Our Team

Dr. Angelica Cortez
Founder & CEO

Dr. Angelica Cortez is Founder & CEO of LEAD Filipino, a national civic, cultural, and advocacy organization advancing Filipino American leadership and political power across California, Texas, and Nevada.

Founded in 2015 as a voter registration project in San José, LEAD Filipino has grown into a multi-state organization with professional staff spearheading initiatives in civic engagement, leadership development, and health equity. Under Dr. Cortez’s direction, the organization has championed historic equity efforts, including the Silicon Valley Filipino Cancer Study with Stanford Health Care, the first Filipino Advocacy Day at the California State Capitol, the naming of Delano Manongs Park in East San José, and the passage of AB 490 – the Justice for Angelo Quinto Act.

Dr. Cortez brings over 15 years of experience in public policy, racial equity, and nonprofit leadership, including senior executive roles in healthcare and civic institutions. She has spoken at the White House, Fortune 500 companies, and universities nationwide on Filipino and Asian American Pacific Islander civic participation, movement infrastructure, and power building.

Her contributions have been recognized with honors including as a Silicon Valley 40 Under 40, Silicon Valley Woman of Influence, PALAD’s 2024 Larry Itliong Legacy Awardee and Stanford Medicine’s 2025 Community Health Advocate Award. She serves on the boards of Sacred Heart Community Service, the LGBTQ+ Victory Fund Campaign Board, and the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS).

In May 2025, LEAD Filipino’s Board of Directors unanimously appointed Dr. Cortez as Chief Executive Officer to guide the organization’s strategic growth across California, Texas, and Nevada. She splits her time between San José and San Antonio.

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Camille Valerio
Senior Program Manager & Lead Designer

As the Senior Program Manager & Designer, Camille (she/her/siya) is pivotal in leading program implementation, community outreach, and brand development. She is instrumental in growing the organization’s social media presence and producing impactful leadership summits that foster civic engagement within the Filipina/x/o American and broader Asian American Pacific Islander communities. With a strong background in community organizing, information systems, and design, Camille excels in managing complex projects and driving strategic initiatives. She is responsible for overseeing program logistics, developing marketing strategies, and ensuring the successful execution of events and campaigns.

Beyond her role at LEAD Filipino, Camille serves on the New Leaders Council of Silicon Valley nonprofit board as the Recruitment & Selections Chair and a proud co-founding member of the Filipino Alumni Network at San José State University.

Maleina Aguinaldo
Health Equity Organizer

Maleina Aguinaldo (she/her) was born and raised in San José, California. She attended high school at Evergreen Valley High School and is currently pursuing a BS in Biology at the University of San Francisco. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her big family and playing volleyball. She hopes to one day become a physician and serve her Filipino community through her passion for public health, advocacy, and the sciences.

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Makayla Diaz
Health Equity Organizer

 Makayla Diaz (she/her) is proud first-gen Filipina-American. She is currently pursuing her Associate of Science in Respiratory Therapy, followed by her Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care at Foothill College. Makayla is also a mobility technician helping turn and mobilize patients in ICUs and educating staff on safe patient handling and mobility. In her personal time, she volunteers with Mini Cat Town, tries new boba shops, or goes out to see musicals.

Daniel Lazo
Lola Scholarship Fund

Daniel Lazo (he/they) was born, raised and educated in Eastside San José. He started his community organizing in high school through the Filipino Youth Coalition, a gang-prevention program for Filipino youth; and SMASH Academy, a STEM-intensive summer program for BIPOC students. He graduated as summa cum laude from San José State University (SJSU) in 2018 and earned his BS in Advertising with a double minor in Asian American Studies and Event Planning. In 2016, Daniel became one of the founding organizers for LEAD Filipino, a 501c3 nonprofit to increase Filipino American civic participation, grassroots leadership and community action. Daniel is currently LEAD Filipino’s Marketing Director and Scholarship Director. He also works on public relations and other communication projects for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services, where he started as a recreation leader. Each step of the way, Daniel’s vision holds true — to give back to his community that has given him so much.

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James Binauhan
Awareness in Action Program

James remotely oversees our Linguistics and Philippine centered material which empowers our leadership programs and workshops.  Through L.E.A.D, he has led workshops on the influences of Spanish Colonization in the Philippines and Regional & Colonial Mentalities in the PI.  He received his B.A., Asian Studies and Masters of Public Affairs from USF. James’ interaction with the Filipino-American community includes: interning at the Philippine Consulate General, Bayanihan Center, and West Bay. He also worked as an outreach coordinator at the Pilipino Senior Resource Center. In 2013, James was given the opportunity to engage with Filam community leaders and orgs in Socal with his involvement with APIEquality-LA. During his tenure at USF, James conducted societal and cultural studies in the Philippines as a Fulbright scholar. His volunteer experience in the Philippines galvanized him to embody social justice. Currently, James works at Salesforce and resides in Oregon. James has also helped in establishing a Filipino/Filipino American employee resource group at Salesforce. His goal is to incorporate the value of social justice and social awareness with his career in tech, by working to bridge corporation entities with community members.

