervisor, District 3, Alameda County
*    Gloria Megino Ochoa, Assistant Chief Counsel, Senate Judiciary Committee; former California State Senator; former candidate for U.S. Representative (against Michael Huffington)
*    Janet Reilly, Democratic Candidate for the State Assembly, District 12
*    Rachel Puno Juliana, Attorney; Trustee, Jefferson Union High School District
*    Rozanna Verder-Aliga, Board Member, Vallejo City Unified School District, CA; candidate for Vallejo City Council
*    Moderator: Stella Edralin, Esq., Law Office of Stella Edralin

- YouthSpeak: Growing Up Bi-Cultural in the U. S.
*    Nikki Santiago, President, Pilipino Student Union, Skyline College
*    Kristein Delen Briones, Student, City College of San Francisco
*    Moderator: Genevieve Jopanda, District Operations Manager, Hertz Corporation; Vice President, Youth & Community Advocacy @ FWN

- Developing Our Community of Influence
*    Marilyn H. Fowler, Founder & President, Women?s Intercultural Network
*    Vida Benavides, Political and Public Affairs Consultant (expert on Asian Pacific American electoral politics); Member, Democratic Party Presidential Primary Timing and Scheduling Commission

D. Personal Leadership Development:(http://www.ffwn.org/PersonalLeadershipDevelopment.htm)

- Kali, Filipino Martial Art of Self Defense: Building Inner Confidence
*    Rosie Abriam, Kali instructor, Software Manager, New Focus

- Clear Eye for a Filipina Style: What Your Wardrobe Says About You
*    Suzie Woodward Morris, CIO, Strategic Imaging, Inc., nationally known author, wardrobe and image consultant

- Emotional Intelligence
*    Rebecca Turner, Ph.D., Professor, California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant International University and Organizational Consultant

- Closing Keynote - Looking to the Future: A Level Playing Field
*    Freada Kapor Klein, Ph.D., Founder and Board Chair, Level Playing Field Institute; President, Klein Associates, Inc.

- The Power of Feng Shui: Achieving Fulfillment and Success in Your Life
*    Marsha Cheung Golangco, President, MG Consultants

[b]E. Celebrating Filipina Women Artists @ FWN Theatre[/b] (http://www.ffwn.org/FilipinaWomenArtists.htm

Fundraiser to launch V-Day San Francisco 2006 spotlighting Comfort Women of Asia. Beneficiaries: Filipina Women Against Violence, Pamana Theatre Project, Bindlestiff Studios)

- Special presentation about The Vagina Monologues
*    Lourdes Santos Tancinco Esq.
*    Giovannie Pico, Actor
*    Edna Rodis R.N., Kaiser Permanente

- Underneath the Smile: Tribute to Grandma
*    Shelene Atanacio, Actor

- Dead Woman Home
*    Written and performed by May Nazareno, The Pamana Theatre Project

- Women of the World, a musical presentation
*    Faith Rivera, pop songwriter, 2003 Daytime Emmy award winner

- FWN Theatre Host:
*    Bettina Santos Yap, Marketing Consultant, Sun Microsystems

New this year is the FWN Expo and Career Fair. Summit sponsors, corporate supporters and Filipino business owners will showcase their latest products and services. Sponsorship and exhibition slots are still available by calling 415.278.9410 or go to www.ffwn.org to download a prospectus.

The Career Fair will feature resume critiques, career coaching, and tips for conducting a job search. Corporate recruiters are welcome to join the Career Fair so they can attract Filipina women into joining their organizations. More information is available at http://www.ffwn.org/SponsorshipandExhibitorInformation.htm.

The casual nature of the Filipina Summit allows attendees an unprecedented opportunity to gain valuable contacts, find mentors, and explore new ways to advance their careers, expand their business and create a thriving work environment.

The Filipina Summit is open to anyone interested in advancing their careers and learning about managing issues facing women and minorities including professionals, industry executives and representatives from corporations, government agencies and public benefit organizations that support the Filipina agenda.

Early registration for the three-day Filipina Summit is open and can be accessed by logging into
http://filipinasummit.mollyguard.com. Registration for FWN members prior to October 11 is $250 and $300 for nonmembers. Onsite registration is $300 and $350 respectively.

The conference will be held at the Crowne Plaza Union Square located at 480 Sutter Street in San Francisco. On-site hotel is available at FWN special rates by calling 888.218.0808 for room reservations.

Filipina Summit sponsors include Genentech, Robert Half International, the Philippine Center, Manila Bulletin and Philippine News.

About Filipina Women's Network
The Filipina Women's Network (FWN) is a non-profit association for women of Philippine ancestry. FWN strives to enhance public perceptions of Filipina women's capacities to lead, change biases against Filipina women's leadership abilities and promote the entry of Filipina women into positions of leadership.

CONTACTS:
Marily Mondejar
415.278.9410

Tessie Zaragoza
510.229.8216

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