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Edys Argueta
Education Organizer

Edys (he/him) is currently pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies with a focus in Justice at San Jose State University. He is passionate about intersectionality, civic action, and green spaces! Outside of organizing he spends his time practicing his creativity through various mediums!

Gabriel Young
Civic Engagement Team

From San Jose, California, Gabriel Young, is a fourth-year Philippine-American undergraduate honors student at The George Washington University, studying Political Science — focusing on Public Policy — and International Affairs. Gabriel strives to be a man for and with others through serving the AAPI community through multiple ventures. Currently, Gabriel interns for the White House Initiative on Asian-Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, organizes with LEAD Filipino and the FIERCE Coalition as its Local and Statewide Policy Director, and organizes with the National Federation for Filipino-American Associations (NaFFAA)  EPYC program as an administrator. At GW, Gabriel serves as a student government senator and the President of the Philippine Cultural Society. Gabriel plans to serve others as a Public Interest Attorney to fight against social-injustice and eventually hold higher office where he can serve the wider AAPI community by developing and advocating for socio-economically equitable policies and laws. Gabriel is a Star Wars fanatic who loves to chat, eat, watch movies, read, and play video games. Isang Bagsak!!!

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Angela Pedrigal
Civic Engagement Team

Angela (she/her/siya) is a second-generation Filipina-American residing in the East Bay, holding a BS in Biology from UCLA. With her healthcare background, she is a strong proponent of environmental and housing justice as a means of improving health outcomes in her community. Witnessing health disparities unfold in her immediate family and the broader Filipino community has inspired her unwavering commitment to advocate for underserved communities, like the one she came from. Currently, she serves as a Council Policy and Legislative Analyst for San José Councilmember David Cohen, who represents District 4, which includes heavily populated Asian neighborhoods, including thriving Filipino communities. She recently helped coordinate LEAD Filipino’s 7th annual Fly Pinays Leadership Summit and the FIERCE Coalition Policy Symposium. As a dedicated advocate for the Filipino-American community, her mission is to empower and uplift FilAm voices by raising awareness of their unique cultural heritage and addressing the challenges they face.

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Vanessa Carr
Civic Engagement Team

Vanessa’s extensive experience spans across the public and private sector and all levels of government, including roles with California Volunteers Office of the Governor, Stop the Republican Recall campaign, Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian, Congressman Ro Khanna, Congressman Mike Honda, Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits, and Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP. Originally from San José, California, Vanessa earned her Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Santa Clara University. Vanessa now resides in Los Angeles and is actively involved with political and community organizations that uplift the issues affecting Black and Asian American communities.

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Aljon (Jiro) Claveria
Civic Engagement Team

Aljon (Jiro) Claveria (he/him/siya) was born and raised in Pangasinan, Philippines and immigrated to Santa Clara, CA in 2019. He’s studying Biomolecular Engineering and Bioinformatics at UC Santa Cruz and spent the majority of his time serving undergraduate students and the Pilipinx community. Through his experience as a peer educator and student advocate, he pushed for more accessible resources to close the gap in educational equity and access to higher education. He continues to thrive at the intersection of leadership, health equity work, and systems change. He further seeks opportunities to collaborate with other community-rooted leaders to continue the advocacy work and empowering underrepresented communities to innovate at every level of science and public policy and to lead a world where facts and science shape how we live and govern.

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Kriselle Gabriel
Civic Engagement Team
Las Vegas Chapter

Kriselle Gabriel is the founder & host of Empowered in Color, an educational platform that demonstrates the power of political involvement & multiracial solidarity in communities of color. With a digital marketing career that has shifted from fashion to architecture and now politics and advocacy, she brings a unique perspective to engaging and mobilizing non-political constituents through the power of storytelling and collaborating with content creators. Kriselle most recently worked on the Kamala Harris campaign in Nevada as the Deputy Digital Director, reaching nearly 50 million people in five months. 

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Angelli Angara
Civic Engagement Team
Texas Chapter

Angelli was born and raised in the Philippines before moving to the U.S. in 2008, at the height of the IT outsourcing boom. Armed with an IT degree and a strong background in project management, she played a pivotal role in building and expanding call centers across both the Philippines and the U.S. Now calling San Antonio (SATX) home, Angelli was drawn not only to its vibrant Filipino community but also to the sense of belonging she found there. She shares this home with Joey, her beloved cat, whom she unapologetically worships. As an outspoken LGBTQIA+ advocate, she is deeply passionate about visibility, having grown up in a conservative environment where living openly wasn’t always an option. This drive led her to create The Taco Stand Podcast, a platform dedicated to amplifying lesbian voices by sharing their coming-out journeys, struggles, and triumphs.